EE 361

Digital Systems and Computer Design
Fall 2003 Course Syllabus

Last update: 8/20/03

Instructor: Galen H. Sasaki.

• Email: sasaki@wiliki Tel: 956-6103
• Office: Holmes 436 Office Hours: MWF 1:30-2:20 (after class)

Prerequisite: EE 213 "Basic Circuit Analysis II" and EE 260 "Introduction to Digital Design"

Textbook:

• "Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software Interface" by Patterson and Hennessey..

Time: MWF 12:30-1:20. Room: Watanabe Hall 420

Goals:  A student should understand (i) computer organization, (ii) the principles of designing efficient computers, and (iii) the relationship between programs (software) and the hardware they run on.  A student should be able to design efficient and complex digital systems, such as a RISC processor, computer arithmetic circuits, and control circuits.   In addition, a student should master modern design methods for digital circuits, including appropriate computer-aided design (CAD) tools.  

Lecture Topics:

• Principles of instruction set design, the role of compiler and optimizations, assembly language, machine level programs, how high level programs are implemented with machine instructions 
• Review of digital circuits, elementary design methods, and hardware description language (HDL) 
• Processor data path design 
• Processor controller design
• Algorithms and circuits for integer arithmetic, and the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 
• Data representations: review of representing characters and integers
• Floating point representation and arithmetic 
• Memory system design, implementing memory cells with transistors, RAM, memory hierarchy, caches
• I/O systems 

• Design assembly language programs from simple programs written in a high-level language. 
• Design assembly language functions that can be called by programs written in a high-level language. 
• Translate assembly language programs into machine language programs. 
• Design an I/O driver.  
• Understand the relationship between programs and the computer hardware they run on.
• Understand how data is represented in computers 
• Understand algorithms for arithmetic and be able to design arithmetic circuits. 
• Design a data path for a computer. 
• Design a hardwired or micro-programmed controller for a computer. 
• Learn to use a hardware description language (HDL) to design complex circuits at the behavioral level 
• Learn to use an HDL functional simulation to verify and debug designs 
• Implement a computer using an HDL.
• Understand memory hierarchy and the algorithms. 
• Use tools for assembly language (machine level) programming such as the simulator.

Grading: The final grade will be based on the following:

• Midterm Exam 1 (25%)
• Midterm Exam 2 (25%)
• Final Exam (25%).
• Homeworks (25%)

The midterm exam dates will be announced at least a week before they are given. Any missed exams, labs, or other assignments will result in a score of zero. With the exception of the homeworks, the grades will be based on the standard curve, i.e., A = 90%, B = 80%, C = 70%, and D = 60%. Each homework problem will be assigned a number of points. Grading of a problem will be based on getting 0%, 50%, or 100% of the points, where

• 100% means the problem was solved
• 50% means there was a reasonable attempt at the problem
• 0% means there was no attempt at solving the problem

Drop Dates:

• See UH's Schedule of Classes Fall 2003 for drop dates

Important:

• You are to take all exams on the scheduled days and times. There will be no exceptions unless you have a doctor's note explaining why you could not make it.
• You are expected to come to every lecture and at the beginning of the lecture. If you have a valid reason to miss a lecture, then contact Galen Sasaki (email or telephone) before lecture so that he can save handouts for you.
• Homeworks will be collected in class and at the beginning of class, unless notified otherwise. No late homeworks will be accepted.