This is an archived syllabus from 2013-2014
COMP12111 Fundamentals of Computer Engineering syllabus 2013-2014
COMP12111 Fundamentals of Computer Engineering
Level 1
Credits: 10
Enrolled students: 192
Course leader: Paul Nutter
Additional staff: view all staff
Assessment methods
- 50% Written exam
- 50% Practical skills assessment
| Semester | Event | Location | Day | Time | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sem 1 | Lecture | 1.1 | Thu | 09:00 - 09:00 | - |
| Sem 1 | Lecture | 1.1 | Mon | 16:00 - 16:00 | - |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 0 | Fri | 09:00 - 09:00 | V |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 0 | Wed | 09:00 - 09:00 | X |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 1 | Fri | 09:00 - 09:00 | V |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 1 | Wed | 09:00 - 09:00 | X |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 0 | Thu | 13:00 - 13:00 | Z |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 1 | Thu | 13:00 - 13:00 | Z |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 0 | Tue | 14:00 - 14:00 | Y |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 1 | Tue | 14:00 - 14:00 | Y |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 0 | Thu | 15:00 - 15:00 | W |
| Sem 1 w2+ | Lab | Toot 1 | Thu | 15:00 - 15:00 | W |
Overview
This course introduces digital logic and its application in computer organisation and design.
The major emphasis is on practical design work. In the laboratory state-of-the-art computer-aided design tools are used to support the design of digital hardware systems. Students' designs are simulated and then implemented on in-house programmable gate array boards.
The lectures initially support the laboratories but progress to a wider overview of the design and interaction of computer hardware systems. Ultimately a complete - if simple - computer is described.
Aims
The main aim of this course is to give students a basic understanding of the hardware which underpins computing systems.
Further aims include:
- Introduction to basic logic and logic gates
- Partitioning of simple systems into combinatorial and sequential blocks
- To introduce basic CAD tools to aid in the design of a basic computer system
- To provide an overview of hardware description languages with particular emphasis on Verilog
- Introducing logic level implementation of a simple processor
- Discussion of how computer systems interact with memory and I/O devices
Syllabus
Basic logic functions (4)
- Combinatorial logic
- Sequential logic
Register Transfer Level (3)
Introduction to CAD and Verilog (3)
- The use of computer aided design to manage complex designs
- Verilog as a hardware description language
The 'three box' computer model - CPU, Memory and I/O (1)
Processor Design (4)
- Datapath design
- Control
- Optimisation
Memory (3)
- Types of memory
- Addressing and interfacing
Input/output (4)
- Parallel I/O
- Serial I/O
- Interrupts and DMA
Teaching methods
Lectures
22 in total, 2 per week
Laboratories
20 hours in total, 10 2-hour sessions
Feedback methods
Feedback is provided by the automated marking of submitted work. In addition, face-to-face demonstration of submitted work is undertaken for each exercise, where a demonstrator provides one-to-one feedback on the work submitted.Study hours
- Assessment written exam (2 hours)
- Lectures (22 hours)
- Practical classes & workshops (20 hours)
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- Innovation/creativity
- Problem solving
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, a student will be able to:
Learning outcomes are detailed on the COMP12111 course unit syllabus page on the School of Computer Science's website for current students.
Reading list
| Title | Author | ISBN | Publisher | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principles of computer hardware | Clements, Alan, 1948- | 9780199273133 | Oxford University | 2006. |
| Quick start guide to Verilog | LaMeres, Brock J., | 9783030105525; 3030105520; 9783030105532; 3030105539 | Springer | [2019] |
| Digital design : with a introduction to the verilog hdl / | Mano,M. Morris, | 9780132774208 | Pearson Prentice Hall, | 2011 |
| Fundamentals of logic design | Roth, Charles H., 1932- | 9781133628484 | Nelson Engineering | 2013. |
| The Verilog hardware description language / | Thomas, D. E. | 9780387849300 (hbk.) : | Springer | c2008. |
| Digital design : with RTL design, VHDL, and Verilog | Vahid, Frank. | 9780470531082 | Wiley | c2011. |
| Computer systems architecture : a networking approach | Williams, Rob. | 0201648598 | Addison-Wesley | c2001. |
| Computer systems architecture : a networking approach | Williams, Rob, 1948- | 9780321340795 | Pearson Prentice Hall | 2006. |
Additional notes
Course unit materials
Links to course unit teaching materials can be found on the School of Computer Science website for current students.