Computer Architecture

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Classify and critique instruction-set architecture styles in terms of efficiency and performance.
• Select high-level data structures to best exploit the memory hierarchy
• Select SoC IP cores needed in order to meet functional and non-functional requirements.
• Quantitatively analyse and predict the impact of architectural optimisations.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Understand the relationship between throughput, latency, and pipelining
• Understand the use of address spaces as a means of system-integration.
• Describe standard optimisations for in-order scalar CPUs, including pipelining and caching.
• Identify the main stages and functional units in a CPU.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Implement a synthesisable processor in RTL that complies with an ISA
• Create test-benches to test a digital circuit.
• Construct, synthesise, and execute a system-on-chip in an FPGA
• Extend an SoC with custom functionality.

Classic architectures:

• ISAs
• Data-path andcontrol-path design
• Detailed single-cycle CPU for real-world ISA

Optimisations:

• Pipelining
• Caches
• Memory hierarchy

Bus-based systems:

• Buses & protocols
• Polling/interrupts
• IP interfacing

Customisation and optimisation:

• Custom instructions
• Custom accelerators
• Parallel instruction streams

Lectures, labs and guided self-study

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.