CE121/L: Microprocessor System Design
 
Catalog copy 
 
121. The design and use of microprocessor-based systems. Covers
microprocessor and microcontroller architecture, programming
techniques, bus and memory organization, DMA, timing issues,
interrupts, peripheral devices, serial and parallel communication, and
interfacing to analog and digital systems.   Prerequisite: EE70/L,
CE12C/L, CE100/L.

121L.  Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in course
121. One two-hour laboratory session per week. Students design, build,
program, debug, document, and demonstrate a microprocessor-based
system. Students are billed for a materials fee.  

 
Explanation of prerequisites 
EE70/L:  Students need to be familiar with electronics, especially R
and C, to undertand and use chip specifications and A/D, D/A converters.

CE12C/L:  121/L uses ASM or a mix of ASM and C.  Students must know
assembly language to work build a microprocessor system.

CE100/L: Students must know digital system design and have basic
computer laboratory skills to build a complete microprocessor system.

 
Required skills to pass the course.
1. Ability to design, build, and document a functional microprocessor 
   system, including hardware and software.
2. Ability to effectively use computer laboratory equipment for the
   constuction of digital systems.
3. Ability to write robust interrupt routines in a microprocessor
   system. 
4. An ability to find and use technical data sheets.

Core topics (must be taught)
1.  Buses
   a. Clocking methods and protocols
2.  Memory
   a. Memory decoding
   b. Memory types and function (DRAM, SRAM, etc)
3. I/O and interrupts
   a. Different types of I/O
   b. Interrupt processing for I/O
4. A/D and D/A
   a. Design
   b. Use of sensors and actuators
5. Data communication
   a. Serial and parallel microprocessor communication
6. Laboratory notebooks and reports
   a. Standards
   b. Legal and professional uses
   c. Appropriate formats and styles for laboratory reports written
      for engineering managers

Optional topics 
1.  Specific advanced projects
2.  Specific sensors/actuators

Core lab exercises 

Over the course of a quarter, build a complete microprocessor system
in an appropriate prototyping technology.  Students must maintain a
laboratory notebook, design their system to a given specifications,
and have direct experience of the advantages of early planning, or
lack thereof.

Core exercises include:

1.  Clock design
2.  Memory system design
3.  I/O and interrupt system design
4.  A/D and D/A 
     
Optional lab exercises 
1.  Additional data communication
2.  Advanced applications using A/D and D/A, such as a music
    synthesizer.		  

Comments on related concurrent courses 


CS111  Experiences in 121 may aid in the understanding of operating
   systems. 
 
Comments on following courses 

Capstone Projects 
  The capstone projects rely on 121 to shape the computer engineering
  student into an independent designer and constructor.  The design
  projects courses typically provide far less specification, and thus
  require more independence than in 121.   Students who take CE123/L
  will build microprocessor-based systems, sometimes  reusing
  their CE121 designs or  project.

Text

Motorola HC11 Manuals
Data sheets

Possible Texts

M. Slater, "Microprocessor-Based System Design", Prentice-Hall, 1989. 
   Well rounded but old.

Prepared by Richard Hughey, 2/02