17917 - Logic Design L-A

Academic Year 2007/2008

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Cesena
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Computer Engineering (cod. 0206)

Learning outcomes

This course provides you with the basic understanding (principles and methods)
of what digital devices are, how they operate, and how they can be designed to
perform useful functions.

You will learn how to describe a device from a double point of view: its behaviour
("what it does") and structure ("what it is made of").

Also, you will learn how to pass methodically from behaviour to structure (synthesis
problem) and from structure to behaviour (analysis problem)

Course contents

  1. Design levels of a digital device. Structure description
    with blocks. Behaviour description with words. Signal classification.
    Switch networks.
  2. Binary representation of information. Code properties. Coding texts and numbers.
  3. Processing
    string of symbols. Digital devices classification: combinational,
    asynchronous and synchronous sequential logic networks. The finite state machine
    model: describing a device behaviour with a state graph and a flow
    table.
  4. A combinational logic network. Functions, truth tables and logic diagrams.
    Boolean and switching algebra: operations, expressions and equivalence theorems.
    Synthesis and analysis using general expressions and canonical forms.
    Real combinational networks: transient and steady-state behaviour.
  5. Karnaugh Maps. Synthesis with minimum expressions. Synthesis and analysis of combinational
    networks containing MUX, ROM an logic programmable devices.
  6. The asynchronous logic sequential network as a combinational network with direct feedback.
    Obtainable behaviours, constraints for correct operations and techniques to prevent malfunctions.
    Characteristic
    equations and structures of binary memories. Methodical procedures to
    analyse and synthesise every asynchronous network.
  7. The synchronous logic sequential network as a combinational network with
    feedback using flip flops.
    Designing the clock period. Methods to analyse and synthesise
    networks with D, JK and T flip-flops. Methods to analyse and synthesise
    sequential networks with registers. Counters and shift registers.

Readings/Bibliography

R.H.Katz "Contemporary Logic Design", Prentice-Hall

Teaching methods

The organization of the design problem will be accomplished at the beginning of the course by following a top-down approach. Subsequently, a bottom-up methodology will be adopted to introduce step by step the theory as well as the design procedures for machines of increasing complexity. Each topic will be treated jointly with significant case studies to highlight its meaningful applications. In order to make the students aware of the design methodologies, many homework exercises will be proposed and publicly corrected aftewards.

Assessment methods

The students will be evaluated through a classroom practice made of three design-oriented exercises. Six exam roll calls will be distributed in March, April, June, September, December and January.

Teaching tools

In the course site all the slides shown in class, the duplicated lecture notes, the homework solutions and some of the examinations with solutions are available for download.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Bevilacqua