Syllabus 2022-23

This syllabus contains practical information about the course as implemented in group 5. Additional details can be found in the oficial course program and teaching project as published by the US.

Contents

1. Introduction (2h)

Digital electronics. Program. Activities. Methodology. Assessment. Schedule. Practical info.

1.5. Electronic circuits and logic families (2h)

Charges, current and potential. Basic electronic devices. Circuit theory. Semiconductors. Analog vs digital. Logic gates and logic operators. Electrical parameters. Logic families

2. Digital encoding (3h)

Digital units. Binary numbers. Binary enconding.

3. Combinational circuits (7h)

Logic functions. Boolean algebra. Expression minimization. Don't cares. Functional analysis. Timing analysis

3.5. Hardware description languages (2h)

Verilog example: voter. Types of descriptions. Verilog description structure. Verilog tips. Test benches and simulation. FPGA synthesis. Tools.

4. Combinational subsystems (6h)

System perspective: blocks. Subsystem general characteristics. Demultiplexers. Priority encoders. Code converters. Comparators.

5. Arithmetic and logic units (6h)

Introduction. Binary arithmetic. Basic adder circuits. Magnitude adder. Signed binary numbers. Signed adder: overflow. Adder/subtractor. ALU.

6. Synchronous sequential circuits (6h)

Introduction. Latches. Finite state machines and synchronous sequential circuits (SSC). SSC design. SSC analysis.

7. Sequential subsystems (6h)

Introduction. Registers. Counters. Design with sequential subsystems.

Bibliography

All recommended bibliography is available on-line, either freely or for US members.

General texts

• Introduction to Logic Circuits & Logic Design with Verilog. Brock J. LaMeres. - Includes the contents of the course with similar organization and level. Includes Verilog descriptions. Available on-line for US members.
• Estructura y Tecnología de Computadores (in Spanish). A. Molina et al. - Includes the contents of the course with similar organization and level.
• Fundamentos de Sistemas Digitales, 11ª edición (in Spanish). Thomas L. Floyd. ISBN : 9788490353004 - Classical book on digital circuits. Good as reference and to learn more than is covered by the course. Available on-line for US members.
• Electrónica Digital (in Spanish). Tomás Pollán - Clasical book from a Spanish professor. Includes more content than taught in the course. Good as reference.

Specific resources

• verilog-course.v. Jorge Juan-Chico. Verilog course based on examples. Also in Spanish at curso-verilog.v.
• Verilog HDL Quick Reference Guide, based on the Verilog-2001 Standard. Stuart Sutherland. Tualatin, OR, 2001. ISBN: 1-930368-03-8. A must-have Verilog language reference. Do not try to write Verilog code without it.
• Apuntes Representación Binaria de Números Enteros en Complemento a 2 (in Spanish). Jorge Juan-Chico. A more formal introduction to positional and two's complement representation with theorems, proofs and so on.

Methodology

The course consists in the following activities:

• Theory classes: concept exposition, problem solving techniques and examples.
• Practical classes: problem solving, questions and answers, etc.
• Lab classes: circuit design and test in the laboratory.
• Optional (voluntary) activities: extra exercises, seminar attendance, group work, etc.

The methodology is organized to easy continuous learning and assessment. It is applied to each unit as detailed in the following points. It is highlighted what are the actions expected from the students. Not executing these actions will severely affect the possibilities to pass the course.

