Foundations of Microprogramming: Architecture, Software, and Applications discusses the foundations and trends in microprogramming, focusing on the architectural, software, and application aspects of microprogramming. The book reviews microprocessors, microprogramming concepts, and characteristics, as well as the architectural features in microprogrammed computers. The text explains support software and the different hierarchies or levels of languages. These include assembler languages which are mnemonic or symbolic representation of machine commands; the procedure oriented machine-dependent; and the procedure oriented machine independent. A simulator is used to interpret programs written in machine or micro-language before the instructions in the program can be run. A simulator and translator (which change some steps from one program written in another language to another program) should interface with the design language of the computer for these components to operate even when a new machine is developed. The book cites four existing computers which have "simple" diagonal microinstructions such as the Hewlett-Packard HP21MX and the Microdata 3200. Horizontal types of microinstructions allow parallel execution of many micro-operations, such as the Cal Data family of computers, the Varian 73, and the NANODATA QM-1. Microprogramming is applied in emulation, program enhancement, operating systems, signal processing, and graphics. The text can benefit programmers, computer engineers, computer technicians, and computer instructors dealing with many aspects of computers such as programming, hardware interface, networking, engineering or design.

Describes How to Design & Program a Complete Interpreter for APL Language

Discusses microprogramming theory, applications and methodology.

High-Level Language Computer Architecture offers a tutorial on high-level language computer architecture, including von Neumann architecture and syntax-oriented architecture as well as direct and indirect execution architecture. Design concepts of Japanese-language data processing systems are discussed, along with the architecture of stack machines and the SYMBOL computer system. The conceptual design of a direct high-level language processor is also described. Comprised of seven chapters, this book first presents a classification of high-level language computer architecture according to the proximity of the machine language and the programming language. This classification gives four types: von Neumann architecture, syntax-oriented architecture, indirect execution architecture, and direct execution architecture. In order to illustrate the possible evolution of computer architecture, design concepts of Japanese-language data processing systems are chosen as an example. Subsequent chapters focus on the syntax-oriented architecture; the historical SYMBOL computer system which makes use of an indirect execution architecture; and design concepts of direct-execution architecture for the ALGOL 60 language. The final chapter describes the architecture for the processor for an APL subset. This monograph will be of interest to specialists in electronics and computer science.