The subject "Principles of Design of Digital Systems" is a first-year subject of the Degree in Computer Engineering and is taught during the first semester. It is the first subject on the Computer Architecture topic, which is why it is closely related to the following subjects of that branch: "Computer Structure" (1st year) and "Computer Architecture" (2nd year).

The branch of Computer Architecture is very important in the Computer Engineering degree since it is essential to know the internal functioning of machines to design and develop effective computer systems, including the computers themselves.



In "Principles of Design of Digital Systems" we study the basic binary coding used in computers and continue with the elementary digital components, to finally see how a simple processor can be designed.



Since this is an initial subject, no prior knowledge of digital systems is needed, since it is the subject itself that introduces them.

After taking the subject, students are expected to:



- Understand the numbering and coding systems used in a computer.

- Learn the behavior of basic digital components, both combinational and sequential.

- Understand the proposed methodology for the design of digital systems: structure of the process unit and the control unit, and relationship between them.

- Know how to analyze the operation of simple digital systems and be able to capture their operation through chronograms.

- Understand the structure and operation of a simple processor made up of the basic circuits presented during the course to be able to understand the operation of real machines.

Topic 0: INFORMATION REPRESENTATION

0.1 Elementary types of numerical data.

0.2 Elementary operations on numerical data

0.3 Non-numeric elementary data types

0.4 Structured data types



Topic 1: BOOLEAN ALGEBRA.

1.1. Boolean algebra: axioms, theorems and basic operations.

1.2. Logical functions: representation and minimization.



Topic 2: BASIC DEVICES OF DIGITAL SYSTEMS: LOGIC GATES.

2.1. Representation of the two logical values. Mixed logic.

2.2. Implementation of basic operations.

2.3. Analysis and synthesis of circuits. Design.

2.4. Integrated circuits.



Topic 3: COMBINATIONAL BLOCKS.

3.1. Multiplexers.

3.2. Decoders (Demultiplexers).

3.3. Encoders.

3.4. Adders.

3.5. Comparators.

3.6. Arithmetic-logical units (UAL).



Topic 4: SEQUENTIAL BLOCKS.

4.1. Characteristics of sequential circuits.

4.2. Bistable.

4.3. Sequential blocks: registers, shift registers and counters.



Topic 5: MEMORIES

5.1. Records banks.

5.2. Main characteristics of the memories.

5.3. Types of memories: RAM, ROM and others.

5.4. Computer memory system.



Topic 6: DIGITAL SYSTEMS DESIGN METHODOLOGY

6.1. Control and process unit of digital systems.

6.2. Design of the control unit (ASM graphs).

6.3. Implementation of control algorithms.

6.4. Design examples.



Topic 7: DESIGN OF A BASIC PROCESSOR

7.1. Basic concepts: main components, instructions, execution algorithm.

7.2. BIRD processor design.

Most of the weight of the teaching methodology lays on the master classes and exercises. The teachers will present the topics, ask questions about them and propose exercises to carry them out. Students must ensure that they are understanding the subject by answering the questions and solving the exercises. The practical credits will be carried out in the classroom, and, in them, the exercises on which the students have worked previously will be solved.



Active methodologies:

The active participation of students is essential to achieve the skills and objectives. Therefore, this participation will be encouraged by asking short questions and solving the exercises previously completed on the board in order to resolve the students' doubts. The objective of this methodology is to motivate the students, since their participation will be what will ensure that the subject is developed in its entirety.



Finally, from the beginning of the course the importance that the tutoring hours have for the attention of the students will be emphasized.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Ver siguientes apartados (%): 100

There are two ways to pass the subject: global evaluation or continuous evaluation. The continuous method is the default evaluation system, as expressed in the UPV/EHU regulations. This system requires the active participation of the student; Therefore, the student must attend classes, participate in them and carry out the proposed activities (exercises, practices...). If a student who meets the conditions to be evaluated through continuous evaluation would like to opt for the final evaluation, they must express their desire by email to the teacher responsible for the subject before the last week of classes.



The following lines summarize the activities and weights that are taken into account in each type of evaluation.



CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT:



15%: First partial exam.

30%: Second partial exam.

55%: Third partial exam.



IMPORTANT NOTE: To pass continuous evaluation, the student will be required to complete all the tests, and to calculate the average a minimum grade of 4 out of 10 will be necessary in each and every one of them. The minimum average to pass the subject is 5.



GLOBAL EVALUATION:



100%: Final exam.

GLOBAL EVALUATION:



100%: Final exam.

Material available in the virtual classroom (eGela) of the subject.

Olatz Arbelaitz, Olatz Arregi, Agustin Arruabarrena, Izaskun Etxeberria, Amaya Ibarra y Txelo Ruiz.
Principios de Diseño de Sistemas Digitales. Conceptos básicos y ejemplos. Servicio Editorial de la UPV-EHU, 2008.

Basic bibliography

DIGITAL FUNDAMENTALS, 6ª/7ª ed.,



T.L. Floyd. Prentice Hall, 2000



DIGITAL DESIGN, 3ª ed.,



M. Morris Mano. Prentice Hall, 2003



PRINCIPALS OF DIGITAL DESIGN,



D. D. Gajski. Prentice Hall, 1997



INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL DESIGN LOGIC,



John P. Hayes. Wesley Longman Publishing Co., 1993

In-depth bibliography

DIGITAL SYSTEMS DESIGN: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

J.P.Uyemura. Thomson, 2000

COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND DESIGN,

D. A. Patterson, J. L. Hennesy. McGraw-Hill, 1994

INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL SYSTEMS,

Milos Ercegovac, Tomás Lang, Jaime H. Moreno. John Wiley and Sons, 1999

DIGITAL DESIGN. AN EMBEDDED SYSTEMS APPROACH USING VHDL

Peter J. Ashenden. Organ Kaufmann. 2008

RAPID PROTOTYPING OF DIGITAL SYSTEMS. SOPC EDITION"

J.O. Hamblen, T.S.Hall, M.D. Furman. Springer. 2008

Journals

Technical journals, such as IEEE computer, IEEE Micro, ACM, BYTE

Web addresses

The links listed below may be interesting to go deeper beyond what is studied in the subject, but we must not forget that the level of the subject is very basic.

a) Design software: Quartus and ModelSim applications (free version):
https://fpgasoftware.intel.com/?edition=lite

b) Manufacturers of programmable circuits and integrated circuits:

www.terasic.com
www.xilinx.com
www.cadence.com

On the other hand, part of the concepts seen in the subject can be worked on from a more playful point of view in the following directions:

* Binary representation: http://games.penjee.com/binary-numbers-game
* Base 2, powers of 2: https://play2048.co/
* Logical operations: https://moon.deusto.es
* Digital system in hierarchical design: https://nandgame.com