The University of Texas at Dallas

Electrical Engineering Department

EE 2310 – Introduction to Digital Systems; Fall, 2005

Instructor: Dr. Nathan Dodge Telephone: (972) 883-2951 email: dodge@utdallas.edu

Office: ECSN 4.916 Office Hours: TR, 4:00-6:00 PM and by appointment
Class Schedules: Section 001 – 12:30-1:45 PM, TR Class Location: ECSS 2.415
Section 501 – 7:00-8:15 PM, TR Class Location: ECSS 2.412

Textbooks: (REQ. = required, Rec. = recommended).

1. Computer Organization and Design, Third Edition, David Patterson and John Hennessy (Morgan
Kaufmann, 2004). REQ.
2. Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of Digital Principles, Third Edition, Roger L.
Tokheim, (McGraw-Hill). REQ.
3. A Programmer’s Guide to Assembler, William Pervin, (McGraw-Hill, 2004), ISBN 007-
3111678, REQ.
4. LogicWorks 5, Capilano Computing Systems, Inc. (Addison-Wesley, 1996). Rec.

Course Description: This course covers principles of digital systems, assembly language
programming, and an overview of computer architecture. It provides a background in basic technology
areas that are required to understand computer architecture and design, including:

a. Binary and hexadecimal numbers d. Sequential logic circuits

b. Fundamentals of Boolean Algebra e. Assembly language programming
and digital logic gates f. Modern computer organization
c. Basic combinational logic circuits

Course Notes: Course notes and a copy of this syllabus are available on-line at the instructor’s faculty
home page (the address is: http://www.utdallas.edu/~dodge/ee2310 ). Course note files are labeled by
lecture. All on-line material is in Adobe Acrobat® (.pdf) format. You will need Adobe Acrobat
Reader 6.0 or 7.0 to read pdf files. It may be downloaded from the UTD software web site (whose
web address is: http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/local/index.html ), or from the Adobe website
(http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html).

Exams: Two exams will be given during the semester plus a final exam. No make-up exams will be
given. Although 2310 sections 001 and 501 are taught on identical schedules, there will be no
switching of class periods for test-taking purposes. You must take each test at the time of the class
session that you attend. (You may, however, attend the other class lecture if you have a conflict on a
particular day with your usual lecture period.)

Homework: Homework should be completed by the due date shown on the homework schedule,
posted on-line. Only homework #7 will be handed in and graded (see below on homework #7).
Homework answers will be posted on-line. Homework grades will be determined by 5-6 unscheduled
“pop quizzes,” usually given during the first 5-10 minutes of class (see schedule), plus the grade on
homework #7.

Notes on Semester Project (Homework #7):

1. Homework #7 is a logic design project that is turned in at the end of the semester.
 2. Homework #7 must be designed using a computer layout tool. LogicWorks ™ (see list of texts
above) can do this very well.
3. Although you do not have to purchase LogicWorks, #2 still applies. You may use another tool
(such as Pspice) if you have access to it. Some students have even used Word Draw, although
this can be very tedious.
4. You may consult with classmates about the project, but your final design must be done by you
alone and turned in independently.

Pop Quizzes: Pop quiz problems will normally come directly from homework or be very similar to
homework problems. During a pop quiz, you may refer to any homework material that you have so
long as it is does not include the instructor’s answers as displayed on the web site. Your own
homework solutions may be used. Please be in class on time. Pop quizzes are often handed out a
few minutes early to those already in class!

Grading: Grading will be on the following basis:

Homework (pop quizzes plus homework problem #7) -- 10 %
Semester examinations -- 55% (25%/30%)
Final examination -- 35%
Total -- 100 %

Grade ranges for EE 2310 are: A+: 97-100; A: 93-96; A-: 90-92; B+: 87-89; B: 83-86; B-: 80-82;
C+: 77-79; C: 73-76; C-: 70-72; D+: 67-69; D: 63-66; D-: 60-62; F: below 60.

