What type of control pins are needed in a microprocessor to regulate traffic on the bus, in order to prevent two devices from trying to use it at the same time?

In a microprocessor, control pins needed to regulate traffic on the bus to prevent two devices from trying to use it at the same time are typically known as “bus control signals.” These include:

1. Request (REQ): Signals a device is requesting control of the bus.
2. Grant (GNT): Acknowledges that a device has been granted permission to use the bus.
3. Bus Busy: Indicates that the bus is currently in use and not available for other devices.
4. Read/Write Control: Signals whether the operation is a read or a write, helping to coordinate data flow.
5. Data Enable/Disable: Controls when data is valid on the bus, ensuring only one device drives the bus at a time.

These control signals help manage access to the bus and prevent collisions between different devices.