2. Interactive MIPS Datapath Tutorial
Stephanie Holeman
Jeffrey Larson
John Even
Scott Service
Advisor/Client:
Dr Prasant Mohapatra
28 April 1999

3. Overview Background Design Objectives Technical Approach Budgets
Project Evaluation
Future Work
Lessons Learned
Summary

4. Computer Architecture
Background
Computer Architecture
Memory
I/O Devices
Processor
Datapath
Control

5. Background About MIPS Processor Uses MIPS Architecture
Sony Playstation
Nintendo 64
Project Vincent
MIPS Architecture
RISC based
Pipelined
All trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective owners.

6. Background 5 Stage Pipeline
Instruction Fetch (IF), Instruction Decode (ID),
Execute (EX), Memory (MEM), Write Back (WB)

7. Background Problem Statement
Lack of interactive tools for understanding Computer Architecture concepts
Aim to supplement lectures, slides, textbooks and problems

8. Design Objectives Web-based interactive learning tool
Graphically simulate the datapath
Implement MIPS instruction subset
Question Mode
(eliminated as per the client’s request)

9. Technical Approach Programming solutions considered
Hardware Description Language (HDL)
Microsoft® PowerPoint®
C++
Java™
Chose instructions to implement
Control features to implement
Chose coding model

10. Technical Approach Assumptions and Limitations Accessibility
Java (JDK 1.17b)
Netscape Navigator® and Internet Explorer®
Limited instruction set
Control features
no hazard detection
no data forwarding

11. Technical Approach Coding Model GUI Pipeline Processor
contains all interface components
contains the pipeline
Pipeline
draws the datapath
Processor
simulates the datapath
displays current stage data values

12. Technical Approach End Product Description Instruction selection
add, addi, and, or, lw, sw, beq, slt, nop
Insertion Phase
Execution Phase

15. Budgets (Monetary) Monetary Budget Discrepancies Planned Budget ($50)
Poster ($41)
Color Copies ($12)
Binding ($5)
Transparencies ($8)
We had unplanned expenditures!

16. Budgets (Fall Hours) Major Budget Discrepancies Planning (+19.5)
Poster (+72)
Design Review Document (+13)
Java Tasks (-46)
Weekly Meetings (-60)
Too much time spent on the poster!

17. Budgets (Spring Hours)
Major Budget Discrepancies
Creating GUI (+8)
Preparing for Initial Oral (+19)
Final Report (+17.5)
Learning Java (+16)
Non GUI Java (-26)
Elimination of Question Mode (-80)

18. Project Evaluation Long Term Success Short Term Success
Usefulness to students
Usefulness to instructors
Short Term Success
Meeting design objectives
Satisfying client

19. Future Work Analyze user feedback Display the datapath control module
Add hazard detection and data forwarding
Implement additional instructions
Implement question mode
Allow instruction insertion from a text file

20. Lessons Learned Keep track of the big picture Team work skills
Have third parties review your work
Effective group management

21. Summary Computer Architecture refresher Learned Java
Fulfilled client’s requirements
Web-based interactive MIPS simulator
A potential on-going senior design project

22. End Product Demonstration
Let the learning begin

23. Thank you for your attention
??
Do you have any questions?