Scholastic Integrity: The value of an academic degree depends on the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student to earn the degree. It is imperative that each student maintain a high level of
individual honor in his or her scholastic work. Scholastic dishonesty at The University of Texas at
Dallas includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism and/or collusion. Scholastic dishonesty will not be
tolerated.
 EE 2310 Session Schedule, Fall, 2005, Sections 001 and 501

Week Session Lecture Text Chapters Class Topic

of # # & Sections Date
8/15 1 1 P 0, T 1-2, PH 1 Aug. 18 Introduction, history of computing, binary
and hex numbers.
8/22 2 2 P 1-1.5, App. A, Aug. 23 Negative binary number representations
T 1-2, PH 3.1-3.3 and binary codes.
WS #1 – 8/25 3 3 T 3, 4.1-4.3, PH Aug. 25 Boolean algebra and combinational
B.1-B.2 digital logic.
8/29 4 4 T 4.4-5.6, 8, PH B.3 Aug. 30 Complex combinational logic.
WS #2 – 8/30 5 5 T 5.7-5.10 Sept. 1 Karnaugh maps; logic simplification.
PQ #1 this week
9/5 6 6 T 9.1-9.4 Sept. 6 Fundamentals of sequential logic circuits,
WS #3 – 9/6 flip-flops.
PQ #2 this week 7 7 T 9.5-9.8, 10.1-10.2 Sept. 8 Complex latch or flip-flop circuits.
9/12 8 8 T 10, 11.1-11.3 Sept. 13 Review for Test #1.
WS #’s 3A, 3B 9 --- --- Sept. 15 Test #1.
on 9/13
9/19 10 --- --- Sept. 20 Test #1 recap; registers, counters, and
other latch-based circuits.
WS #4 on 9/22 11 9 Class notes Sept. 22 Designing sequential digital logic.
9/26 12 10 P 3, PH 2.1-2.2 Sept. 27 Assembly language programming;
introduction to SPIM.
PQ #3 this week 13 11 P 2-2.2, App. B & Sept. 29 MIPS instruction set; register-register
D, 6.4, PH 2.4, 2.5 instructions and system calls.
10/3 14 12 P 3, class notes Oct. 4 Writing and executing MIPS programs.
15 13 P 2.3, 4, PH 2.4, 2.9 Oct. 6 Memory reference instructions.
10/10 16 14 P 1.6, PH 2.4, 2.5, Oct. 11 MIPS shift and logical instructions;
2.6 branch instructions.
PQ #4 this week 17 15 P 4-4.3, PH 2.6 Oct. 13 Loops in SPIM.
10/17 18 --- --- Oct. 18 Test #2 review.
WS #’s 5A, 5B 19 --- --- Oct. 20 Test #2.
on 10/18
10/24 20 16 Class notes Oct. 25 Test #2 recap; programming review.
21 P 5, 6, 7, PH 2.7 Oct. 27 Procedures (recursion); use of the stack.
10/31 22 17 P 12-12.3, App. C, Nov. 1 Computer operation, processes, final
PH 2.10 (to mid- programming lesson.
WS # 6 on 11/1 p.114), class notes
WS #7 on 11/3 23 18 --- Nov. 3 Class programming exercise
11/7 24 19 PH 5.1-5.3 Nov. 8 Computer architecture: ALU design.
25 20 PH 5.4-5.5 Nov. 10 ALU review; design of CPU control unit.
PQ #5 this week Multicycle implementation.
11/14 26 21 P 11-11.2, PH 6-6.6 Nov. 15 Pipelined processors.
27 22 P 11.3, PH 7-7.4 Nov. 17 Modern memory architecture.
11/21 28 --- Class notes Nov. 22 Final exam review.
WS #8 on 11/22 --- --- --- Nov. 24 Thanksgiving Holiday!!!
? PQ 11/21 ?
11/28 --- --- --- Nov. 29 Final Exam, Sec. 501, 7-9 PM
--- --- --- Dec. 1 Final Exam, Sec. 001, 11 AM-1 PM
Abbreviations: P – Pervin, A Programmer’s Guide to Assembler
T – Tokheim, Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of Digital Principles
PH – Patterson and Hennessy, Computer Organization and Design