03716 - Digital Design Principles and Computer Architecture

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student possesses the methods and tools needed to approach the design of simple microprocessor-based systems with awareness. The student learns to analyse and synthesize combinational and sequential logic networks (both synchronous and asynchronous).

This knowledge forms the foundation for studying the architectures of modern electronic computers, through which the student acquires an understanding of their general operating principles, performance impact, processor design, and the mutual relationship between hardware and software.

Beyond the specific content, the student develops one of the key skills currently required in the information engineering industry: the ability to manage project complexity, becoming accustomed to the practice of abstraction, understood as the process of effectively and hierarchically representing the essence of a computing system.

Course contents

• Binary encoding of information
• Analysis and synthesis of combinational logic networks, asynchronous sequential networks, and synchronous sequential networks
•  Finite state machine model
•  Principles of computer operation
•  Von Neumann architecture
•  Program execution model
•  Memory and I/O device addressing
•  Computer hardware architecture
•  Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
•  General considerations on machine languages
•  R-R (RISC) architectures and M-R (CISC) architectures
•  Measurement of computer performance
•  Impact of architecture on performance
•  Internal structure of a CPU and implementation using a sequential organization (DLX)
•  Design of microprocessor-based systems

Readings/Bibliography

R. Laschi, M. Prandini: "Appunti di Reti Logiche", Esculapio 2007
Hennessy Patterson: "Computer architecture: a quantitative approach" - Morgan Kaufmann pub. Inc., second edition
Giacomo Bucci: ìArchitetture dei calcolatori elettroniciî McGraw-Hill

Teaching methods

The principles of how a computer operates will be introduced first. An initial top-down approach will be used to highlight the fundamental components that make up computer hardware. The course will then examine logic networks as essential elements of hardware and, through a bottom-up approach, will progress toward outlining the internal structure of a CPU. Finally, it will be shown how the CPU interacts with the other key components of a computer (memory and I/O devices) and how its operation is closely tied to the architecture of the instruction set it supports.

Assessment methods

All the test is performed on EOL. At the end of the test, the student already know the result. As the correction is all automatici, students can ask for a manual review of their assessment if the correction does not correspond to what expected.

Teaching tools

The lectures will be supported by slides and additional materials made available by the instructor on the Virtuale platform.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Roffia