ECE 552: Introduction to Computer Architecture

Home : Courses :
ECE 552 - Introduction to Computer Architecture

WWW Resources

Timetable Information

Engineering Courses on the Web (eCOW)

eCOW2 Courses

ECE/CS 552 Introduction to Computer Architecture, Fall09 (1) Sections: 001, 301

Create eCOW2 Course Homepage

Past Semester Courses
ECE 552 Intro-Computer Architecture, Fall08 (1) Sections: 001

Additional Links

Course Homepage of instructor Lipasti

Course Homepage of instructor Ramanathan

Course Homepage of instructor Smith

Edit This Page

Catalog Description

552 Introduction to Computer Architecture. (Crosslisted with Comp Sci) I, II; 3 cr (P-A). The design of computer systems and components. Processor design, instruction set design, and addressing; control structures and microprogramming; memory management, caches, and memory hierarchies; and interrupts and I/O structures. P: ECE/Comp Sci 352 & Comp Sci/ECE 354.

Course Prerequisite(s)

ECE 352
ECE 354

Prerequisite knowledge and/or skills

Logic design and Boolean algebra
Assembly language programming
Ability to use design tools available on computer

Textbook(s) and/or other required material

Textbook: D. Patterson and J. Hennessy, Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software Interface, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc., Second edition, 1998.

Reference: V. C. Hamacher, Z. G. Vrasenic, and S. G. Zaky, Computer Organization, McGraw-Hill, 3rd edition, 1990. J. P. Hayes, Computer Architecture and Organization. M. Mano, Digital Design, 2nd edition.

Course objectives

Goals: It is expected that students at the end of this course will be able to design a stored program computer using logic gates, flip-flops, and components from a given library of digital components.

Topics covered

Introduction, basic computer organization
Instruction formats, instruction sets and their design
ALU design: Adders, subtracters, logic operations
Datapath design
Control design: Hardwired control, microprogrammed control
More on arithmetic: Multiplication, division, floating point arithmetic
RISC machines
Pipelining
Memory systems and error detection and error correction coding
I/O

Class/laboratory schedule

either bi-weekly 75 minute lectures, or three times weekly 50 minute lectures; varies with semester.

Contribution of course to meeting the professional component

This course contributes primarily to the students' knowledge of engineering topics, and does provide design experience.

The following statement indicates which of the following considerations are included in this course: economic, environmental, ethical, political, societal, health and safety, manufacturability, sustainability.

economic issues in microprocessor design manufacturability issues in microprocessor design

Relationship of course to undergraduate degree program objectives and outcomes

This course primarily serves students in the department. The information below describes how the course contributes to the undergraduate program objectives.

advanced expertise in design, analysis, and fabrication techniques within a student-selected electrical and computer engineering concentration area

Assessment of student progress toward course objectives

Homeworks are assigned once every other week. A miterm exam is conducted. In addition, students are expected to complete a term project (design of a computer) using the Mentor Graphics Tool Suite on the HP 9000 workstations at CAE.

Person(s) who prepared this description

James E. Smith

Copyright 2007 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Date last modified: 18-Jul-2007
Content by: ece@engr.wisc.edu
Accessibility

Web services
UW-Madison : COE : ECE : ECE Site Map