• Core Course.
• Eight (8) ECTS Credit Units.
• Prerequisites: None.
• Content:
  • 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, consumption, and factors affecting them.
• Laboratory Exercises: 2-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.
  • alternatively, in Fall'20, due to covid-19 restrictions: performed the same or similar exercises on the CircuitVerse visualization and simulator tool.
• Books: Each student chooses one of the four following textbooks: (1) William J. Dally, R. Curtis Harting: "Digital Design: a Systems Approach", Cambridge Univ. Press (2012) - Greek translation (Crete University Press, 2015), ISBN 978-960-524-445-3; or (2) John Wakerly: "Digital Design: Principles & Practices", Fifth Edition, Pearson, 2018 - Greek translation (Kleidarithmos Editions, 2019), ISBN 978-960-645-001-3; or (3) Morris Mano, Michael Ciletti: "Digital Design", 6th edition, Pearson (2018) - Greek translation (Papasotiriou Editions, 2018), ISBN 978-960-491-113-4; or (4) Stephen Brown, Zvonko Vranesic: "Digital Systems Design using VHDL", McGraw Hill (2000) - Greek translation (Tziolas editions, 2001), ISBN 960-8050-50-2.

We deeply appreciate Altera University Program's donation of 10 thousand Euro worth of hardware to this course's lab.