Course Description
This course introduces architecture of digital systems, emphasising structural principles common to a wide range of technologies. Topics include Multilevel implementation strategies; definition of new primitives (e.g., gates, instructions, procedures, and processes) and their mechanisation using lower-level elements. Analysis of potential concurrency; precedence constraints and performance measures; pipelined and multidimensional systems; instruction set design issues; architectural support for contemporary software structures.
Prerequisites
- 10.014 Computational Thinking for Design (For AY2020 and subsequent batches)
Learning Objectives
- State the role of abstraction in the design of large digital systems, and explain the major software and hardware abstractions in contemporary computer systems.
- Design simple hardware systems based on a variety of digital abstractions such as ROMs, logic arrays and state machines.
- Synthesize digital systems from a library of representative components and test the designs under simulation.
- Describe the operation of a moderately complex digital system — a simple RISC-based computer — down to the gate level, and be able to specify, implement and debug its components.
- Appreciate the technical skills necessary to be a capable digital systems engineer.
- Explain the fundamentals of modern operating systems.
Measurable Outcomes
- Identify flaws and limitations in simple systems implemented using the static discipline.
- Identify flaws and limitations in simple systems implemented using clocked registers with asynchronous inputs.
- Identify flaws and limitations in simple systems implemented using semaphores for process synchronization.
- Characterize the logic function of combinational devices using CMOS, ROM or PLA technologies.
- Explain synthesis issues for combinational devices using CMOS, ROM or PLA technologies from their functional specification.
- Explain synthsis of acyclic circuits from combinational components.
- Calculate performance characteristics of acyclic circuits with combinational components.
- Explain and calculate performance characteristics of single-clock sequential circuits.
- Implement a simple RISC-based CPU architecture.
- Explain the underlaying theory of memory hierarchy.
- Implement a device handler using interrupt and SVC.
- Implement a synchronization system for processes using semaphore.
Topics Covered
- Course overview and mechanics, Basics of Information
- The Digital Abstraction, CMOS Technology
- Basic Hardware Lab (Combine with EPD)
- Logic Synthesis
- Logic Simplification, Multiplexer, ROM
- SW Lab1 (CMOS)
- Sequential Logic
- Finite State Machines and Synchronization
- SW Lab 2 (Adder)
- Computers and Programs
- The Assembly Language
- SW Lab 3 (ALU)
- The C language, Stacks and Procedures
- Stacks and Procedures (II)
- Building the Beta
- Building the Beta (II)
- SW Lab 5 (Assembly Language)
- Memory Hierarchy
- Cache Issues
- SW Lab 6 (Beta)
- Virtual Memory
- Virtual Machines
- SW Lab 6 (Beta)
- Device Handlers and Bus
- Processes, Synchronization, and Deadlock, OS summary
- SW Lab 8 (Tiny OS)
Textbook(s) and/or Other Required Material
- Stephen A. Ward, Robert H. Halstead, Computation Structures (The MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Series). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 1999.