Microcomputer with table-read and table-write instructions

Claim 2

A microcomputer device comprising: an arithmetic/logic unit having data input and an accumulator data output; a data memory having an address input and having data input/output means; data bus means coupled to the data input and accumulator data output of the arithmetic/logic unit and coupled to the data input/output means of the data memory; a program memory having an address input and having an instruction output, the program memory storing instruction words; program address means connected to the address input of the program memory means; control means for generating controls in response to instruction words, the controls defining operation of the arithmetic/logic unit and transfer to and from the bus means; program bus means coupled to said instruction output, to said control means, and to said program address means; bus interchange means for transferring the contents of the data bus means to the program bus means, and for transferring the contents of the program bus means to the data bus means, the control means providing a table-read instruction employing said bus interchange means to transfer a table address from the accumulator output of the arithmetic/logic unit via the data bus means and the program bus means to the program address means to thereby address the program memory and in the same operating sequence defined by a table-read instruction word to transfer data from the instruction output of the program memory via the program bus means to the data bus means.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1 including timing means for establishing overlapping operating cycles during one of which data may be transferred from the data memory to the data output of the arithmetic/logic unit, and the arithmetic/logic unit produces results to the accumulator output for one instruction, the control means receives an instruction word from the instruction output for the next instruction, and the program address means applies an address to the address input of the program memory, for another following instruction.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2 wherein the internal data bus means comprises a bus N bits in width and the accumulator data output of the arithmetic/logic unit is 2N bits with two N-bit words.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3 including means for validating data on said internal data bus means during one part of an operating cycle and for validating information on said internal program bus means during another part of said operating cycle after transferring via said bus interchange means.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 4 wherein the bus interchange means further includes means for receiving data from the internal data bus means only during said one part of an operating cycle for transfer to the internal program bus means, and for receiving information from the internal program bus means during said another part of said operating cycle for transfer to the internal data bus means.

Claim 7

A microcomputer system comprising: a microcomputer device formed in a single integrated circuit and having data input/output terminals and address output terminals; memory means external to the microcomputer device having an address input and data input/output means; input/output peripheral means for transfer of information to or from external equipment; external address bus means coupled to the address output terminals of the microcomputer device and to the address input of the memory means; external data bus means coupled to the data input/output terminals of the microcomputer device and to the data input/output means of the memory means; the microcomputer device comprising: an arithmetic/logic unit having data input and an accumulator data output; a data memory having an address input and having data input/output means; internal data bus means coupled to the data input and accumulator data output of the arithmetic/logic unit and coupled to the data input/output means of the data memory; an internal program memory having an address input and having an instruction output, the program memory storing instruction words; program address means connected to the address input of the program memory means; control means for generating controls in response to instruction words, the controls defining operation of the arithmetic/logic unit and transfer to and from the internal data bus means; internal program bus means coupled to said instruction output, to said control means, and to said program address means; bus interchange means for transferring the contents of the internal data bus means to the internal program bus means, and for transferring the contents of the internal program bus means to the internal data bus means, timing means for establishing overlapping operating cycles during one of which data is transferred from the data memory to the data input of the arithmetic/logic and the arithmetic/logic unit produces results to the accumulator data output for one instruction, the control means receives an instruction word from the instruction output for the next instruction and the program address means applies an address to the address input of the program memory for another instruction; the control means and timing means providing a table-read instruction using three successive operating cycles employing said bus interchange means to transfer a table address from the accumulator output of the arithmetic/logic unit via the internal data bus means and the internal program bus means to the program address means to thereby address the internal program memory and in the same sequence defined by a table-read instruction word to transfer data from the instruction output of the program memory via the internal program bus means to the internal data bus means and an addresed location in the data memory.

Claim 8

A microcomputer system comprising: a microcomputer device formed in a single integrated circuit and having data input/output terminals and address output terminals; memory means external to the microcomputer device having an address input and data input/output means; input/output peripheral means for transfer of information to or from external equipment; external address bus means coupled to the address output terminals of the microcomputer device and to the address input of the memory means; external data bus means coupled to the data input/output terminals of the microcomputer device and to the data input/output means of the memory means; the microcomputer device comprising: an arithmetic/logic unit having data input and an accumulator data output; a data memory having an address input and having data input/output means; internal data bus means coupled to the data input and accumulator data output of the arithmetic/logic unit and coupled to the data input/output means of the data memory; an internal program memory having an address input and having an instruction output, the program memory storing instruction words; program address means connected to the address input of the program memory means; control means for generating controls in response to instruction words, the controls defining operation of the arithmetic/logic unit and transfer to and from the internal data bus means; internal program bus means coupled to said instruction output, to said control means, and to said program address means; bus interchange means for transferring the contents of the internal data bus means to the internal program bus means, and for transferring the contents of the internal program bus means to the internal data bus means, timing means for establishing overlapping operating cycles during one of which data is transferred from the data memory to the data input of the arithmetic/logic and the arithmetic/logic unit produces results to the accumulator data output for one instruction, the control means receives an instruction word from the instruction output for the next instruction and the program address means applies an address to the address input of the program memory for another instruction; the control means and timing means providing a table-read instruction using three successive operating cycles employing said bus interchange means to transfer a table address from the accumulator output of the arithmetic/logic unit via the internal data bus means and the internal program bus means to the program address means to thereby address the internal program memory and in the same sequence defined by a table-read instruction word to transfer data from the instruction output of the program memory via the internal program bus means to the internal data bus means and an addresed location in the data memory.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 6 including means for validating data on said internal data bus means during one part of an operating cycle and for validating information on said internal program bus means during another different part of an operating cycle.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 7 wherein the bus interchange means further includes means for receiving data from the internal data bus means only during said one part of an operating cycle, and for receiving information from the internal program bus means during said another different part of an operating cycle for transfer to the internal data bus means.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 8 wherein said accumulator data output is coupled to said data input of the arithmetic/logic unit.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 7 wherein the accumulator data output is coupled to said data input of the arithmetic/logic unit.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 6 including means for addressing the external memory means by said table address in the alternative.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 6 wherein the internal data bus means comprises a bus N bits in width and the accumulator data output of the arithmetic/logic unit is 2N bits with separate N bit words.