Every student makes his own microprocessor

Author

Jansen, Dirk ; Dusch, Benjamin

Author_Institution

ASIC Design Center, Univ. of Appl. Sci., Offenburg, Germany

fYear

2014

fDate

14-16 May 2014

Firstpage

97

Lastpage

101

Abstract

This paper presents the actual curriculum and goals of education in digital system design at the University of Applied Sciences, Offenburg, Germany. In a master course, following a seminar style, students are guided in their own development of a tiny microprocessor in 6 concluding tasks during no more than 10 weeks, using modern design tools. They follow a top down flow from specification via VHDL programming, simulation, synthesis to FPGA and final emulation on hardware. The students are getting deep insight into actual computer architecture, how processors are working, the interdependence of hard- and software as well as into the software tool chain, used to program this device via C-Language. The course is running now the 5th time with increasing interest and number of students.

Keywords

computer aided instruction; computer architecture; educational courses; educational institutions; electronic engineering education; field programmable gate arrays; hardware description languages; integrated circuit design; logic design; microprocessor chips; C-language; FPGA synthesis; Germany; University of Applied Sciences; VHDL programming; computer architecture; digital system design; master course; microprocessor; software tool chain; CMOS integrated circuits; Consumer electronics; Emulation; Field programmable gate arrays; Mathematical model; Random access memory; C-Compiler; C-language; Digital design education; FPGA emulation; FPGA synthesis; VHDL programming; computer architecture; design flow; microprocessor;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microelectronics Education (EWME), 10th European Workshop on

Conference_Location

Tallinn

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/EWME.2014.6877404

Filename

6877404