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48441 Introductory Digital Systems

UTS: Engineering: Electrical, Mechanical and Mechatronic Systems
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Undergraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 48510c Introduction to Electrical Engineering
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are also course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Subject coordinator

Dr. Ahmed Al-Ani
Office: Building 2, Level 6, Room 624
Phone: 9514 2420; Email: ahmed@eng.uts.edu.au

Consultation Times: Tuesday 2:00 pm

If you wish to discuss your questions or need further help with understanding concepts in the subject, please see the lecturer after lectures, or during consultation hours, otherwise by appointment only (please email to make an appointment. The subject field should contain IDS_query. Email messages will be responded to within two working days. Phone messages will not be responded to. Administrative Enquiries: post a message to UTS online, “discussion board” - “Administrative Issues”.

Handbook description

The objectives of this subject are to enable students to master the fundamentals of digital and programmable electronic circuits and their engineering applications, master the hardware architecture of a typical small computer system, understand the principles of low-level programming and gain an ability to write simple assembly code. Topics include digital sequential circuits; state diagram and its application in the design of digital circuits; basic hardware architectures of the digital computer in terms of its building blocks; how hardware integrates with software at the machine level; low-level language programming; internal architecture and design of a typical register-based central processing unit and a main memory subsystem, and their interdependence; concepts of computer system buses, as well as different types of input and output devices; interrupts; input and output; micro-controller architectures.

Subject objectives/outcomes

By the end of the semester, students are expected to have:

  • mastered the fundamentals of digital and programmable electronic circuits and their engineering applications
  • mastered the hardware architecture of a typical small computer system
  • understood the principles of low-level programming and gained an ability to write simple assembly code.

Contribution to graduate profile

  • Facilitate students' development of specialist skills and knowledge, and strategies for doing so in one or more fields of practice.
  • developing competence using IT tools for professional communication
  • developing a theoretical base for their field of practice knowledge
  • developing competence in the use of laboratory equipment through laboratory based project work and problem based learning
  • applying core skills and knowledge to a contexts a field of practice.

Teaching and learning strategies

In weekly mode delivery, there are:

  • 3 hour plenary lecture
  • 3 hour tutorial work

The teaching and learning strategies focus on:

  • introducing in lectures the key fundamental concepts and their interrelations
  • introducing in tutorials appropriate problems to motivate, illustrate and exemplify the concepts presented in lectures.

This subject involves a three-hour lecture session per week. In addition, each student is expected to complete 1.5 hours of tutorial work (or laboratory work assessment) per week. The lectures will cover digital hardware design and microcontrollers. The face-to-face tutorials aim at further explaining the studied material by solving variety of problems. In addition, a hardware kit will be used by students to design simple digital circuits and write assembly programs. A number of laboratory sessions will run to help students with their practical assignments.

Content

The subject covers the following content areas:

  • digital combinational and sequential circuits
  • state diagram and its application in the design of digital circuits
  • basic hardware architectures of the digital computer in terms of its building blocks
  • how hardware integrates with software at the machine level
  • low-level language programming
  • internal architecture and design of a typical register-based central processing unit and a main memory subsystem and their interdependence
  • concepts of computer system buses, as well as different types of input and output devices
  • interrupts
  • input and output
  • micro-controller architectures.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Assignment 1: Working kits demonstration

Weighting: 07%
Task:

Individual task involving the identification and assembly of hardware components. Testing of the programming of a XILINX CPLD and a MICROCHIP PIC

Assessment item 2: Assignment 2: CPLD design and simulation

Weighting: 07%
Task:

Individual task involving the design of sequential circuits and its implementation/testing on a XILINX CPLD

Assessment item 3: Quiz 1: Combinational and Sequential logic circuits

Weighting: 05%
Task:

Classroom based individual written quiz

Assessment item 4: Quiz 2: PIC

Weighting: 05%
Task:

Classroom based individual written quiz

Assessment item 5: Assignment 3: CPLD + PIC design

Weighting: 16%

Assessment item 6: Formal Examination

Weighting: 60%
Task:

Closed book 3 hour formal examination on the key aspects of digital hardware design and concurrent programming

Minimum requirements

In order to pass the subject, you must earn an overall total of 50 marks or more for the subject.

