1. T-61.123 Computer Architecture, Autumn 2005
Target:
To understand how a computer works
how the data is processed; how the processing is controlled
how the data is stored in the memory
how the data is input and output
how to measure performance; what affects performance
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

2. Course Administration
Instructor: Dr. Seppo Haltsonen
Course assistants:
give all kind of help
can be best contacted by and during tutorial sessions
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

3. Course Administration
Materials:
mostly in English
Newsgroup: opinnot.tik.tark
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

4. Teaching 11 lectures on Thursdays at 16.15 starting on 15th September
in Finnish
6 tutorial sessions, extra points available
every second week, starting on week 38
for time and place see the course homepage
individual project
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

5. Project Write and test a MIPS program.
For assistants’ consulting hours see the course homepage.
Report deadline is 9th December.
If late at most two weeks, the grade will be reduced by 2; after that a new topic will be given next year.
Detailed instructions will be given later.
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

6. Assessment exam grade * 2/3 + project grade * 1/3 course grade
Exam contains 5 problems, max 6 points each; to pass one has to get at least 12 points.
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

7. Useful Previous Knowledge
Basic knowledge of computers
Basic knowledge of programming
instructions, program structures
Fundamentals of computer technology
gates, combinational circuits, flip-flops, registers, sequential circuits
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

8. Textbook
David A. Patterson and John L. Hennessy, Computer Organization & Design: The Hardware/Software Interface, 2nd Edition, Morgan Kaufmann, 1998
2nd Edition?
Yes, 50% text changed, all exercises changed, all examples modernised, new sections, …
You can also use the 3rd edition.
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

9. Support Materials http://www.mkp.com/cod2e.htm
Web extensions of the book’s contents
Three sets of lecture slides
SPIM simulator
Lecture slides are mostly based on the above slide sets (especially those of Tod Amon)
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

10. What Computers Are Computers are programmable electronic devices.
They solve problems using algorithms.
They consist of hierarchical layers of hardware and software.
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CA/Intro

11. An Algorithm Compute the average age of a group of people.
1. n = number of people ;input
2. sum = 0
3. i = 1
4. sum = sum + age of person i ;input
5. i = i+1
6. if i  n then go to 4
7. sum = sum/n
8. average age = sum ;output
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CA/Intro

12. What Algorithms Involve
data (operands and results)
operations
control (order of operations)
see computer block diagram!
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CA/Intro

13. Hardware Layers computer system
structures on silicon or other materials
electronic components (transistors etc.)
logic components (gates, flip-flops)
logic circuits (adders, registers, counters, etc.)
functional units (ALU, multiplier, shifter, register file, control unit)
computer components (CPU, memory, I/O unit)
computer system
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

14. Software Layers Machine language Assembly language High-level language
Assembly language
MOV A, #3CH
ADD A, 20H
High-level language
y = 15;
x = (y=y-5, 30/y);
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

15. Abstractions hardware and software layers are called abstractions
abstractions are a way to cope with complexity
lower-level details are hidden to offer a simpler model at higher levels
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

16. Concepts; Definition One
Computer architecture
attributes of a system visible to a programmer: instruction set, data types, I/O mechanisms, addressing of memory
Computer organisation
hardware details transparent to a programmer: operational units and their interconnections, peripheral interfaces, memory technology
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CA/Intro

17. An Example
Architectural issue: has the computer a multiply instruction or not?
Organisational issue: has the computer a special multiply unit or does it repeatedly use the add unit?
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

18. Concepts; Definition Two
Computer architecture =
Instruction set architecture +
Machine organisation
Instruction set architecture – interface between the hardware and low-level software
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

19. Instruction Set Architecture
Organisation of storage: registers, memory
Representations of data
Instruction set
Instruction formats
Modes of addressing and accessing data
Exceptional conditions
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

20. Instruction Set Architecture
Advantage: enables different implementations of the same architecture
Disadvantage: may prevent using new innovations
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

21. Machine Organisation
Implementation, capabilities and performance characteristics of functional units
Interconnections of these units
Information flows between these units
Control of information flow
VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) descriptions
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

22. Block Diagram of a Computer
CPU
ALU
Input
Unit
Output
Unit
Control
Unit
Register
Unit
Memory
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

23. Computer Blocks CPU (Central Processing Unit)
ALU (Arithmetic and Logic Unit): calculations
Register unit: data, memory addresses
Control unit: control of the whole computer
Memory: data, programs
I/O unit: communication with the surroundings
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CA/Intro

24. Instruction Cycle Fetch instruction Decode instruction Fetch operands
Execute operation
Store result
Locate next instruction
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CA/Intro

25. Instruction Fetch Address Memory Select next instruction Program
CPU
Address
Program
Counter
Instruction
Register
Select next
instruction
Increment PC
to locate next
instruction.
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CA/Intro

26. Technology Changes vacuum tube  transistor  IC  VLSI
Moore’s law: number of transistors on a single chip doubles every 1.5 years
Consequences of Moore’s law (and other improvements):
processor performance and memory capacity double every 1.5 years
computers get smaller, faster and cheaper
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

27. Contents of the Course Introduction Performance issues
MIPS instruction set architecture
Datapath (ALU)
Control
Memory hierarchy
I/O interface
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

28. Related Course: T-61.124 Computer Architecture Project
The MIPS R2000/3000 is studied in greater detail than in T
The students design a RISC microprocessor.
The design is done using available building blocks and some parts designed by the students using the VHDL language.
The work is done in groups of 1-3 students.
24/11/2018
CA/Intro

29. Related Course: T-61.124 Computer Architecture Project
Introductory lecture on Thursday 8th December at 16.15
Lecturer’s consulting hours in January and February
24/11/2018
CA/Intro