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Instructor

Dr. Brian Mitchell
Drexel: (215)895-2668
Office: SERG Lab, First Floor of CAT Building
e-mail: bmitchel@mcs.drexel.edu
Class Web Page: http://www.mcs.drexel.edu/~bmitchel/course/cs281/cs281.html

Important Notices

See current class notices for CS281 - Systems Architecturre I

Please see the class notices for important midterm information

Course Description

This course covers internal function and organization of digital computers, including instruction set design, machine and assembly language, computer arithmetic, ALU design, central processor organization and implementation. Also covered are interpreters, assemblers, linkers, and loaders.

Intended Audience

This course requires prerequisites ECE 200 or ECE-C 211, CS172.  If you don't satisify these prerequisites please see me during the first class. 

Class Meeting Times

CS281 will meet from 6:00 - 9:00 PM on Monday evenings. Office hours are by appointment or immediately before class. TA and lab information will be posted shortly.

Lectures  <to navigation bar>

The following table provides you access to the course lectures.  The notepad icon  provides a link to an overview of the lecture, and the slides icon  provides you with an online copy of the lecture notes.

Topic/Lecture Description Notes Slides
#1:  9/23/02

1. Random Access Machines
2. Implementation of a Simplified Computer

#2:  9/30/02

1. Review of Digital Circuits and Logic Design
2. Review of Sequential Logic Circuits
3. Compilers, Assemblers, Linkers & Loaders

#3:  10/07/02

1. MIPS Instruction Set
2. Branching and Procedures in MIPS

Please note that I will be away this class, but the lecture will be covered by Anatole Ruslanov.

#4:  10/14/02 No classes, University Holiday

NONE

NONE
#5:  10/21/02

1. Recursive Functions, Arrays and Strings
2. Arrays, Pointers, and Linked Lists
3. Midterm Review

NONE
#6:  10/28/02 MIDTERM EXAM

NONE

NONE
#7:  11/04/02 1. Assemblers, Linkers, and Loaders
2. Alternative Instruction Sets

#8:  11/11/02 1. Arithmetic for Computers
2. Design of the MIPS ALU

#9:  11/18/02 1. Integer Multiplication and Division
2. Floating Point Arithmetic

#10:  11/25/02 1. A Simple Implementation of MIPS
2. A Multicycle Implementation of MIPS

#11:  12/02/02 1. Exceptions
2. Review for Final

#12:  12/09/02 FINAL EXAM -- We will have the final in our regular classroom.

NONE

NONE

You may use the above links to obtain an on-line copy of the lecture notes.  Selected lecture notes are provided in Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Powerpoint format.  Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free viewer for Adobe PDF files. A copy can be downloaded from here:

getacro.gif (712 bytes)

Assignments & Study Guides  <to navigation bar>

This class includes 3 assignments (some of which have been broken into multiple parts). For consistency with the other section of this class, a single webpage has been created to describe the homework assignments. Please follow the link to http://www.mcs.drexel.edu/~anatole/teaching/fa02_cs281/assignments.html to find out more about the homework assignments.

Please note that this page also includes study guides for the midterm and final exams.

Labs  <to navigation bar>

This class includes 7 lab assignments. For consistency with the other section of this class a single webpage has been created to describe the lab assignments. Please follow the link to http://www.mcs.drexel.edu/~anatole/teaching/fa02_cs281/labs.html to find out more about the lab assignments.

Class Resources  <to navigation bar>

The following tools and utilities will be used in this class:

  • Download SPIM simulator.
  • spimwin.exe (local copy of Windows version of the SPIM simulator)
  • spim_documentation.ps (Documentation for the SPIM simulator)
  • spimwin.ps (Documentation for Windows version of the SPIM simulator)
  • VHDL Simili Compiler and simulator (free) from Symphony EDA (this software will be used in Lab during the second part of the course)

    •  Textbooks  <to navigation bar>

    David A. Patterson and John L. Hennessy, Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software Interface, Second Edition, Morgan Kaufman Publishers, 1997.
    Peter J. Ashenden, The Student's Guide to VHDL, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 1998.

    Grading <to navigation bar> 

    The following is a rough guideline on how your final grade will be determined.  I reserve the right to alter the below slightly based on the performance of the class.

    1. Written and Programming Assignments (three) 30% (10% each)
    2. Lab 15% (Regular lab exercises to make sure students understand what is covered in lectures and can use necessary tools for the course.)
    3. Midterm Exam 25%
    4. Final Exam 30%

    Policies  <to navigation bar>

    The university's Academic Honesty policy is in effect for this course. All assignments, labs, and projects in this course are to be done individually (unless otherwise noted). You may consult fellow students, TA's and the professor for help, but what you hand in must be your own work. You can review Drexel's academic honesty policy policy online by going to http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/studenthandbook2002/Judicial/acadhon.html. This is a link to a section from the 2002 student handbook.

     
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    ** Copyright 1997-2003, Brian S. Mitchell **