Why publish yet another book on digital design and computer architecture?
There are dozens of good books in print on digital design. There
are also several good books about computer architecture, especially the
classic texts of Patterson and Hennessy. This book is unique in its treatment
in that it presents digital logic design from the perspective of computer
architecture, starting at the beginning with 1’s and 0’s, and leading
students through the design of a MIPS microprocessor.
We have used several editions of Patterson and Hennessy’s
Computer Organization and Design (COD) for many years at Harvey
Mudd College. We particularly like their coverage of the MIPS architecture
and microarchitecture because MIPS is a commercially successful
microprocessor architecture, yet it is simple enough to clearly explain
and build in an introductory class. Because our class has no prerequisites,
the first half of the semester is dedicated to digital design, which is
not covered by COD. Other universities have indicated a need for a
book that combines digital design and computer architecture. We have
undertaken to prepare such a book.
We believe that building a microprocessor is a special rite of passage
for engineering and computer science students. The inner workings of a
processor seem almost magical to the uninitiated, yet prove to be
straightforward when carefully explained. Digital design in itself is a
powerful and exciting subject. Assembly language programming unveils
the inner language spoken by the processor. Microarchitecture is the link
that brings it all together.
This book is suitable for a rapid-paced, single-semester introduction
to digital design and computer architecture or for a two-quarter or
two-semester sequence giving more time to digest the material and
experiment in the lab. The only prerequisite is basic familiarity with a
high-level programming language such as C, C++, or Java. The material
is usually taught at the sophomore- or junior-year level, but may
also be accessible to bright freshmen who have some programming
experience.