Musings, Courses, & Projects by Rob Marano

ECE 251 Spring 2024 Weekly Course Notes

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Weeks	Dates	Topic
1	1/17	Computer Abstraction, and Software Modeling
2,3,4	1/24, 1/31, 2/7	Software Modeling Using Verilog
5,6	2/14, 2/21	Instructions —The Language & Grammar of Computers
7,8	2/28, 3/6	Intro to Assembly Language Programming — MIPS CPU
9,10	3/13, 3/27	Arithmetic for Computers — Adders, Multipliers, Dividers; Midterm Exam
11,12	4/3, 4/10	The Processor — Data Path and Control
13,14	4/17, 4/24	Memory Hierarchies
15	5/8	Final Exam — in class. ALSO, extra 20pts given if Group CPU Final Project handed in no later than 11:59pm ET
15	5/10	Group CPU Final Project due no later than 11:59pm ET

Follow the link above to the respective week’s materials below.

Week 1 — 1/17 — Computer Abstraction, and Software Modeling

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessy: Chapter 1

Topics

• intro to computers and the architectures which drive their designs
• the mental model for a computer and its five core parts

Readings & Subject Information

• Chapter 1 of our textbook (Patterson-Hennessy)
• none this week

Week 2 — 1/24 — Software Modeling Using Verilog

Topics

• chip wafer process technology and its economics (yield); some examples
• computer performance definition and its metrics; some examples
• intro to Verilog as a hardware description language
• data types
• timescale

Readings & Subject Information

• The Free Lunch Is Over: A Fundamental Turn Toward Concurreny in Software

Week 3— 1/31 — Software Modeling Using Verilog

Topics

• Verilog
• file format (testbench and module files)
• data types
• designing digital logic circuits (combinational and sequential) using Verilog
• defining and running simulations

Readings & Subject Information

• Prof Marano’s notes on Verilog & SystemVerilog
• David Harris’ Structural Design with Verilog
• Mentor Graphics Verilog Training Manual
• SystemVerilog Tutorial from IBM
• SystemVerilog Overview
• Intro to SystemVerilog from SUNY Stonybrook

Week 4 — 2/7 — Software Modeling Using Verilog

Topics

• Review of basic digital logic modules modeled in Verilog.
  • templates for working with Verilog on Windows and Linux/MacOS
  • modules
    • combinational logic
      • multiplexer
        • for parameterized n-bit input / output
    • sequential logic
      • D Flip Flop
      • Clock
      • Clock Dividers
• A selection of combinational logic modules to build your computer architecture components catalog
  • parameterized counter (up/down)

Readings & Subject Information

• Prof Marano’s notes on Verilog & SystemVerilog
• ChipVerify’s SystemVerilog Tutorial
• Icarus Verilog Documentation link
• Directions to install Icarus Verilog and GTKwave on Windows, MacOS, or Linux

Week 5 — 2/14 — Instructions —The Language & Grammar of Computers

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 2

Topics

• Textbook sections
  • 2.2 — Operations of Computer Hardware
  • 2.3 — Operands of Computer Hardware
  • 2.4 — Signed and Unsigned Numbers
  • 2.5 — Representing Instructions in the Computer (ISA)
  • 2.6 — Logical Operations
• MIPS Green Sheet

Readings & Subject Information

Week 6 — 2/21 — Instructions —The Language & Grammar of Computers

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 2

Topics

• Textbook sections
  • 2.7 — Instructions for Making Decisions
• MIPS Green Sheet

Readings & Subject Information

Week 7 — 2/28 — Intro to Assembly Language Programming — MIPS CPU

Topics

• Intro to MIPS Assembly Programming and programming on a MIPS emulator.
• Working with spim — the MIPS32 emulator
• Textbook sections
  • 2.8 — Supporting Procedures in Computer Hardware
  • 2.9 — Communicating with People
  • 2.10 — MIPS Addressing for 32-bit Immediates and Addresses
  • 2.12 — Translating and Starting a Program
  • 2.13 — A C Sort Example to Put It All Together
  • 2.14 — Arrays versus Pointers
• MIPS Green Sheet

Readings & Subject Information

Week 8 — 3/6 — Intro to Assembly Language Programming — MIPS CPU

Topics

• Programming arrays, conditional loops, conditional statements, leaf procedures in MIPS32.
• MIPS Green Sheet

Readings & Subject Information

Week 9 — 3/13 — Arithmetic for Computers — Adders, Multipliers, Dividers

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 3
• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 4

Topics

Readings & Subject Information

Week 10 — 3/27 — Midterm Exam — Arithmetic for Computers — Adders, Multipliers, Dividers

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 3

Topics

• Logic Design Conventions
• Building the Datapath
• A Simple Implementation of a Processor

Readings & Subject Information

Week 11— 4/3 — The Processor — Data Path and Control

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 4

Topics

• A Multi-Cycle Implementation of a Processor
• Overview of Pipelining
• Pipelined Datapath — Control
• Data Hazards: Forwarding vs Stalling
• Control Hazards

Readings & Subject Information

Week 12 — 4/10 — The Processor — Data Path and Control

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 4

Topics

• Pipelined Datapath — Control
• Data Hazards: Forwarding vs Stalling
• Control Hazards

Readings & Subject Information

Week 13 — 4/17 — Memory Hierarchies

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 5

Topics

• The principle of locality
• Memory Technologies
• Basics of a Cache Memory
  • cache = “a safe place to store things that we need to examine”
  • A Simple Cache
• Measuring and Improving Cache Performance

Readings & Subject Information

Week 14 — 4/24 — Memory Hierarchies

Presentations

• Patterson-Hennessey: Chapter 5

Topics

• The Basics of Virtual Memory
• Basics of a simple cache (direct-mapped vs associative cache)
• A Common Framework for Memory Hierarchy

Readings & Subject Information

Week 15 — 5/8 — Final Exam; 5/10 Submit project

Topics

• Final Exam (1hr; see final exam study guide

  Readings & Subject Information

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