Computer System Architecture
COMP201Th
Unit: 3
Programming the Basic Computer
Lecture: 2
Addressing Modes
The term addressing modes refers to the way in which the operand of an
instruction is specified. The addressing mode specifies a rule for interpreting or
modifying the address field of the instruction before the operand is actually
executed.
Thus, the different ways of specifying the location of an operand in an
instruction are called as addressing modes:
1. Implied/ Implicit Addressing Mode
2. Stack addressing Mode
3. Immediate Addressing Mode
4. Direct Addressing Mode
5. Indirect Addressing Mode
6. Register Direct Addressing Mode
7. Register Indirect Addressing Mode
8. Relative Addressing Mode
9. Indexed Addressing Mode
10. Base Register Addressing Mode
11. Auto-increment Addressing Mode
12. Auto-decrement Addressing Mode
Implied Addressing Mode: In this addressing mode, the definition of the
instruction itself specify the operands implicitly. It is also called as implicit
addressing mode.
e.g.
The instruction “Complement Accumulator” is an implied mode
instruction (CMA).
In a stack organized computer, zero address instructions are implied
mode instructions.
Stack Addressing Mode: In this addressing mode, the operand is contained at
the top of the stack.
e.g. ADD
This instruction simply pops out two symbols contained at the top of the stack.
The addition of those two operands is performed.
The result so obtained after addition is pushed again at the top of the stack.
Immediate Addressing Mode: In this addressing mode, the operand is
specified in the instruction explicitly. Instead of address field, an operand field
is present that contains the operand.
e.g. ADD 100 will increment the value stored in the accumulator by 10.
MOV R #20 initialized register R to a constant value 20.
Direct Addressing Mode: In this addressing mode, the address field of the
instruction contains the effective address of the operand. Only one reference to
memory is required to fetch the operand. It is also called as absolute
addressing mode.
Indirect Addressing Mode: In this addressing mode, the address field of the
instruction specifies the address of memory location that contains the effective
address of the operand. Two references to memory are required to fetch the
operand.
Register Direct Addressing Mode: In this addressing mode, the operand is
contained in a register set. The address field of the instruction refers to a CPU
register that contains the operand. No reference to memory is required to fetch
the operand.
Register Indirect Addressing Mode: In this addressing mode, the address
field of the instruction refers to a CPU register that contains the effective
address of the operand. Only one reference to memory is required to fetch the
operand.
