48441 Introductory Digital Systems

6cp

Requisite(s): 33130 Mathematical Modelling 1 AND 48510c Introduction to Electrical Engineering
Fields of practice: Computer Systems Engineering program
Undergraduate
Subject coordinator: Ahmed Al-Ani

The objectives of this subject are to enable students to: master the fundamentals of digital and programmable electronic circuits and their engineering applications; master the hardware architecture of a typical small computer system; understand the principles of low-level programming and gain an ability to write simple assembly code. Topics include: digital sequential circuits; state diagram and its application in the design of digital circuits; basic hardware architectures of the digital computer in terms of its building blocks; how hardware integrates with software at the machine level; low-level language programming; internal architecture and design of a typical register-based central processing unit and a main memory subsystem, and their interdependence; concepts of computer system buses, as well as different types of input and output devices; interrupts; input and output; micro-controller architectures.

Assessment: Assessment for this subject typically involves individual tasks including the assembly of a hardware kit, CPLD design, PIC design, concurrent programming, tutorial work and a final examination.

Typical availability

Autumn semester, City campus
Spring semester, City campus
Autumn semester, Hong Kong
Spring semester, Hong Kong
Summer session, Hong Kong
Winter session, Hong Kong

Fee information

2007 contribution for post-2004 Commonwealth-supported students: $889.75
2007 amount for undergraduate domestic fee-paying students: $2,460.00
Subject EFTSL: 0.125
Note: The above fees are applicable in 2007 for Commonwealth-supported students who commenced after 2004 and domestic fee-paying undergraduate students only. Pre-2005 Commonwealth-supported students should consult the Student contribution charges for Commonwealth supported students webpage.
Not all students are eligible for Commonwealth supported places, and not all subjects are available to Commonwealth supported students. Domestic fee-paying students and international students should refer to the Fees webpage.

Access conditions

Note: The requisite information presented in this subject description covers only academic requisites. Full details of all enforced rules, covering both academic and admission requisites, are available at Access conditions and My Student Admin.