Do thicker arrows mean bus in microprocessor block diagrams?
ampheo1 min read
Yes, in microprocessor block diagrams, thicker arrows typically represent a bus — a group of parallel signals or data lines, rather than a single control or data signal.
Meaning of Arrow Thickness in Diagrams
| Arrow Style | Typically Represents |
| ➝ Thin arrow | Single signal line (e.g. a control or clock line) |
| ➤ Thick arrow | Bus — multiple signals grouped together (e.g. 8, 16, or 32 bits wide) |
Examples of Common Buses
| Bus Type | Typical Bit Width | Description |
| Data Bus | 8, 16, 32, 64 | Transfers actual data (e.g. between CPU and RAM) |
| Address Bus | 16, 24, 32 | Carries memory or I/O addresses |
| Control Bus | Varies | Carries control signals (e.g. Read/Write, Clock) |
Example:
A thick arrow labeled DATA[7:0] or just DATA with an 8-bit width often shows the data bus, indicating 8 parallel data lines.
Summary:
Yes, thicker arrows in microprocessor/system block diagrams generally mean a bus — a set of multiple lines/signals grouped for data, address, or control transfers.
0
Subscribe to my newsletter
Read articles from ampheo directly inside your inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter, and don't miss out.
Written by