Introduction: quick review of electric cirsuits; switches and logic operations (AND-OR-NOT); multiplexing and memory structure (initially of a ROM); combinations and decoding; reversing a relay-tree decoder to form a multiplexor; analog and digital systems, advantages and applications of digital systems; simple circuits using relays, feedback and memory.
Combinational Circuits: AND-OR-NOT operations, truth tables, examples, logic gates and IC chips, Boolean Algebra, Venn diagrams, Karnaugh maps and simplification.
Binary Integer Numbers and Additions, Subtractions: number of combinations and binary counting, unsigned integers, binary addition, combinational circuits for addition. Multiplication / division / remainder by powers of 2, i.e. bit-field selection. Signed integers: wrap-around, 2's complement representation, signed addition, the negative of a number, add/subtract circuit.
Memory: feedback, unstable and bistable circuits, oscillators; latches (RS and D type), single-bit and multi-bit; RAM, word and bit organization, addresses and address decoding.
Sequential Circuits: reusing hardware, need for timing signals, two-phase clocks, examples (counter, shifting, register transfer), master-slave flip-flops.
Datapath: registers, multiplexors, ALU's, examples of simple datapaths; tristate drivers, buses; SRAM memories, write-control and output-enable, building larger memories out of multiple SRAM chips.
A simple Processor: example datapath of a simple accumulator-type processor, machine and assembly language of the simple processor & example assembly programs: sequential code, branching and loops, indirect accesses and arrays.
FSM and Control: finite state machines (FSM) and examples: traffic light controller, serial line receiver, the control FSM of the simple processor.
Technology: quick introduction to CMOS integrated circuits, cost, speed, energy consumption, and factors affecting them.
Laboratory Exercises: 2.5-hour weekly laboratory exercises (each student individually) using: switches, LED's, breadboards, relays, TTL and CMOS chips; a simple datapath of an accumulator-style processor using two separate memories (instructions, data) and lots of 7-segment displays to monitor its state, bus value, and ALU output; students build an elementary computer out of it, by implementing its control section on the breadboard.
Learning Outcomes
The goal of the course is to teach the new student what a digital circuit is, the basic and necessary concepts and elements of digital design, and how these can be used to build an important and central example of a digital circuit: a simple computer.
Students, upon successful completion of the course
will have mastered the basic concepts and principles of digital circuit design and implementation.
They will have become familiar with circuit design tools.
have learned the basic principles of operation of computers as digital circuits.
They will be familiar with the basic circuits that make up the memories and computing circuits that are at the heart of modern computers.
Student Performance Evalaution
Specific details on grading can be found on the course’ s website
The courses of the Computer Science Department are designated with the letters "CS" followed by three decimal digits. The first digit denotes the year of study during which students are expected to enroll in the course; the second digit denotes the area of computer science to which the course belongs.
First Digit
Advised Year of Enrollment
1,2,3,4
First, Second, Third and Fourth year
5,6
Graduate courses
7,8,9
Specialized topics
Second Digit
Computer Science Area
0
Introductory - General
1
Background (Mathematics, Physics)
2
Hardware Systems
3
Networks and Telecommunication
4,5
Software Systems
6
Information Systems
7
Computer Vision and Robotics
8
Algorithms and Theory of Computation
9
Special Projects
The following pages contain tables (one for each course category) summarizing courses offered by the undergraduate studies program of the Computer Science Department at the University of Crete. Courses with code-names beginning with "MATH" or "PHYS" are taught by the Mathematics Department and Physics Department respectively at the University of Crete.
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