Computer Architecture 2023-24

(WBCS010-05)
Lecture 1: Introduction

Reza Hassanpour
[email protected]
Topics

› What is the Computer Architecture course about?

• What does a computer do?
• How does a computer work?
• What is a computer system?
• What are the main components of a computer system?
› What will you learn?
• The hardware of a computer
• The relationships with other courses
Topics

› Course details
• Lectures
• Tutor sessions
• Lab sessions
• Assignments
• Final exam
• Evaluation
What does a Computer do?
› A computer is a complex electronic device that
processes data according to a set of instructions
called a program.

› Computers are versatile devices capable of

• processing,
• storing,
• and communicating
› information.
How does a Computer Work?
› There is no magic to computing!
› Deterministic system – behaves the same way
every time
› Does exactly what we tell it to do: no more, no less
› Complex system made of very simple parts
› Even recent advances in AI come from our ability
to do many (billions!) simple computations very
fast!
A Computer Program

› A computer program is a set of instructions that tells

a computer how to perform a specific task or series of
tasks.

› These instructions are written in a programming

language that a computer can understand and
execute.
What do Computers Understand?
› Computers "understand" information in a highly
structured and binary way.

› At their most fundamental level, computers work

with binary code, which consists of sequences of 0s
and 1s.

› Computers have their own language. The programs

should be translated into their language.
How to Execute a Program?
› A program is a sequence of instructions.
› The questions arise are:
• Where to put the program to execute?
• Where to execute each instruction?
• In what order are the instruction executed?
• How to receive user input?
• How to communicate the result of execution?

› We need a few components that can interact

with each other.
What is a Computer System?

› A computer system is a nominally complete

computer that includes
• the hardware,
• operating system (main software),
• and peripheral equipment needed and used for full
operation.
Block Diagram of a Computer
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
› In responsible for executing instructions.

› Controls and oversees the execution of

instructions, manages data flow, controls
input/output operations, and ensuring proper
synchronization of the various components.
Memory
› Is used to store programs and data.

› Enables the computer to store and retrieve

information efficiently.
Input/Output Units
› Input units allow users to input data and commands

› They facilitate the interaction between users and the

computer by converting various forms of input into a
format that the computer can understand and
process.

› Output units are devices that present information

processed by the computer to the user in a human-
readable format.
What about Operating Systems?

› The operating system (OS) is a crucial software

component that serves as an intermediary
between the computer hardware and the user or
applications.

› It plays a fundamental role in managing and

controlling the computer system.
Brief History of Computers (I)
› 1st Generation:
• from 1940 to 1955.
• machine language was developed.
• vacuum tubes were used for the circuitry.
• magnetic drums were used as memory.
• these computers were large, and expensive, using
batch operating systems and punch cards.
• magnetic tape and paper tape were implemented.
• examples, ENIAC, UNIVAC-1, EDVAC.
Brief History of Computers (II)
› 2nd Generation:
• from 1957-1963
• COBOL and FORTRAN were employed as
programming languages.
• hardware advanced from vacuum tubes to
transistors.
• computers became smaller, faster and more
energy-efficient.
• examples, IBM 1620, IBM 7094, CDC 1604, CDC
3600.
Brief History of Computers (III)
› 3rd Generation:
• from 1964-1971.
• integrated circuits(IC) were developed.
• more computing power while lower cost.
• computers were faster, smaller, and less expensive.
• high-level programming languages such as PL/1, C,
and PASCAL were used.
• examples, the IBM-360 series, the Honeywell-
6000 series, and the IBM-370/168.
Brief History of Computers (IV)
› 4th Generation:
• 1971-1980
• invention of the microprocessors.
• C++ and Java were the programming
languages used.
• examples STAR 1000, PDP 11, CRAY-1, IBM
PC, Apple Macintosh.
Brief History of Computers (V)
› 5th Generation:
• since 1980.
• advances in parallel processing, artificial
intelligence, and supercomputing.
• miniaturization with developments like
laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Computers from 1940s to 2010s
1940s

ENIAC

17,000 vacuum tubes

300 sq feet (8 ft tall)
30 tons
140 Kilowatts

1980s

Burroughs A Series

Dozens of IC boards
60 sq feet
1 ton
25 Kilowatts

2020s

Smartphone

1 board – system-on-chip
› Smartphone has
20 sq inches
4,000,000x more computing
6-8 ounces
Battery-powered power than ENIAC

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Microprocessors

1971

Intel 4004

2,300 transistors
106 kHz

1992

Intel Pentium

3.1 million transistors

66 MHz

2018
› This is the processor or
Intel Core i9
› CPU (central processing unit)
7 billion transistors › of the computer system –
5 GHz
where most computation takes place

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Using Computer Systems
What Can Computers Do?
› All computers, given enough time and memory,
are capable of computing exactly the same things

• Smartphone, laptop, supercomputer… limited only by

time and memory

› If you can describe something in terms of

computation, it can be done by a computer… again,
given enough time and memory

› Important to understand how each component

works, but thinking at higher levels is more efficient.
 Problem Solving using Computers
› Describe the requirements of the problem
• We want to use sensors to detect objects and guide a robot
towards them ..
› Design a solution
• Choose the algorithms, data structures, etc.
› Write the program in high level language
› Translate the program into machine language
› Load the instructions into the memory
› Execute each instruction by bringing them into the
central processing unit (CPU) one-by-one
› Use input/output devices to communicate information
Abstraction

› Abstraction: Productivity Enhancer

› You don’t need to worry about the details…
• You can drive a car without knowing how an internal combustion engine
works.
› Important to understand the components and how they work
together.
But thinking at higher levels of abstraction is more efficient.
› Hardware and Software
• It’s not either/or – both are essential components of a
computer system.
• Even if you specialize in one, you must understand the
capabilities and limitations of the other.
How do We Represent Data in a Computer?

