[SOLVED] Why PSW of 8085 is WORD when it's only 8-bit long?

[pavan garate]

Program Status Word of microprocessor 8085 is only 8-bit long. So, it should be known as Program Status BYTE not WORD, since a WORD is 16-bit long. Then why is it known as WORD?

 

[HTA]

Hi pavan garate,

the terms "word" mean that it is a complete element, like on the 8085 which is 8 bit status word only. Microprocessors on the market operate on "words" in parallel and the length could be like 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48 or 64 bit long, or so called "xxbit microprocessor". For example a 16 bit micro operates on 16bit words or two bytes in parallel, but the status words could be any length.

Enjoy your design work!

 

[pavan garate]

Thanks a lot HTA for the detailed explanation! I'll be grateful to you if you elaborate how "it is a complete element". I'm asking this because Accumulator, Instruction Register, Instruction Decoder, etc. are also separate entities in 8085, but none of them is called "Word".

 

[HTA]

Hi pavan garate, the complete element means all status bits are together a "statusword". The Accumulator, Instruction Register, Instruction Decoder, etc are general functions and the 8085 ist an "8-Bit"-micro and it's accumulator has a 8-bit length, there is a 8-bit instruction register etc. . This tutorial might be helpfull to understand the architecture: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/microprocessor/microprocessor_8085_architecture.htm .

Enjoy your design work!

 

[pavan garate]

Hi pavan garate, the complete element means all status bits are together a "statusword". The Accumulator, Instruction Register, Instruction Decoder, etc are general functions and the 8085 ist an "8-Bit"-micro and it's accumulator has a 8-bit length, there is a 8-bit instruction register etc. . This tutorial might be helpfull to understand the architecture: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/microprocessor/microprocessor_8085_architecture.htm .

Enjoy your design work!

Thank you so much HTA! God bless you!