At this point, we've designed the LC-2 processor's datapath . We now focus on designing the logic to control this datapath. As its name implies, the control unit controls the operation of the datapath. It orchestrates the operation of the datapath by asserting and de-asserting the correct control signals at the correct times. Control logic design techniques vary from ad-hoc techniques to more systematic techniques.
Techniques also range from manual to automated.
Many design tools have been created to automate the control logic design process. These tools are very imperfect however and require human guidance in order to generate reasonable designs. They can often save time, but they have not replaced human designers that are adept at designing control logic. Based on the state machine description, we'll design the controller. Tranform RTL into state machine.