Computer Architecture and Technology

Basic concepts of programming, algorithms, and data structures.

The following methodologies are used in this course:

1 – Expository method: an explanatory method where theoretical foundations and concepts are presented by the lecturer and discussed with the class, followed by demonstrative examples;

2 – Experimental method: an active method where the student develops knowledge through problem-solving and the development of individual laboratory projects or group dynamics.

Each class will consist of two moments:

1 – Introductory presentation: At the beginning of the class, the lecturer exposes and discusses the new contents understudy with the students;

2 – Practical application: After the introductory presentation, students develop worksheets and problem-solving, individually and together, for practical application of new concepts, autonomously and under the guidance of the lecturer;

Upon completion of UC, students should be able to:

1. Identify the future evolution of computers based on the knowledge of their evolution until today.

2. Express the basic mathematical and logical operations and different ways of representing numerical and non-numerical quantities.

3. Identify the general architecture of computers.

4. Develop algorithms and implement programs and or procedures in low-level languages.

5. Identify different techniques to increase the processing performance of applications, both in terms of hardware and software.

6. Use microcontrollers to acquire and control analogue and digital signals as well as execute communication processes between a microcontroller and a computer.

1. Brief history of computers

2. Review of fundamental concepts for computer architecture

a) Bits, Bytes, Words

b) Numbers representation on different bases

c) Operations with numbers on different bases

d) Negative numbers representation

e) Floating points

f) Nonnumeric data representation

3. General architecture of computers

a) General organization of a CPU

b) Different types of BUS

c) Device I / O

4. 80XXX architecture.

a) CISC / RISC architectures

b) Von Neumann / Harvard architectures

5. Memory organization

a) Memory hierarchies

b) Real mode / protected mode

c) Virtual memory

d) Cache memory

e) Memory aligned and its influence on performance

6. Introduction to low-level Programming

a) Instructions

b) Subroutines

c) Interrupts

7. Techniques for performance optimization

a) Pipeline

b) SIMD

c) Superscalar architecture

d) Jump Prediction

e) Speculative execution

8. Introduction to microcontrollers

a. Basics for using Arduino

b. Read analog and digital signals

c. Control analog and digital signals

d. Communications between Arduino and Computer

e. Interrupts in Arduino: advantages and limitations

NAO

Delgado , J., & Ribeiro, C. (2014). Arquitetura De Computadores. FCA.

Monk, S. (2019). Programming arduino next steps: Going further with sketches. McGraw-Hill Education.