CDA 4203 Sec 001

Computer System Design

Spring 2013

Instructor: Dr. Srinivas Katkoori

Office: ENB 316
Office Hours: TR 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Phone: 974-5737
Email: katkoori@cse.usf.edu

Teaching Assistants: Office Hours MWF 2-3PM (C3 Lab ENB 220)
• M 2-3PM: Noureddine Elmehraz, nelmehra@mail.usf.edu
• W 2-3PM: Chris Bell, cwbell@mail.usf.edu
• F 2-3PM: Matt Lewandowski, mlewando@mail.usf.edu

Class Room & Timings: CHE 217 TR 5:00–6:15pm

Course Catalog Description: Design methods, top-down design, building blocks, instruction and
addressing models, minicomputer design, and interfacing.

Prerequisites (No Exceptions):

 Computer Organization (CDA 3103)
 Computer Logic Design (CDA 3201)
 Computer Logic Design Lab (CDA 3201L)

Objectives:
1. Practice a system-level design approach.
2. Analyze the problem and apply one of the four design methodologies (top/down, bottom/up,
divide-and-conquer, and iterative) to solve a system design problem.
3. Design common individual components of digital systems.
4. Compare and contrast hardware/software tradeoffs in digital system design.
5. Analyze the hardware and software interaction and design their interface.
6. Describe, differentiate, and construct general-purpose processor-based, microcontroller-based,
and embedded system solutions.

Course Textbook:
Title: Embedded System Design, A Unified Hardware/Software Introduction
Author(s): F. Vahid and T. Givargis
Edition: First Edition, 2002
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0-471-38678-2

Grade Distribution:
Assignments: 10% Mini-Design Projects: 30%
Exams (2): 30% Final Project: 30%

1
Grading Policy:
A+: > 95% A: 90-95% A-: 87-90%
B+: 84-87% B: 80-84% B-: 77-80%
C+: 74-77% C: 70-74% C-: 65-70%
F: < 65%

Topics:
□ Introduction to Computer System Design – Challenges
□ Hardware Choices: Custom/General Purpose Processors, Micro-controllers, DSPs
□ Software Choices: High Level Languages, Assembly Language, OS support, and Compilers
□ Basic System Building Blocks – Functional Units, Storage, Interconnect, Standard Peripherals
□ System Design Methodologies: Top/Down, Bottom/Up, Divide-and-conquer, and Iterative
□ Case Study 1—System Design Examples
□ HW/SW Tradeoffs: Custom vs. General-purpose
□ Case Study 2 --- Examples of processor tradeoffs
□ Hardware and Software Interfacing Principles
□ Microprocessor Interfacing – Interrupts
□ Case Study 3 --- Examples of Serial/parallel/advanced Interfacing and tradeoffs.
□ HW/SW Tradeoffs: Memory Interfacing & Tradeoffs
□ Case Study 4--- Examples of Memory interfacing and associated tradeoffs
□ Advanced Topics: Hardware & Software Co-design & Co-simulation

Course Policies:

• Blackboard: We will use Blackboard extensively for: (a) course related announcements; (b)
course notes; (c) home works and hints/solutions; (d) test samples, etc. You are strongly advised to
regularly monitor the course homepage on Blackboard.

• Email: will be the primary mode of communication outside the classroom. Therefore, you are
strongly encouraged to check your email regularly. We will use your primary email address on
your Blackboard account.

• Email Alias: If you have to communicate with TAs, please email to cda4203@cse.usf.edu

• Course Slides: will be posted on Blackboard.

• Home works: I consider home works to be essential in preparing you for the tests. All efforts
should be made to submit your homework.
o 4 home works will be assigned.
o Unless stated otherwise, homework is due in a week.
o I strongly encourage you to submit your homework via Blackboard (by scanning your
HW). Only reports in PDF format will be accepted.

• Late Work: Late home works will not be accepted.

• Exams: Two exams will be held. The tentative dates are Thursday, 14th February and
Thursday, 4th April.

2
 • Exams - Photo ID: For exam(s) you must have your photo ID, which may be verified during the
exam.

• Re-grading: Home works/exams written in pencil will not be re-graded.

• Class Attendance: You are expected to attend all classes, though no record of attendance will be
maintained.

• Class Absence: You are responsible for all the material that is covered in the class. If you are
absent from a class (whatever may be the reason), you are responsible to learn from your
colleagues or Blackboard about what has been covered/announced in the missed class.

• Cheating: Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and the student, in question, will be dealt in
accordance with the University policies. Some examples:
o Copying solution from another student.
o Out-sourcing or buying a ready-made solution(s).
o Reproducing a solution verbatim from the textbook solutions manual.

• Independent Work: You are expected to work independently on all your home works. While
general discussion is allowed with other students, detailed solutions to homework problems
should not be discussed/exchanged/compared.

• Teaming: You may team up with at most one other student in the class on all four mini design
projects and the final project. For these assignments, you will submit only report per team.

• Special Accommodations: If you need any special accommodation according to the American
Disability Act, please let me know.

• Incomplete Grade: Incomplete (I) grades will not be given in this course. Your final grade will be
decided on the completed work by the end of the semester.

• Final Grade Curving: Depending on the clusters of grades, I may curve the grades.

• Drop Date without Academic Penalty: Saturday, 23rd March

• Final: There will be no final exam. Your final project demo will be during the exam week.

• Religious Observances: Students who anticipate the necessity of being absent from class due to
the observation of a major religious observance must provide notice of the date(s) in writing by the
second class meeting.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Emergency Situations In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF
to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through
methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or
an alternate schedule. It's the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for
course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department web-sites, emails, and
MoBull messages for important general information.

Best of Luck!!