Computer Design
2001-02
Principal lecturer: Dr Simon Moore (swm11)
Taken by: Part IB, Part II (General), Diploma
Syllabus
Past exam questions
Aims
The aims of this course are to introduce the hardware/software
interface models and the hardware structures used in designing
computers. The first eight lectures are concerned with the
hardware/software interface and cover the programmer's model of the
computer. The last eight lectures look at hardware implementation
issues at a register transfer level
Structure
This is a 16 lecture course lectured by Simon Moore.
The course is split into two parts.
Part I - The Hardware/Software Interface
The first part of this course covers the programmer's model of the
computer.
Lectures:
- 1 - introduction to the course and some background history
- 2 - historic machines: EDSAC vs Manchester Mark I
- 3 - introduction to RISC processor design and the ARM instruction set
- 4 - ARM tools and code examples
- 5 - operating system support + memory hierarchy & management
- 6 - Intel x86 instruction set
- 7 - Intel code examples
- 8 - Java Virtual Machine
Part II - Hardware Structures
The second part of this course looks at hardware implementation issues
at a register transfer level.
Lectures:
- 9 - executing instructions - an algorithmic viewpoint
- 10 - basic processor hardware: pipelining & data paths
- 11 - extending the ARM pipeline - including load and branch delay slots
- 12 - memory hierarchy (caching, etc.)
- 13 - buses (internal communication pathways)
- 14 - communication interfaces and devices
- 15 - control structures (state machines and microcode)
- 16 - data-flow & comments on future directions
Recommended books
- Hennessy, J.L. & Patterson, D.A. (1996). Computer Architecture:
A Quantitative Approach. Morgan Kaufmann (2nd ed.)
- Patterson, D.A. & Hennessy, J.L. (1998). Computer Organization and
Design. Morgan Kaufmann (2nd ed.).
Handouts and Workshops
Examination Information
There are three lab exercises (ECAD & Architecture workshops 4, 5 and 6)
taken by Part 1Bs only. There are three Tripos questions for Part 1Bs
and Diplomas.
Past exam questions:
Student Feedback
Useful Links
Simon Moore
IB | II(G) | Dip