CHAPTER 7

EXTERNAL DEVICES Data International Reference

Alphabet (IRA)
A device that is attached to a A set of bits to be sent to or
computer by a link to an I/O received from the I/O The most commonly used
module. module. text code, each character in
this code is represented by a
3 CATEGORIES OF EXTERNAL Status Signals
unique 7-bit binary code;
DEVICES
Indicates the state of the thus 128 different characters
 Human Readable device whether it is READY or can be represented.
Suitable for NOT-READY for data transfer.
Disk Drive
communicating with
Control Logic
the computer user. Contains electronics for
examples: video Associated with the device exchanging data, control,
display terminals controls the device’s and status signals with an I/O
(VDTs) and printers operation in response to module plus the electronics
 Machine Readable direction from the I/O for controlling the disk
Suitable for module. read/write mechanism.
communication with
Transducer I/O MODULES
equipment.
examples: magnetic Converts data from electrical Module Function
disk and tape to other forms of energy
 Control and Timing
systems, and sensors during output and from
I/O function requirement
and actuators other forms to electrical
in order to coordinate
 Communication during input.
the flow of traffic
Suitable for
Keyboard/Monitor between internal
communicating with
resources and external
remote devices. The most common means of devices.
examples: any device computer/user interaction is  Processor
that allows a a keyboard/monitor communication
computer to arrangement.  Command Decoding:
exchange data with a
Character the I/O module
remote device.
accepts commands
The basic unit of exchange. from the processor
Control Signals
Each character is associated typically sent as
Determines the function that with a code typically 7 or 8 signals on the control
the device will perform, such bits length. bus
as send data to the I/O  Data: exchanged
2 Types of Characters
module (INPUT or READ), between the
accepts data from the I/O  Printable processor and the
module (OUTPUT or WRITE),  Control I/O module over the
report status, or perform data bus.
some control function  Status reporting:
particular to the device (e.g., the peripherals slow
position a disk head). so it is important to
 CHAPTER 7

know the status of

the I/O module.
 Address Recognition:
each word of
memory has an
address so does each
I/O devices. Thus, an
I/O module must
recognize one unique
address for each
peripheral it controls.
 Device Communication
it involves commands,
status information, and
data.
 Data Buffering
is a region of a physical
memory storage used to
temporarily store data
while it is being moved
from one place to
another
 Error Detection
I/O module is often
responsible for error
detection and for
subsequently reporting
errors to the processor.

I/O Module Structure