CU · CPU ontology dimension
Control Unit
Control turns instruction meaning into timed internal action: fetch, decode, sequencing, hazards, traps, branch decisions, and speculation.
instruction meaning + machine state -> next micro-actions
Sequencing
Hardwired
Control is expressed directly in logic for speed and simplicity.
Microcoded
Complex instructions are broken into internal micro-operations or control-store steps.
Decoded uops
Visible instructions become simpler internal operations that the core schedules.
Dynamic Scheduler
Runtime readiness, hazards, and resources determine when work issues.
Future Handling
Direct Branch
Control changes are resolved with little or no prediction.
Static Prediction
Fixed rules or compiler hints guess control flow.
Dynamic Prediction
History tables and target predictors guide the next fetch path.
Deep Speculation
Large windows and deep pipelines make predicted futures central to throughput.