84447 - Introduction to Computer Architectures M

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Telecommunications Engineering (cod. 9205)

    Also valid for Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Electronic Engineering (cod. 0934)

Learning outcomes

Provide a vision of digital circuits at gate- and register- level. Overview of microprocessor and memory architectures. Basics of testing, performance and power consumption at system level.

Course contents

1 Number systems

- Positional number systems

- Conversion between number bases

- Basic binary arithmetic operations

- Signed binary numbers

2 Boolean Algebra and Logic Gates

- Boolean equations

- Theorems and properties

- Simplification of Boolean expressions

- Basic logic gates

3 Combinational Logic Design

- Introduction to combinational circuits

- Canonical SOP and POS of Boolean expressions

- Don’t cares, contention and floating values

- Optimization of SOP expressions with Karnough maps

- Examples of some basic combinational blocks

- Timing of combinational circuits

4 Sequential Logic Design

-Introduction to sequential circuits

-Latches, flip-flops and registers

-Synchronous sequential logic

-Finite State Machines (FSM)

-Timing of sequential circuits

5 Digital Building Blocks

- Basic arithmetic circuits (adder, substractor, multiplier)

- Shifters, counters and shift registers

- ALU structure

6 Introduction to VHDL

- Introduction to VHDL description and simulation of digital circuits

- Structure of a VHDL design

- Examples of descriptions of digital circuits using VHDL

- Delay models in VHDL

7 Memory Systems

- Introduction to memory architectures

- ROM and RAM memories

- Memory performance

- Basic concepts of cache memories

- Cache memory classification and operation

8 MIPS Microarchitecture

- Introduction to architectures and microarchitectures

- Microarchitecture of a single-cycle processor

- Parallelism

- Microarchitecture of a pipelined processor

Readings/Bibliography

-David Money Harris and Sarah L. Harris, “Digital Design and Computer Architecture, 2nd Edition

-L. Hennessy and D. A. Patterson, “Computer Organization and Design”, any Edition

Teaching methods

-Lessons, CAD laboratory

Assessment methods

-Final written examination.

Teaching tools

-PC, projector, Power Point slides.

Office hours

See the website of Martin Eugenio Omana