› At the lowest level, a computer is an electronic machine

• Works by controlling the flow of electrons

› Easy to recognize two conditions:

1. Presence of a voltage – we’ll call this state “1”
2. Absence of a voltage – we’ll call this state “0”
› We could base the state on the value of the voltage, but
control and detection circuits are more complex
Computer is a Binary Digital system

› Digital = finite number of values (compared to “analog” =

infinite values)
Binary = only two values: 0 and 1
› Unit of information = binary digit, or “bit”

› Circuits (see Chapter 3) will pull voltage down towards zero,

or will pull up towards the highest voltage
› Grey areas represent noise margin -- allowable deviation due to
resistance, capacitance, interference from other circuits,
temperature, etc. More reliable than analog.
More Than Two Values...

› Each "wire" in a logic circuit represents one bit = 0 or 1

› Values with more than two states require multiple wires
(bits)

› With two bits, can represent four different values:

› 00, 01, 10, 11
› With three bits, can represent eight different values:
› 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101, 110, 111

› With n bits, can represent 2n different values

What Kinds of Values do We Want to Represent?

› Numbers - integer, fraction, real, complex, ...

› Text - characters, strings...
› Images - pixels, colors, shapes...
› Sound
› Video
› Logical - true, false
› Instructions

› All data is represented as a collection of bits

› We encode a value by assigning a bit pattern to represent that
value
› We perform operations (transformations) on bits, and we
interpret the results according to how the data is encoded
Questions
› How are programs and data stored in memory?
› How are the instructions defined?
› How does the computer interpret instruction?
› How are data and programs displaced in a computer
system?
› How is the user input received, and how are the
outputs delivered?
› How do different components of a computer system
work in harmony?
Learning Outcomes
› 1) Describe the main concepts, design techniques,
issues, and solutions across the abstraction layers of
modern computer architectures;
› 2) Apply the acquired knowledge to programming
with assembly language, including register
operations, control structures, bitwise operations,
and subprograms;
› 3) Describe the basic concepts of hierarchical data
storage and the techniques to store and retrieve data.
Relationships with Other Courses
› As a practical matter: knowledge of computer
architecture is needed for later courses, such as
systems programming, compilers, operating systems,
and embedded systems

› The most successful software engineers understand

the underlying hardware
Questions?
Organizational Issues

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Course structure (2023-2024)
● Sixteen (16) lectures
● Roughly following Chapters 1 to 10 in the book,
● Some additional information not covered in the book
● Final review and Q&A lecture on Wednesday, January 17,
2024
● Seven (7) tutorials
● Every Wednesday 15:00-17:00
● For receiving guidance by the TAs
● Seven (7) lab sessions (Thursday)
● For receiving feedback from the TAs
● Seven (7) graded homework assignments
● Slides on Brightspace
● New relevant material will be added when necessary
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 The Book (the 3rd edition)

https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/introduction-computing-systems-bits-gates-c-
c-beyond-patt-patel/M9781260150537.html

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Grading
● Final exam and/or resit, and graded practical
solutions for seven (7) homework assignments

● Final grade F=(0.4 H+0.6 E) with

● H = grade Homework (0.125(H1..H6)+0.25H7)
● E = grade Exam/resit
● iff H and E >= 5.0
● Otherwise if (H<5 or E<5) F=min(H, E)
● 6.0 still the minimum for passing grade
● Rounding F to the .5 up except for [5.5, 6) ➔ 6
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 Assignments
● Goal: to gain understanding of the computing
technology internal organization, operation and
the main mechanisms
● Seven (7) practical assignments
● Content, information and deadlines on
Brightspace
● You will work individually
● Support:
● join the lab sessions and ask questions; or
● send mail to your TA
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 Assignments schedule

● Seven (7) practical assignments

● Content, information and deadlines on
Brightspace
● Made available on
● Monday, after the lecture
● starting in the second week on Mon, Nov 20
● Delivery deadline:
● Monday, one week later at 23:59 CET

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 Assignment delivery

● Submit your non-programming assignments in PDF

format
● Solutions are to be uploaded in time
● before 23:59CET on Monday one week after announcement
● Grading results will be on Brightspace
● feedback is also provided on Brightspace
● Grading penalties apply
● No delivery: 100%
● Unacceptable delivery: 100%
● Lecturers and TAs decide on irregular cases

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 Assignment delivery (continued)

› What constitutes unacceptable delivery?

• Delivery after the deadline
• Plagiarism of another student answers (penalty applies to
all students involved, disputes to be resolved by BoE)
• The submission is unreadable (e.g., as a failing PDF)
• The submission documents contain any items that are
scanned from notes or photographed, e.g., no
handwritten solutions will be accepted (use Word/LaTeX!)

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Corner cases

● Exam/lab grades from the last year can’t be used

● Repeating students should perform all homework as
everybody else
● Please contact me if you have questions about this

● Assignment grades are valid for the same year’s resit

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Questions about the organization?

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