A Laboratory for Compter Organization and Architecture

目前毕业于计算机科学专业的学生对现代数字硬件设计方法有一个不切实际的想法，并且在大多数情况下缺乏使用数字电路的实践经验。即使是只打算使用软件的人也需要了解这些材料。例如，使用可重定目标的编译器的趋势越来越明显，这种编译器需要对软件最终将在其上运行的硬件的高级描述作为输入。为了有效地使用硬件，程序员应该了解代码将在其上运行的处理器的架构。随着超大规模集成电路（VLSI）设计的发展，许多新的体系结构正在被开发出来。本课程的目的是让我们所有的学生了解现代数字电路设计中使用的方法。我们还希望为那些对设计和使用数字逻辑感兴趣的学生提供实践经验，作为教授他们计算机体系结构的方法。所有学生都将学习VHDL（VHSIC（超高速集成电路）硬件描述语言），并将使用CAD（计算机辅助设计）工具设计和模拟电路。一个实验室将用于教学计算机体系结构，使感兴趣的学生与硬件工作。参加新架构课程的学生将有机会设计，接口和测试工作处理器，该项目的预期结果不是产生高技能的计算机设计师，而是培养能够最大限度地利用他们所产生的架构的计算机科学家，他们可以在开发他们使用的工具的领域工作。该项目还应编制可供其他机构使用的教材。调查结果将通过因特网和传统出版物传播。

Students who currently graduate with a major in Computer Science have an unrealistic picture of the methods of modern digital hardware design and in most cases lack any hands-on experience in working with digital circuits. Even people who intend to work only with software need knowledge of this material. There is, for example, an increasing tendency to use retargetable compilers, which require as input a high-level description of the hardware on which the software will ultimately operate. In order to use the hardware effectively, a programmer should understand something about the architecture of the processor on which the code will operate. Many new architectures are being developed as a result of advances in VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated circuit) design. It is the objective of this proposal to give all of our students some knowledge of the methods that are used in designing modern digital circuits. We also wish to provide those students who are interested with hands-on experience in designing and using digital logic as a method of teaching them about computer architecture.All students will be taught about VHDL (VHSIC (Very High-Speed Integrated Circuit) Hardware Description Language) and will use CAD (Computer Aided Design) tools to design and simulate circuits. A lab will be used in teaching computer architecture to enable interested students to work with the hardware. Students who take the new architecture course will have the opportunity to design, interface, and test a working processor, The intended outcome of this project is not to produce highly skilled computer designers, but rather, to turn out computer scientists who can make maximum use of architectures that are produced by them and who can work in the area of developing the tools that they use. The project should also generate teaching materials that can be used by other institutions. The results will be disseminated both over the Internet and through conventional publication.