ELEN 474

Computer  Systems Laboratory

 

 

2006 – 2008 Catalog Data: ELEN 474 (Credit, 1 Hour) (Lab 3 hours). A laboratory to give the student practical experience in advanced computer techniques. Prerequisite: ELEN 306. Corequisites: ELEN 400 or ELEN 473. Must have permission of the instructor to enroll.

 

 

Textbook:       None

 

 

References:    1. Alan Clements, Principles of Computer Hardware, Oxford University Press,                                4 edition (March 20, 2006)

 

2. Vojin G. Oklobdzija and Ram K. Krishnamurthy, High-Performance Energy- 

     Efficient Microprocessor Design, Springer, 1st edition (August 9, 2006)  

 

Lecture:          Rooms 435 and 438 of  Pinchback Hall, Room 311 of Moore Hall.

 

Instructor:      Dr. Raife F. Smith II,P.E.,  Professor

                        Office Location: 427 J. B. Moore Hall

                        Office Phone:  225.771.3526

Office Hours:  TBD

                        Email: rfsmith@engr.subr.edu

 

Prerequisites by topics:

 

1.      Microprocessors

2.      Digital Logic Design

3.      Signals and Systems

4.      Representation of Signals

 

Course Objectives:

 

1.      To develop undergraduate-level understanding of the theory and techniques employed in designing modern computer systems. (Program Educational Objective: 1).

 

2.      To develop undergraduate-level understanding of the theory and practices in predicting the performance of computer systems. (Program Educational Objective: 2).

 

3.      To provide the student with the necessary basic knowledge to conduct professional work and further study in the area of computer systems and related areas. (Program Educational Objective: 2).

 

 

Course Educational Strategies:

 

1.      Allow students ample opportunity to demonstrate their comprehension of course materials and related ideas through guided class discussions, homework assignments and tests.

 

Course Content:

 

The coverage is quite comprehensive and spans a wide range of topics such as

 

(1)      Basic Computer Architecture

(2)      Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) Processors and Advanced RISC  

          Machine (ARM)

(3)      Energy Efficient Digital Circuits

(4)      Bandwidth Usage In Computers

(5)      High Speed Input/Output Design

(6)      Memory

(7)      Computer Communication

(8)      Central Processing Unit Design

(9)      Biological Monitoring and Measurement

 

Laboratory Exercises:

Lab Exercise 1

Basic Computer Architecture. The performance characteristics of  popular 

computer architectures is analyzed.

Lab Exercise 2

RISC and ARM Design and Performance. The performance attributes and applications of each RISC architecture are compared.

Lab Exercise 3

Energy Efficient Digital Circuits. We investigate the performance characteristics of energy efficient digital circuits and compare them to non-energy efficient circuits.

Lab Exercise 4

CPU Architecture. The architecture of a typical high performance CPU is analyzed.

Lab Exercise 5

Microprocessor and Biological Systems Interfacing. We design and simulate a microprocessor based biological systems monitoring and measurement system.

Lab Exercise 6

High Speed Input/Output Design.  We investigate the computer hardware requirements necessary to implement a high speed I/O design

Lab Exercise 7

Computer Communication. Throughput performance of various network topologies will be analyzed.

Course  Requirements/Rules:

 

1.      Full attendance is required for class hours.

 

2.      Full participation in laboratory activities and discussions is required of each student.

 

3.      Make-ups will not be given for scheduled exams and laboratory exercises, unless the student has a legitimate documented excuse (e.g., letter from court clerk that he/she must appear in a court, letter from physician that he/she was ill). 

 

4.      Lab reports will be collected on the indicated dates at the beginning of class.  Late reports will not be accepted, except in the event of extreme, unfortunate, unforeseen circumstances.

 

5.      Lab reports must be in the following format:

 

A.     The report must be bound in a standard blue Southern University Department of Electrical Engineering lab report cover. The front page of the report cover will state all required information in typewritten form.

 

B.     Section I. Introduction and Problem Statement. State the objective of the exercise. List all equipment and analysis tools used. This section should give some information on the practical uses of the communication system or process being studied.

 

C.     Section II. Laboratory Procedure and Data Collection. Discuss the experimental setup and data collection procedures.  Provide a table of the data collected.

 

D.     Section III. Conclusion. State the experimental results.

 

E.  Section IV. References.

 

 

Grading:

 

Point allocation:

Midterm Exam                          20%

Final Exam (Comprehensive)                20%

Lab Reports                                         60%

                                                                                   

                                                Total                                                    100%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grading Scale:

 

                                                Average Range                         Grade

            90 – 100                                                  A

            80  – 89                                                   B

            70  – 79                                                   C

            60  – 69                                                   D

            Below 60                                                 F

 

COURSE ASSESSMENT:

Course Objective

Intended Educational Outcomes

Means of Assessment

 

Criteria of Success

Objective 1:

Students will obtain an undergraduate-level under- standing of the theory and techniques employed in designing modern computer systems.

 

 

 

1.1     Students will demonstrate the understanding of the use design techniques for various data communication systems

 

1. Locally developed

  examinations and lab 

  exercises.

 

2. Course opinion    survey.

 

 

 

1-80% passing rate

 

2-80% positive response

 

 

Objective 2:

Students will obtain an undergraduate-level understanding of the theory and practices in predicting the performance of computer systems.

 

 

2.1     Students will demonstrate ability to effectively model computer  systems

 

2.2     Students will demonstrate the ability to simulate computer systems

 

 

1. Locally developed examinations and lab 

  exercises.

 

2. Course opinion survey

 

 

 

1- 80% passing rate

 

2- 80% positive response

 

 

Objective 3: 

To provide the student with the necessary basic knowledge to conduct professional work and further study in the area of computer systems and related areas.

 

3.1     The Student will develop critical thinking skills

 

3.2     The student will learn to critically evaluate research literature in the field and to critically evaluate his/her own work

 

1-       Locally developed examinations and lab exercises.

 

2-       Course opinion survey.

 

1- 80% passing rate

 

2- 80% positive response

 

BKS = Basic Knowledge Skills, CLP = Critical Level of Performance