• The instructor will explain the theory concepts in class using examples. Students may review the course's material (slides, videos, etc.) before the class to familiarize with the concepts. Students should study the concepts after class and be sure to understand them. It is encouraged to solve any doubts as soon as possible by asking the professor.
• With each unit, the instructor may publish solved or partially solved exercises additional to the examples shown in class. Students are encouraged to study these exercises and ask any doubts about the procedures used in their solution. It is also recommended to try to solve them without looking at the solution given by the instructor and to try different alternatives if they exist.
• With each unit, an "assignment" is publish that consists of a set of exercises that represent the main concepts and skills the student has to learn. Students should try to solve these exercises WITHOUT looking at the solutions (given by other students, the Internet, etc.). Being able to solve exercises independently is a basic skill to pass the course and assignments are designed for that. The instructor will happily help with the resolution of assignments, but will not normally provide a full solution for them.
• With each unit, the instructor will recommend additional exercises from the course's exercise collection. It is recommended that the student try to solve some of these exercises (or all) to really master its problem solving skills.
• It is recommended that students work in groups. Helping others and accepting other's help makes learning easier and faster. But be aware to practice your personal problem solving skills and not just understand the solutions given by others because it will not be enough.
• Tutorship is very important and the students are highly encouraged to contact the instructors in case of doubts. Check the instructor's web page to know times and procedures. Group tutorship session are also recommended but in this case try to make an appointment with the instructor first to be sure there will be time enough to attend all the doubts.

NOTE: Students should be aware that there is lot of material related to the course in unofficial web pages like the ones dedicated to share student notes. Most of this material is partial, outdated and, in many cases, plainly wrong, specially some collections of solved exercises. It is a pity to see that the students often misuse their time in learning from these sources.

Assessment

Assessment marks are divided in two areas, withe the following percentages:

• Theory and problem solving (80%): Knowledge of the concepts explained in the course and ability to solve practical problems.
• Laboratory (Labs) (20%): Design and test of real circuits.

To pass the course, the students must pass both areas (5 or more point on each).

There are two modalities of assessment, both applied to each area.

• In-course (continuous) assessment: done in-class during the semester through various tests an exercises.
• Final exam assessment: single test including the whole content of the course done at each official exam call.

Since theory and problems are assessed independently of labs, the marks obtained in either area can be saved up to the 3rd official exam call.

In-course (continuous) assessment

In this modality, the areas are evaluated as follows.

Theory and problems

The contents of the course are divided in two blocks. Each block is evaluated with two types of tests:

• Continuous Control Tests (CCT): quick test normally done at each unit in the form o f a quiz or similar.
• Block's Partial Tests (BPT): A longer test, one per block,  including the contents of the whole block.

Marks for each block are calculated the average of the CCT's (20%) and the BPT of the block (80%). The final theory and problems mark is calculated averaging the marks of each block but only if the mark in each block is 3 or more.

A mark of 5 or more means the student has passed the theory and problems area. If the student passes only one of the two blocks, it has the option to take only the failed block in the first exam call of the course, keeping the marks of the passed block.

Laboratory (Labs)

Attendance to laboratory sessions is mandatory. Students not attending more than one session will not pass the laboratory area. In general, students will have to complete a pre-lab work that must be shown to the professor before starting the in-lab exercise. The results of every lab session will be scored. Laboratory marks are obtained by averaging the marks of the laboratory sessions. A mark of 5 or more is necessary to pass the laboratory area.

Final exam assessment

Final exams are taken at the official exam calls. There will be one exam for each area:

• Theory and problems exam: will include concepts and exercises for both contents blocks of the course. Students that have passed one of the blocks during in-course assessment may take only the part of the exam corresponding to the failed block.
• Lab exam: it will consist on some practical lab exercise similar to those done during the in-course lab sessions.

Academic fraud (cheating)

The methodology in the course is designed to be open and flexible. The professor trust that any exercise or activity susceptible of being assessed is the result of the students own effort working individually or in groups. Any breaking of this trust will be considered academic fraud, including, but not limited to:

• Pretending being the author of any document or production of someone else like solutions to exercises, lab work or pre-work, quiz answers, solutions to tests, etc.
• Pretending being co-author of any document or work done in group in which the student has not participated in an active way.
• To submit any document, test or exercise in which the real authorship has been omitted or altered in any way.
• To share or receive any kind of information no expresely authorized by the professor during individual activities like quizzes, tests, lab exercises, etc.

Any kind of academic fraud will automatically stop the in-course (continuous) assessment option for the students involved, and will be communicated to the Department's academic commission so that the applicable disciplinary measures can be taken.