Course Outline

This outline provides an overview of the course and assignments by week. Please remember to check the calendar for specific due dates.


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Module

Week

Topics

Assignments

Module 1

week 1

Review of the classical von Neumann Architecture

Classification of Computer Architectures

Instruction Set Architecture

Hardware System Architecture

The Hierarchical View of Computer Systems

RISC versus CISC Approaches

Computer Performance Metrics

Read book sections 1.4,1.7-1.9


Review example set 1

Module 2

week 2

Internal Data Representation

Integer Arithmetic

Booth's Algorithm for Multiplication

Restoring and Non-restoring Division Algorithms

Floating Point operations and data

Submit problem set 1


Read book sections 2.1 - 2.10, 3.1 - 3.5


Review example Set 2

Module 3

week 4

Overview of a RISC Architecture (MIPS)

The Digital Logic Level

ALU Implementation

CPU and Control Unit Implementation

The Data Path

Hardwired Implementation

Single versus Multiple Clock Cycle Implementation

Submit problem set 2


Read book sections C.1-C.3, C.5-C.7


Review example set 3

Modules 4&5

week 5

The Control Unit

Microprogrammed Implementation

Horizontal versus Vertical Microprogramming

Microprogramming Examples

Exceptions

Submit problem set 3


Read book sections 4.1 - 4.4, D.1 - D.6

Review example set 4

week 6

Mid Term Review

Submit problem set 4


Review Mid-term example problems

week 7

Mid Term Exam

Submit Mid-term Exam

Review example set 4

Module 6

week 8

Pipelined Processors

Data Pipelining

Instruction Pipelining

Submit problem set 5


Read book sections 4.5 - 4.6


Review example set 6

Modules 7&8

week 9

Pipeline Control Hazards

Pipeline Data Hazards

Multiple Functional Units

Superscalar Machines

VLIW machines

Submit problem set 6

Review example set 7

Read book sections 4.7 - 4.10


Modules 9&10

week 10

Memory Types

Memory Organization

Segmentation

Banked Memory

Interleaved Memory

Cache Memory

Associative Memory

Submit problem set 7


Read book sections 5.1 - 5.3


Review example set 8

Module 11

week 11

Virtual Memory and Paging

Submit problem set 8


Read book sections 5.4 - 5.5


Review example set 9

Modules 12&13

week 12

The I/O System

Direct Programmed Controlled I/O

Direct Memory Access

Hardware Interrupt Mechanisms

System Interconnection and Bus Systems

Submit problem set 9


Read book sections 6.1 - 6.9


Review example set 10

Module 14

week 13

SISD, SIMD and MIMD Machines

Parallel Processors

Array Processors

Vector Processors

Clusters

Example Machine Architectures

Submit problem set 10


Read book sections 7.1 - 7.6


week 14

Final Exam Review

Review final exam example problems

week 15

Final Exam

Submit Final Exam