ECE 344L - Microprocessors

Spring 2015
Instructor: Rakesh Mahto
Office: ECE 318A

Email: rkmahto@unm.edu
Office Hrs: Tues & Thursday 11 AM - 1 PM
(Other times by appointment)
Web Info: www.ece.unm.edu/faculty/pollard

Text: This semester we will not require a specific textbook. You are free to find a text that you might find
useful. This means that you will need to take very good notes while in lecture, and to ask appropriate
questions. In addition, if you are confused about something presented in class or needed for a laboratory,
be sure to make use of office hours or otherwise visit me directly. Also, on the web-site for the class you
have some materials extracted from net-available sources, plus some that have been created specifically for
this class. These materials will be useful for both laboratory and course work. Handouts will be made
available from time to time to give specific information about a topic.
Computer information: will need account on departmental systems; we will be using software that runs on the
departmental machines in order to create and debug software. You will be expected to create both assembly
language and other routines on the departmental machines, then download this information to the trainer
boards in the laboratory. More information on this procedure will be available at a later date.
Topics: (Note: these topics will be illustrated by extensive use of the MIPS/PIC32 architecture.)
Overview of computer systems
Memory systems & organization
- Processor Systems (Macro)
- Models of memory
- Microprocessors & microcontrollers
- Systems of memory
- Operating system information
- Technologies of memory
Information Representation
- Hierarchy of memories
- Integer number systems
Interrupts/exceptions
- Floating point number systems
- Purposes and procedures
- Other coding methodologies
- Real time activities
- Doing arithmetic on MIPS/PIC32
- Processor behavior
Instruction sets & architecture
- Service routines
- Role of instruction set in processor
I/O methods
- Hardware/software tradeoffs
- Programmed I/O
- Types of instructions
- Interrupt driven I/O
- Placement of operands
- Serial and Parallel I/O
- Coding of instructions
- Busing concepts
- Addressing modes
- Software/hardware tradeoffs
Laboratory: The laboratory for ECE 344L is located in ECE 129. Laboratory work will begin during the
second week of classes. This work involves writing, testing, and documenting routines for the MIPS
systems in the laboratory, and demonstrating the results to a laboratory assistant and answering questions
about the material and the activity. Students are required to check out their laboratory assignment with a
teaching assistant when completed. In order for a student to receive partial credit, he/she should be able
to demonstrate partial results, and answer pertinent questions for a laboratory assistant.
Project: A final project will be assigned. Students are encouraged to work in groups of two or three. This
project will integrate aspects of both hardware and software, as well as other concepts in computer
engineering.
Grading: (current iteration of)
Mid Term Exams (2)
35 %
Semester Project
12 %
Laboratory
28 %
Final Exam
25 %