ECE/CS 350L: Digital Systems

Section 001, Fall 2024


This course will basically teach you how to build this,
but virtually, and for less than $50k.

Overview

Lecture location: Wilkinson 130
Lecture time: Mon/Wed 10:05am - 11:20am

Instructor: Dr. Tyler Bletsch
Email: Tyler.Bletsch AT duke.edu
Office Hours:

Teaching Assistants:

TA Office Hours: Schedule

Recitations:

Section(s)RoomTimeLead(s)
01-02Teer 210/216Thu 1:25pm-4:25pmEmma Fleischman, Milo Chung
03-04Teer 210/216Fri 10:05am-1:05pmAnthony Fernando, Vincent Chen
05Teer 210/216Wed 3:05pm-6:05pmWill Denton
Note: The sections listed together may be effectively merged in practice.

Links:

Schedule

#DateLectureLab
Wed/Thu/Fri
Homework due
(11:59:00pm)
1 Mon 8/26 Intro, booleans, and logic
2 Wed 8/28 Intro, booleans, and logic Lab 1: Intro to Verilog
Mon 9/2 LABOR DAY (Tue 9/3)
Homework 1
3 Wed 9/4 Intro, booleans, and logic Lab 2: Ripple Carry Adder
4 Mon 9/9 Addition/subtraction Heads up: Do Lab 3's pre-lab tasks
before you get there!
(Tue 9/10)
Homework 2
5 Wed 9/11 Intro to CAD Lab 3: Comparator
- lab3_kit.zip
6 Mon 9/16 Latches and registers (Tue 9/17)
Homework 3
7 Wed 9/18 Multiplication Lab 4: Instrumentation
- Instrumentation intro
(Fri 9/20)
CP1: ALU
8 Mon 9/23 Multiplication Heads up: All outstanding lab tasks
must be done before next week!
(Tue 9/24)
Homework 4
9 Wed 9/25 Division (CP help) (Fri 9/27)
CP2: Regfile
10 Mon 9/30 Memory elements
11 Wed 10/2 Logic minimization Lab 5: Memory Elements
- Gate delay demo
(Fri 10/4)
CP3 milestone 1: Proof of life
12 Mon 10/7 Midterm 1
- Study guide
- Practice midterm
13 Wed 10/9 Logic minimization Lab 6: VGA &
Lab 7: Keyboard/ADC
- Multivoltage circuit video
(Wed 10/9)
CP3 milestone 2: Mul
Mon 10/14 FALL BREAK
14 Wed 10/16 Pipelined processors Lab 6: VGA &
Lab 7: Keyboard/ADC
- Multivoltage circuit video
15 Mon 10/21 Finite state machines (Mon 10/21)
CP3: Mul/div
16 Wed 10/23 Finite state machines Lab 8: Audio and PWM (Wed 10/23)
Homework 5
17 Mon 10/28 Making stuff
- Chris Bingham: Design Resources
(Sun 10/27)
CP4 milestone 1: Baby CPU
18 Wed 10/30 NMOS, PMOS, and CMOS Lab 9: FSM (Sat 11/2)
CP4 milestone 2: Hazardous CPU
19 Mon 11/4 NMOS, PMOS, and CMOS Heads up: All outstanding lab tasks
must be done before next week!
(Tue 11/5)
Project proposal
20 Wed 11/6 Error correcting codes (Project help)
21 Mon 11/11 Digital testing (Mon 11/11)
CP4: Complete CPU
22 Wed 11/13 PLDs and FPGAs (Project help) (Thu 11/14)
CP4: Optional technical report
23 Mon 11/18 Chill chat (Tue 11/19)
Homework 6
24 Wed 11/20 Midterm 2
- Practice midterm
- Study guide
(Project help)
25 Mon 11/25 Chill chat
Wed 11/27 THANKSGIVING BREAK THANKSGIVING BREAK
26 Mon 12/2 Chill chat
27 Wed 12/4 Chill chat Demo time ↓ Moved
(Thu 12/5, 10am)
Project demos begin
- Demo sign-up ← Added 11/20

(Tue 12/10, 5pm)
Project demos end

(Tue 12/10)
Project materials due:
  1. Report (GradeScope)
  2. Code (Canvas)
  3. Team eval (GradeScope)

Additional resources

Lecture videos: Setup guides: Provided code: Supplemental reading: Datasheets:

Syllabus & policies

Course synopsis

Design and implementation of combinational and sequential digital systems with special attention to digital computers. The use of computer-aided design tools, hardware description languages, and programmable logic chips to facilitate larger and higher performance designs will be stressed. Laboratory exercises and group design projects will reinforce the various design techniques discussed in class.

Includes homeworks, labs, and a multi-checkpoint project in which you'll develop a full CPU and deploy it in support of a real-world task.

Pre-requisite: ECE/CS 250D

Grading breakdown

Note: Subject to change.
Category%
Homeworks15%
Midterm exams20%
Processor + Checkpoints45%
Final project20%
No final exam!

Lab completion requirement: There is no explicit grades for labs, but you must do all the lab tasks (in or out of lab) and show your TA to be able to pass the class.

Assignment policies

You are expected to complete the homework and checkpoints individually unless otherwise stated. However, you may discuss topics covered in the class.

Late homework submissions incur penalties as follows:

Late checkpoint submissions incur penalties as follows:

NOTE: If you feel in advance that you may need an extension, contact the instructor. We can work with you if you see a scheduling problem coming, but extensions cannot be granted at or near the due date!

Your grade will be based on what and when you submit to GradeScope.

Grade appeals

All regrade requests must be in writing. Email the TA with your questions. After speaking with the TA, if you still have concerns, contact the instructor.

All regrade requests must be submitted to the instructor no later than 1 week after the assignment was returned to you.

Academic integrity

I take academic integrity extremely seriously. Academic misconduct will not be tolerated, and all suspected violations of the Duke Honor Code will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct (for undergraduates) or the departmental Director of Graduate Studies (for graduate students). A student found responsible for academic dishonesty faces formal disciplinary action, which may include suspension. A student twice suspended automatically faces a minimum 5-year separation from Duke University.

In addition to the measures taken by the university, the affected assignment(s) will receive zero credit, or possibly -100% in egregious cases.

If you are considering this course of action, please see me instead, and we can work something out! I want every student in my course to be successful.