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的方法并不现实，而且在大多数情况下，他们缺乏任何使用数字电路的实践经验。即使是那些只打算使用软件的人也需要了解这些材料。例如，越来越倾向于使用可重定目标的编译器，这需要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体系结构。由于超大规模集成电路(VLSI)设计的进步，许多新的体系结构正在被开发出来。这项建议的目的是让我们所有的学生对现代数字电路设计中使用的方法有一些了解。我们也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，将其作为教授计算机体系结构的一种方法。所有学生都将被教授VHDL语言(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)工具来设计和模拟电路。将在计算机体系结构教学中使用实验室，使感兴趣的学生能够使用硬件。学习新体系结构课程的学生将有机会设计、交互和测试工作处理器，该项目的预期结果不是培养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生产的体系结构并能够在开发他们使用的工具领域工作的计算机科学家。该项目还应编写可供其他机构使用的教材。结果将通过互联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.