Re: Is microprocessor an integrated circuit???

From: Terry Given (my_name_at_ieee.org)
Date: 02/04/05 

Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 18:49:25 +1300

microx wrote:
> As far as I always understood it, and all definitions I've read, the
> word "microprocessor" literally means "small processor", and what makes
> it small is the fact that it is on a single IC chip, as opposed to the
> word "processor" which is any processor, small or large (ie. integrated
> circuit or discrete circuit).
>
> It was the step in technology to have an IC contain the complete
> processor on a single chip that coined the term "microprocessor". The
> next comparable step along the same path in technology of putting more
> of the computer on one chip is "SoC" (system-on-chip). If you think of
> it, SoC brought into existence the idea of processor cores that can be
> integrated with other components of the computer that originally had
> their own chips, just like the microprocessor integrated the groups of
> logic gates which each had their own chip before. We are slowly making
> the IC chip contain more and more of the system.
>
> Interestingly, the orginal poster (Yogesh) who started this thread
> never posted again. :-) He probably decided we're all a bunch of
> loonies for what we did with his simple question, and thought it's
> better to stay away from us. Either that, or you fell for his trick,
> he's probably sitting back laughing right now. :-)
> I think I don't need to ask anyone to correct me if I'm wrong. :-)
>

IEEE standard dictionary of electrical & electronics terms defines
microprocessor as:

"An integrated circuit that contains the logic elements for manipulating
data and for making decisions"

Cheers
Terry

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