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The 8008
Computer Terminal Corporation (later known as Datapoint) had visited Intel in late 1969 to
contract Intel to design and build a custom bipolar memory chip for their small
CPU, which was to be built using TTL logic components (as was customary in those
days). The architecture of this 8-bit microprocessor was done by CTC, and – like
all simple CPU’s - was very similar to the 4004 architecture. Hoff and Mazor,
based on the simplicity of the architecture, proposed that Intel build this CPU
in a single chip.
Intel entered into a
development contract with CTC in early 1970 and Hal Feeney was assigned to work
on the chip. Feeney, with the assistance of Hoff and Mazor, started the 8008
design several months before the 4004. Because of its head start, the 8008 could
have been the world’s first microprocessor. After a few months of slow progress,
however, the project was stopped. It was restarted after Faggin had finished the
4004 and was free to supervise the project. Feeney, now working under Faggin’s
guidance, did the detailed design using the same design methodology Faggin had
developed for the 4004, enabling its successful implementation.
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The 8080
The 8080 microprocessor was
conceived by Faggin in the summer of 1971. Faggin also defined the 8080
architecture, instruction set and basic design. He succeeded in convincing
Intel's management to do the project, after nine frustrating months of hard
lobbying. This delay almost cost Intel the microprocessor leadership to
Motorola’s 6800. The 8080 chip was designed by Masatoshi Shima in 1972-74, in a period
of approximately 15 months, under Faggin’s supervision. The contribution by Stan
Mazor was limited to a couple of instructions to the instruction
set.
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