Required text(s)

Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals, 4th Edition, By Mano and Kime, Prentice Hall, 2008, ISBN 0-13-198926-x. Library’s Call Number: 621.395 MANO (ED.4). Book website: http://www.writphotec.com/mano4/

Recommended text(s)

Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals. 3rd Edition Updated with Xilinx 4.2i, M. Morris Mano and Charles R. Kime, Prentice Hall, 2004, ISBN 0-13-1911651

Digital Fundamentals, 8th Edition, Thomas L. Floyd, Prentice Hall, 2003, ISBN 0-13¬046411-2. Library’s Call Number: 621.3815 FLOY (ED.8). Book website: http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_floyd_digitalfun_8

Digital Principles and Design, D. Givone, McGraw-Hill 2003.

The Quintessential PIC® Microcontroller, Sid Katzen, Springer 2005, ISBN: 1-85233-942¬X. (http://www.springer.com)

PICmicro® Microcontroller Pocket Reference, Myke Predko, McGraw-Hill, 2001, ISBN 0¬07-136175-8. Library’s Call Number: 629.895 PREK. Book website: http://www.myke.com/pic-pckt.htm

Indicative references

A) Digital Hardware Section

A.1) PIC resources

http://www.microchip.com (Here you will find the latest information on Microchip Technology products, including PICmicro® MCUs).

http://www.piclist.com (The PICList is a collection of people interested in the Microchip PIC and other similar processors).

PIC in Practice, D.W. Smith, Newnes, 2002, ISBN 0-7506-4812-0 (Even though this book mainly focuses on PIC microprocessors used in previous semesters, it still provides useful information).

Programming and customizing PICmicro® Microcontrollers, Myke Predko, McGraw-Hill, 2001, ISBN 0-07-136172-3. Library’s Call Number: 629.89 PRED. Book website: http://www.myke.com/pic-book.htm

A.2) CPLD resources
http://www.xilinx.com (The website of the manufacturer of the Programmable Logic Devices used in the subject).

Xilinx University Programs (http://university.xilinx.com).

Xilinx University Resource Center (http://www.xup.msu.edu).

Digital Systems: Principles and Applications, Ronald J. Tocci et al. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004, ISBN: 0-13-121931-6. Library’s Call Number: 621.395 TOCC (ED.9)

Digital Design: Principles and Practices 4th Edition, John F. Wakerly, Pearson Prentice Hall, ISBN: 0-13-186389-4.

Digital Logic Simulation with CPLD Programming, 2nd Edition, Steve Waterman, Prentice Hall, 2003, ISBN 0-13-046711-1. (Even though this book focuses on CPLDs manufactured by Altera Corporation it still provides useful information on practical setups). Library’s Call Number: 621.395 WATE (ED.2).

Digital Electronics. A Practical Approach, 6th Edition, William Kleitz, Prentice Hall, 2002, ISBN 0-13-099629-2. (CPLDs problems are included at the end of several chapters. Appendix E contains a very good tutorial for using Xilinx Foundation Series software). Library’s Call Number: 621.381/308 (ED.6).

Digital Electronics with PLD Integration, Nigel P. Cook, Prentice Hall, 2001, ISBN 0-13¬086907-4. (Appendix A contains a tutorial on using hardware design languages (HDLs) with Xilinx tools. Chapter 4 also includes a section on how to use Xilinx Foundation Series software). Library’s Call Number: 621.395 COOK.

Digital Electronics Laboratory Experiments Using the Xilinx® XC95108TM CPLD with Xilinx® FoundationTM Design and Simulation Software, James W. Stewart and Chao-Ying Wang, Prentice Hall, 2001, ISBN 0-13-088192-9. (This book provides a step-by-step introduction to Xilinx Foundation Series software). Library’s Call Number: 621.381 STEW.

Other resources

UTSOnline provides a subject website