Course Agenda Course Outline Syllabus
Gradebook

CSCI 461: Computer Architectures

Tentative Course Outline

Topics  Reading  Assignments
Digital Logic  Appendix A

A.1 - A.3
A.4
A.5 - A.6
A.8
A.9
A.10
A.12 - A.13
A.14
A.16 - A.17		   posted on
Canvas




The general purpose machine
  • User's view
  • Assembler programmer's view
  • Computer architect's view
  • Logic designer's view
  Chapter 1

1.1 - 1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5		    
Machines, languages and digital logic
  • Classification of computers
  • Instruction set
  • Simple RISC computer
  • Register transfers and logic circuits
  • Cortex-M0+ instruction set
  Chapter 2

2.1
2.2
2.3
2.6		  
Processor design
  • 1-bus architecture
  • Logic design
  • The control unit
  • 2- and 3-bus architectures
  Chapter 4

4.1 - 4.2
4.3 - 4.4
4.5
4.6		  
***** Midterm Exam I *****
Processor design - Advanced topics
  • Pipelining
  • Pipeline hazards
  • Instruction-level parallelism
  • Microprogramming
  Chapter 5

5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4		  
The arithmetic unit  Chapter 6

6.1 - 6.2

6.3
6.4		  
Computer memory
  • RAM structure and hierarchy
  • Logic design
  • Memory boards and modules
  • The cache
  • Virtual memory
  Chapter 7

7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4 - 7.5
7.6 - 7.7		  
***** Midterm Exam II *****
Input and output
  • Programmed I/O
  • I/O interrupts
  • Direct memory access
  • Error control
  Chapter 8

8.1 - 8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5		  
Peripheral devices  Chapter 9

9.1 - 9.3

9.4
9.5

9.6
9.7		  
Networking and Internet
  • Computer to computer data communications
  • Serial data communication protocols
  • Local area networks
  • Modern serial buses: USB and FireWire
  • The Internet
  Chapter 10

10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5		  
***** Final Exam *****