Interview Questions on Embedded Processors [Part-I] This post is all about discussion of interview questions on embedded processors [Part-I]. Here we’ll discuss topics on microprocessor & microcontroller technolo!. I’ve divided article into two parts. This post covers most of questions based on basics of microprocessor and microcontroller. I believe this post will be helpful to prepare for an interview of entr! level position. What is Microprocessor?
"icroprocessor is a #P$ fabricated on a sinle chip proram controlled device% which fetched the instructions from memor!% decodes and eecute the instructions. Three basic characteristic differentiate microprocessor.
Instruction Instruction Set: The set of instruction microprocessor can eecute.
Bandwidth: The number of bit’s processed in a sinle instruction
!oc" Speed: 'iven in "H( "eahert(% the cloc) speed determines how man! instructions per second the processor can eecute.
In addition to this% microprocessors are classified as bein *I+# ,*educed Instruction +et #omputer or #I+# ,#omple Instruction +et #omputer. What are the basic units o# Microprocessor?
The basic units or bloc) of microprocessor are a re /$% an rra! rra! of *eisters and control unit. $ive E%amp!es #or&'()'*+-bit Microprocessor?
The processors made of P"<+% ;"<+% H"<+% H#"<+ technolo! are called 5 st= 7nd=6rd=8th eneration processor’s and are made up of 8% 0% 54% 67-bits. What does microprocessor speed depends on?
The speed of microprocessor depends on various factors such as 9ata :us >idth ,;umber of instruction it processes and cloc) speed. What is So#tware and .ardware?
The software is set of instruction or commands needed for performin a specific tas) b! prorammable device or a computin machine. The hardware refers to the component or device used to form computin machine in which software can be run and tested. >ithout software hardware is idle machine. /istinuish between microprocessor and microcontro!!er?
The microprocessor is a diital interated circuit that can be prorammed with a series of instructions to perform a specified function on data. The microcontroller is tin! little computer on sinle interated circuit% which has memor!% input-output on chip itself. +o we can sa! microprocessor can perform few functions but microcontroller can perform man! functions. What are disadvantaes o# Microprocessor?
"icroprocessor has limitation on si(e of data. "ost microprocessor does not support floatin point operation. What is the di##erence between microprocessor and microcontro!!er?
In microprocessor more op-codes% few bit handlin instructions but in microcontroller? fewer op-codes and more bit handlin instructions also microcontroller defined as a device that includes microprocessor% memor! and input-output sinal lines in a sinle chip. What is an Instruction?
n instruction is an order iven to a computer processor b! a computer proram. t the lowest level each instruction set is a sequence of 1s and 5s that describes a ph!sical operation that computer is to perform ,such as @ddA and dependin on the particular instruction t!pe% the specification of special storae areas called reisters that ma! contain data be used in carr!in out the instruction or the location in computer memor! of data. What is c!oc" c0c!e?
The speed of computer processor is determined b! cloc) c!cle% which is amount of time between two pulses of an oscillator. In eneral% the hiher number of pulses per second the faster the computer processor will be able to process information. What is instruction c0c!e?
The sequence of operation that the processor has to carr! out while eecutin a instruction is called instruction c!cle. Bach instruction c!cle of processor consist of a number of machine c!cles. The sequence of staes is? 5. *ead an instruction.
7. 9ecode the instruction. 6. Cind the address of operand. 8. *etrieve an operand. 2. Perform desired operation. 4. Cind the address of destination. D. +tore the result into destination. What is machine c0c!e?
The steps performed b! computer processor for each machine lanuae instruction received. The machine c!cle is 8 process c!cle.
1etch: *etrieve an instruction from memor!
/ecode: Translate the retrieved instruction into series of computer commands.
E%ecute: Becute the computer command.
Store: +end and write the result bac) into memor!.
E%p!ain the #unction o# P2 in Microprocessor?
"icroprocessor controls all the functions of #P$ #entral Processin $nit of a computer or diital device. The microprocessor is prorammed to ive and receive instructions from other components of the device. The s!stem can control ever!thin from small devices such as calculators and mobile phones to lare automobile. What is 3eister?
In computer architecture% a processor reister ,or eneral purpose reister is a small amount of storae available on the #P$ whose contents can be accessed more quic)l! than storae available elsewhere. T!picall!% this speciali(ed storae is not considered part of normal memor! rane for the machine. Processor reisters are at the top of the memor! hierarch!% and provide the fastest wa! for a #P$ to access data. What is ca!!ed scratch pad o# computer?
#ache memor! is scratch pad of computer. Wh0 does Microprocessor contain 34M chip?
"icroprocessor contain *<" chip because it contain instruction to eecute data. Wh0 status sina! is provided in microprocessor?
The status sinal can be used b! the s!stem desiner to trac) the internal operation of the processor. lso it can be used for memor! epansion ,b! providin separate memor! ban) for proram% data and selectin the ban) usin status sinals. What is prorammab!e periphera! device?
If the function performed b! a peripheral device can be altered or chaned b! a proram instruction then the peripheral device is called prorammable device. $suall! the prorammable devices will have control reisters. The device can be prorammed b! sendin control word in the prescribed format to the control reister. E%p!ain the wor"in o# a handsha"e output port?
In handsha)e output operation the processor will load a data to port. >hen the port receives the data% it will inform the output device to collect the data.
#ache memor! is small hih speed memor!. It is used for temporar! storae of data & information between main memor! and #P$ ,central processin unit. /e#ine .M4S?
Hih densit! n-t!pe #omplementar! "etal <ide silicon field effect Transistor. What is 1!a?
Cla is flip-flop used to store the information about the status of a processor and status of instruction eecuted most recentl!. What is 56-37M?
;on Eolatile *ead >rite memor!% also called flash memor!. It is also )nown as shadow *". What is /irection 1!a?
This is used b! strin manipulation instructions. If this fla bit is F1’% the strin is processed beinnin from the lowest to hihest address i.e. uto increment mode.
The set of instructions that the microprocessor can eecute. Wh0 address bus is unidirectiona!?
The address is identification number used b! the microprocessor to identif! or access a memor! location or I< device. It is an output sinal from the processor. Hence the address bus is unidirectional. Here is the end of this post. Probabl! in the net post will see more challenin interview questions on embedded processors. I hope !ou’ll find this post educational. Than)sG
