Fundamentals of digital systems

Summary

Welcome to the introductory course in digital design and computer architecture. In this course, we will embark on a journey into the world of digital systems, exploring the fundamental principles and concepts that underpin modern computing technology.

Content

Keywords

• number systems, logic gates, digital logic, delay, frequency, power, arithmetic circuits, combinational circuits, sequential circuits, finite state machines
• memory, computer organization, CPU, FPGA, GPU, TPU
• RISC-V ISA
• Logisim-Evolution, Verilog, Icarus Verilog, GTKWave, Visual Studio Code

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Analyze the behavior of a digital circuit
• Describe digital systems in Verilog
• Design and test digital systems
• Explain basic components of a computer
• Create fully functional digital systems, including a simple CPU
• Realize a fully functional piece of RISC-V assembly code
• Describe the functionality of a piece of RISC-V assembly code
• Characterize various number systems
• Reason about the factors affecting the performance of digital systems
• Describe various domain-specific architectures
• Describe the importance of reduced-precision computing
• Design common arithmetic circuits
• Describe field-programmable gate arrays

Transversal skills

• Use both general and domain specific IT resources and tools
• Assess one's own level of skill acquisition, and plan their on-going learning goals.
• Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.
• Continue to work through difficulties or initial failure to find optimal solutions.

Teaching methods

• Ex cathedra
• Flipped classroom
• Exercices

Expected student activities

• Attending the course and exercise sessions
• Completing the assignments
• Participating in the discussion on the forum

Assessment methods

• Midterm exam (written)
• Final exam in the exam session (written)

Supervision

Resources

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)

Yes

Bibliography

• John F. Wakerly (2018), Digital Design Principles and Practices with Verilog (5th ed.), Pearson
• Stephen Brown and Zvonko Vranesic (2014), Fundamentals of Digital Logic with Verilog Design (3rd ed.), McGraw-Hill
• Milos D. Ercegovac and Tomas Lang (2004), Digital Arithmetic, Morgan Kauffmann Publishers
• David Patterson and John Hennessy (2020), Computer Organization and Design RISC-V Edition: The Hardware Software Interface (2nd ed.), Morgan Kauffmann Publishers
• David Patterson and Andrew Waterman (2017), The RISC-V Reader: An Open Architecture Atlas (1st ed.), Strawberry Canyon LLC

Ressources en bibliothèque

• Fundamentals of Digital Logic with Verilog Design / Brown
• Digital Arithmetic / Ercegovac
• Digital Design Principles and Practices with Verilog / Wakerly
• Computer Organization and Design RISC-V Edition / Patterson
• The RISC-V Reader / Patterson

Moodle Link

• https://go.epfl.ch/CS-173

Prerequisite for

CS-200 Computer Architecture