ECE 232 Hardware Organization and Design

University of Massachusetts

Spring 1998

Welcome to the 232 Course Home Page! This serves as the syllabus for the course. The URL is: http://www.ecs.umass.edu/ece/vspgroup/burleson/courses/232/

Instructor: Wayne Burleson, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, tel: 413-545-2382, email: burleson@ecs.umass.edu Office Hours : Tues and Thurs 1-2pm

TA: Aiyappan Natarajan, ECE MS student, email: pjain@ecs.umass.edu, Office Hours: TBD

Course Description

An introduction to computer architecture and hardware design. Emphasis on computer design techniques from a hardware perspective. Numerous examples drawn from recent microprocessors (Intel, Motorola, MIPS, ARM). Design problems teach and use hardware description languages (VHDL, Verilog) and assembly languages (680x0, SPIM).

Topics: Computer abstractions, history and technology, design methodology and CAD tools, VLSI, programmable logic, performance evaluation, instruction set architectures, computer arithmetic, pipelining, memory systems, interfacing, parallel processing. Hardware description languages and assembly languages.

Grading: Homework and programming assignments (40%), two midterm exams (20% each), and a final exam (20%).

Computer Requirements: PC with Web access

Prerequisite: A basic course in Digital Design (ECE 221, BC320A, or equivalent)

Textbook: Computer Architecture and Organization, J. Hayes, McGraw-Hill. 3rd edition, 1998, ISBN 0-07-027355-3. There will also be additional readings from the academic, industrial and popular literature and various Web reading assignments. These will all be announced in class with links and bibliographic information provided on this Web page.

Schedule (this WILL change throughout the initial semester )
 
Event  Date (for Spring 98) Topics Notes Reading 
Lecture 1 Jan 29 Introduction, Logistics, Expectations, Lecture 1  none.
Lecture 2 Feb 3 Computing  Lecture 2 Hayes pp. 1-12
Lecture 3 Feb 5 History Lecture 3 Hayes pp. 13-35
Lecture 4 Feb 10 Performance Lecture 4 Hayes pp. 35-57
Lecture 5 Feb 12 Design Methodology Lecture 5 Hayes pp. 64-83, Homework 1 due
Lecture 6 Feb 17 Hardware Description Languages Lecture 6 VHDL Tutorials page
Lecture 7 Feb 19 Register Level Design Lecture 7 Hayes pp. 83-114
Feb 23 9am Homework 2 due via email to hyang@ecs.umass.edu
Lecture 8 Feb 24 Programmable Logic Lecture 8 Handout: Programmable Logic 
Lecture 9 Feb 26 Processor Level Design Lecture 9 Hayes pp. 114-126
Lecture 10 Mar 3 Exam 1 review Lecture 10 none..
Exam 1 Mar 3, 7-9pm, Morrill Science, N329 covering Lectures 1 through 10 none..
Lecture 11 Mar 5 Processor Basics Lecture 11 Hayes pp. 137-160
Lecture 12 Mar 10 Processor Basics Lecture 12 Hayes pp. 160-178
Lecture 13 Mar 12 Processor Basics Lecture 13 Hayes pp. 178-211
Lecture 14 Mar 24 Assembly Language Lecture 14 MIPS Assembly Language Tutorial
Lecture 15 Mar 26 Datapath Lecture 15 Hayes pp. 223-252
Lecture 16 Mar 31 Datapath Lecture 16 Hayes pp. 252-266
Lecture 17 April 2 Datapath Lecture 17 Hayes pp. 266-292, Handout on ALU
April 6 9am Homework 6 due via email to hyang@ecs.umass.edu
Lecture 18 April 7 Multimedia Datapaths Lecture 18 Handout: Intel MMX article  
Lecture 19 April 9 Control Lecture 19 Hayes pp. 303-332
Lecture 20 April 14 Control Lecture 20 Hayes pp. 332-364
Lecture 21 April 16 Control Lecture 21 Hayes pp. 364-390
Lecture 22 April 21 Exam 2 review Lecture 22 none..
Exam 2 April 21, 7-9pm, Morrill Science, N329 covering Lectures 11 through 19 none.
Lecture 23 April 28 more Control Lecture 23 Hayes pp. 400-426
Lecture 24 April 30 Memory Lecture 24 Hayes pp. 426-471
Lecture 25 May 5 more Memory Lecture 25 Hayes pp. 480-539 
Lecture 26 May 7 I/O, Conclusions (Student Evals.) Lecture 26 Hayes pp. 539-578
Lecture 27 May 12 Guest Lecture (Prof. Ian Harris) Handout: Testing
Lecture 28 May 14 Final Exam review (pre-taped) none..
Final Exam May 20, 1:30-3:30, Goessman 20 Comprehensive none..

Note for Off-campus Students

For administrative information contact the UMASS Video Instructional Program or the National Technological University . Homeworks are due 2 weeks after receipt. Homeworks should be mailed to Prof. Burleson at the address on his web page. Do not fax your homework. Some assignments will be submitted via email. Lateness penalties do not apply to off-campus students. But don't fall behind!!

Other information

burleson@ecs.umass.edu (Last Update: 1/29/98)