The course enables students to acquire the knowledge and ability to apply design techniques for digital systems in general and to investigate in particular aspects concerning the implementation with programmable platforms. Accordingly, the examination at the end of the learning module will ensure that the student has learned the following: - Knowledge of methods to describe, simulate and analyze the behavior of a digital system. - Skill in using computer-based methods for description, simulation and analysis of even complex systems. - Knowledge of typical structure and technology of modern programmable electronic components. - Knowledge of design flow on programmable systems. - Ability to design a digital electronic system from specifications to implementation and to experimental verification of the behavior. Ability to draft a technical report on the design and characterization of a component or digital electronic system.

Students’ prerequisites are: basic knowledge of Boolean Algebra, logic gates, combinational and sequential elementary components, ability in analyzing simple digital circuits.

The course may be approximately divided into 2 main parts: 1. Computer architectures for embedded systems (3 CFU) a. Microprocessor Architecture b. Peripheral interfacing, DMA and interrupts c. Programmable devices 2. Memory structures (3 CFU) a. Memory technology b. Volatile and non-volatile memory structures c. Cache memories

The course is structured in classes and laboratories. During classes theoretical aspects are discussed together with examples and execises. The laboratories (in general 6) are based on the use of programmable FPGA devices for the implementation of embedded systems including processors and standard or custom peripherals designed by the students. Laboratory activities require both the design of hardware parts and the writing of software modules. Each laboratory work is developed by a team (3-4 students) and corresponds to a simple design. A written report within a time limit of one week is also required. The final evaluation of the laboratory work is the average of the evaluations of the individual laboratories, is common to all the students of each team/group and has a maximum value of 5/30.

The book "Embedded system design" di F. Vahid covers approximately 30% of the course. Slides of the course together with manuals and datasheets of the components analyzed during classes are available. Moreover, all laboratory assignments and material are available as well. All the material is available on "Portale della Didattica".

Lecture slides; Lecture notes; Exercise with solutions ; Lab exercises; Video lectures (previous years); Simulation tools;

Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam; Practical lab skills test;

The verification of the learning will take place through the laboratory work evaluation (optional, but strongly recommended), a written exam (mandatory) and an oral exam (mandatory). The written exam has a duration of approximately 2 hours and is composed of 2 design-based exercises. Books, notes or any other kind of material is not allowed during the exam. The written exam aims to verify design skills acquired by students during the course, in particular the ones related to the structure of digital processing systems, including the ability to design/integrate specific functions into a processing unit and to understand specification and constraints in the design of digital systems. The written exam verifies also the knowledge of the main peripheral devices in a computing system and to use standard techniques to design the different part of a digital system. Students are allowed to take the oral exam if the written exam is rated at least as “sufficient”. The oral exam is made of questions on the theoretical or the descriptive parts of the course as well as on laboratory-related aspects and aims to verify the understanding of these parts of the course. The total exam score is a weighted average of the written and oral exam scores plus the laboratory score and can lead to a maximum score equal to 30 cum laude. Special projects are available for strongly motivated students. A special project leads to at most a +3 to the final score.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.