Developing the VLSI laboratory for the computer architecture course

ABSTRACT

The paper presents an alternative way of having a hardware laboratory for the computer architecture course that is taught in every computer science curricula. For institutions like CSUSB, with no College of Engineering, having an actual hardware laboratory will be cost prohibitive. An alternative way is to have a set of computer-aided design (CAD) tools where students can design hardware and then test their designs using simulation. This has been done at CSUSB. By using MAGIC (a VLSI layout design tool) and IRSIM (a functional logic simulator) the VLSI Design Laboratory was developed for the computer architecture course in the Department of Computer Science. The VLSI Design Laboratory was implemented using the machines obtained from a matching equipment grant from IBM which consists of five IBM RS/6000s and 15 XStations. The paper presents how the laboratory complements the lecture and how the students learn the hierarchical design methodology of VLSI circuits. Future directions of the VLSI Design Laboratory are also presented.

REFERENCES

• 1: O.G. Burkes and R.W. Williams, "Magic as a PC Layout Tool for Small Budget VLSI Circuit Design Laboratories," Technical Report, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Vermont, Oct 1990.
• 2: E.D. Fabricius, "Introduction to VLSI Design," McGraw- Hill Pub. Co., New York, NY, 1990.
• 3: Walter S. Scott , Robert N. Mayo , Gordon Hamachi , John K. Ousterhout, 1986 VLSI Tools: Still More Works by the Original Artists, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 1985
• 4: Neil H. E. Weste , Kamran Eshraghian, Principles of CMOS VLSI design: a systems perspective, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1985
• 5: R.W. Williams, "An Undergraduate VLSI CMOS Circuit Design Laboratory," Technical Report, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Vermont, Oct 1990.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

Additional Classification:
  B. Hardware
  B.7 INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
      B.7.1 Types and Design Styles
          Subjects: VLSI (very large scale integration)

General Terms:
Theory