Topic outline

  • General

  • Course Description

    In this class, we discuss general components of a computer, how computer performance is measured, how instruction set is design and what relation it has with functionality, design process, relation of hardware, software, and roles of a compiler, how arithmetic is done in computer, how data is transfer from place to place and mechanism to control the flow in a way to make computing work. We also discuss how computer performance can be improved with pipelining and its related issues.

    The class will have 3 exams and 5 assignments making 70% and 20% of total scores. The last 10% comes from student's participation in the class.

    • Class Plan and Log

      The following is tentative class schedule.

      Oct 22nd (Mon: First Class; W1)
      * Class Orientation: what COA is about, what we will cover in the class, class textbook, assignments, and score distribution.

      Oct 24th (Wed)
      * Chapter 1
      * watch

      Oct 29th (Mon)
      * No class

      Oct 31st (Wed)
      * No class

      Nov 5th (Mon)
      * Chapter 2: Computer Performance (1)

      Nov 7th (Wed)
      * Chapter 2 (2)
      * Performance Measurement Demo (1)

      Nov 12th (Mon)
      * Performance Measurement Demo (2)
      * Chapter 2 (3)

      Nov 14th (Wed)
      * Chapter 2 (4)

      Nov 19th (Mon; W5)
      * Chapter 2 (5)
      * A03 Performance Report is due.

      Nov 21st (Wed)
      * Meet in Computer Lab (2nd Floor)
      * Chapter 3 (1)
      ** resources
      *** download QtSPIM from SPIM Simulator
      *** others: A04

      Nov 26th (Mon)
      * A01 Presentation Session 1

      Nov 28th (Wed)
      * A01 Presentation Session 2

      Dec 3rd (Mon)
      * Chapter 3

      Dec 12th (Wed)
      * Chapter 3

      Dec 17th-21st (mid-term week)

      Dec 24th (Mon)
      * Chapter 3
      ** assembly binary conversion table
      ** conversion table ordered by machine code

       

      Dec 26th (Wed)
      * Exam 1

      Jan 2nd (Wed; W9)

      * A04 (picoasm) demo

      Jan 7th (Mon; W10)
      * Chapter 4

      Jan 9th (Wed)
      * Chapter 4

      Jan 14th (Mon)
      * Chapter 4

      Jan 16th (Wed)
      * * VHDL and demo

      Jan 21st (Mon)
      * Exam 2

      Jan 23rd (Wed)
      * Chapter 5

      Jan 28th (Mon; W13)
      * Chapter 5

      Jan 30th (Wed)
      * Chapter 5
      * demo material
      ** instruction 
      *** instruction in thai
      ** vhdl files

      Feb 4th (Mon; W14)
      * Chapter 6

      Feb 6th (Wed)
      * Chapter 6

      Feb 10th (Sun)
      * 1-4pm Exam 3

      Feb 10th (Last day for class session)

       

      • Topic 3

        • Topic 4

          • Topic 5