Accumulator (computing)
In a computer's central processing unit (CPU), an accumulator is a register in which intermediate arithmetic and
logic results are stored. Without a register like an accumulator, it would be necessary to write the result of each
calculation (addition, multiplication, shift, etc.) to main memory, perhaps only to be read right back again for use in
the next operation. Access to main memory is slower than access to a register like the accumulator because the
technology used for the large main memory is slower (but cheaper) than that used for a register.
The canonical example for accumulator use is summing a list of numbers. The accumulator is initially set to zero,
then each number in turn is added to the value in the accumulator. Only when all numbers have been added is the
result held in the accumulator written to main memory or to another, non-accumulator, CPU register.
An accumulator machine, also called a 1-operand machine, or a CPU with accumulator-based architecture, is a
kind of CPU in which—although it may have several registers—the CPU always stores the results of most
calculations in one special register—typically called "the" accumulator of that CPU. Historically almost all early
computers were accumulator machines; and many microcontrollers still popular as of 2010 (such as the 68HC12, the
PICmicro, the 8051 and several others) are basically accumulator machines.
Modern CPUs are typically 2-operand or 3-operand machines—the additional operands specify which one of many
general purpose registers (also called "general purpose accumulators"[1] ) are used as the source and destination for
calculations. These CPUs are not considered "accumulator machines".
The characteristic which distinguishes one register as being the accumulator of a computer architecture is that the
accumulator (if the architecture were to have one) would be used as an implicit operand for arithmetic instructions.
For instance, a CPU might have an instruction like:
ADD memaddress
This instruction would add the value read from the memory location at memaddress to the value from the
accumulator, placing the result in the accumulator. The accumulator is not identified in the instruction by a register
number; it is implicit in the instruction and no other register can be specified in the instruction. Some architectures
use a particular register as an accumulator in some instructions, but other instructions use register numbers for
explicit operand specification.
called LOAD ACCUMULATOR from memory/register (e.g. "LDA r") and STORE ACCUMULATOR in
register/memory (e.g. "STA r"). Knuth's model has many other instructions as well.
References
[1] "HC16 Overview" (http:/ / www. freescale. com/ webapp/ sps/ site/ overview. jsp?code=DRMCRHC16OV& srch=1). Freescale.com. .
Retrieved 2008-09-22.
[2] Irvine, Kip R. (2007). Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers (5th edition ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall. pp. 633, 622.
ISBN 0-13-238310-1.
• Goldstine, Herman H., and von Neumann, John, "Planning and Coding of the Problems for an Electronic
Computing Instrument", Rep. 1947, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. Reprinted on pp. 92–119 in Bell, C.
Gordon and Newell, Allen (1971), Computer Structures: Readings and Examples, McGraw-Hill Book Company,
New York. ISBN 0-07-004357-4}. A veritable treasure-trove of detailed descriptions of ancient machines
including photos.
This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed
under the GFDL.
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