Objectives and Contextualisation
The basic objectives of the subject are:
• Define the operation of a general-purpose computer system and an embedded system based on microcontrollers.
• Acquire fundamental assembly language programming skills.
• Give an overview of the most common peripherals, how they work, how they are controlled, and how they connect to a computer using high-level languages, such as C and assembler.
Competences
Electronic Engineering for Telecommunication
Develop personal work habits.
Develop thinking habits.
Learn new methods and technologies, building on basic technological knowledge, to be able to adapt to new situations.
Work in a team.
Telecommunication Systems Engineering
Develop personal work habits.
Develop thinking habits.
Learn new methods and technologies, building on basic technological knowledge, to be able to adapt to new situations.
Work in a team.
Learning Outcomes
Apply the basics of hardware device description languages.
Develop applications in real time.
Develop critical thinking and reasoning.
Develop independent learning strategies.
Develop systemic thinking.
Develop the capacity for analysis and synthesis.
Manage available time and resources.
Manage available time and resources. Work in an organised manner.
Perform real time, concurrent, distributed and event-based programming, and design person-computer interfaces.
Use the basics of software design, verification and validation in the description of hardware systems based on high level hardware description languages.
Work cooperatively.
Content
INTRODUCTION. COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
- Basic concepts: processors and microcontrollers. Typical architectures.
- Historical evolution of processors: a generational classification with representative examples.
- Instructions Set Architecture (ISA). Assembler programming.
INPUT / OUTPUT CONCEPTS
- The Input / Output (I/O) space in computers.
- Classification of I / O devices. I / O modules.
- Programming of I / O devices.
- Synchronization with the processor: Scheduled survey, interruptions, and DMA.
- Examples of I / O devices.
MEMORY SYSTEM
- Characteristics of storage systems
- Types of memories.
- Memory organization
- Hierarchy of memory.
DESIGN OF SYSTEMS BASED ON MICROCONTROLLERS
- Microcontrollers: internal organization, external interface. Memory map.
- Tools for the design of systems based on microcontrollers: evaluation boards, simulators, and monitors.
- Debuggers: basic concepts, hardware and software techniques, advanced concepts (Background Debug Mode).
- Microcontroller programming: Assembly language and C language.
