Preliminary Course Schedule (updated 3/6/06)

Monday
Wednesday
Friday
February 6

Registration Day
 		 February 8

L1: Introduction (PDF)

Course objectives, digital logic, hardware description languages, Process Technology
Lab 1 handed out
Problem Set 1 handed out

February 10

L2: Combinational Logic (PDF)

Logic gates, Boolean algebra, visualizations of Boolean algebra, hazards

Logic Analyzer Tutorial by TAs and Gim Hom (in the 6.111 lab) , February 9-10

February 13

L3: Introduction to Verilog- Combinational Logic (PDF)

Logic synthesis, the Verilog hardware description language, combinational logic in Verilog, testbenches

 

February 15

L4: Sequential Building Blocks (PDF)

Preserving state with feedback, latches and flip-flops, clocks and timing constraints, clock skew

Hands-on Tutorial by TAs (in the 6.111 Lab): ModelSim, Labkit, February 14-17

February 17

L5: Simple Sequential Circuits and Verilog (PDF)

Simple counters, Verilog implementation of Sequential Circuits

Hands-on Tutorial by TAs (in the 6.111 Lab): ModelSim, Labkit, February 14-17

February 20 - No Class
February 21- Monday Schedule of Classes Held on 2/21 (Tuesday)

L6: Finite-State Machines and Synchronization (PDF)

Metastability and synchronization, Mealy and Moore formalisms, Verilog implementations, FSM examples

Problem Set 1 Due
Problem Set 2 handed out

February 22

L7: Memory Basics and Timing (PDF)

Technologies, types of RAM and ROM, memory controller circuits, specialty memories, high-performance interfaces

Lab 1 Checkoff and Report due by 1PM (turn in report at lecture, 34-101)
Lab 2 (Traffic Light FSM) handed out

February 24

Recitation
(36-144, 34-304, 36-155)

FSM Examples, Verilog
Lab 2 Discussion

 

 

February 27

Finish Memory
L8: Arithmetic Structures (PDF)

Binary addition and subtraction, implementation and performance of the full adder, high-speed addition, signed arithmetic

 March 1

L9: Arithmetic Structures (cont.)

Binary addition and subtraction, implementation and performance of the full adder, high-speed addition, signed arithmetic

CI-M requirements (Lab2 report guidelines)

March 3

Recitation
(36-144, 34-304, 36-155)

More FSM, Memory, Arithmetic
Problem Set 2 Due
Problem Set 3 handed out

March 6

L10: Analog Building Blocks (PDF)

Analog inputs, useful op-amp circuits, A/D and D/A conversion, useful A/D and D/A circuits

Lab 2 Checkoff

March 8

Finish Analog Building Blocks
L11: System Integration Issues and Major/Minor FSM (PDF)

Hierarchy and modularity, data and control paths, major and minor FSMs

Lab 2 Report Due in Lecture (34-101)
Lab 3 (Memory Tester) handed out 		March 10

Recitation
(36-144, 34-304, 36-155)

VGA Timing Generation (PDF), Block RAM/ROM (PDF)

Lab 3 Discussion

March 13

L12: Reconfigurable Logic Architecture (PDF)

Overview of commercial devices, programmable logic (PAL), FPGA Architectures, and software tools

March 15

L13: Video (PDF)

Guest Lecture by Prof. Tayo Akinwande

Problem Set 3 Due


March 17

 Quiz Review by TAs (34-101)

Lab 3 (Memory Tester) checkoff - No detailed report due (see lab for details)
Lab 4 (Pong Game) handed out

March 20

No Class on March 20


6.111 Quiz on March 21st (Tuesday)

Location: 32-155
From 7:30PM-9:30PM

March 22

L14: Project Kickoff (PDF)

Video of past 6.111 projects, project ideas, deadlines and goals, project guidelines, grading, asynchronous interfaces

Formation of Project Teams 

March 24

No More Lectures or Recitation

Lab 4 Intermediate Checkoff
(not graded)
March 27-31

Spring Break

April 3

L15: LSI Integration and Performance Transformations (PDF)

Moore's Law, VLSI integration, layout and fabrication, application-specific circuits, microprocessors. Behavioral and algorithmic transformations, retiming, parallelism and pipelining

April 5

L16: Power Dissipation in Digital Systems (PDF)

Heat and battery life issues, sources of power dissipation,  circuit and algorithm optimizations for power, voltage scaling

April 7

No More Lectures or Recitation

Lab 4 Check Off

April 10

No Lecture

Project Abstracts Due
Lab 4 Report Due
(both by 1PM in 38-107)

April 12

No Lecture

Proposal Conference with TAs
(April 12-14). Bring Project Proposals for the Proposal Conference

April 14

No Lecture

Lab 2 revised report due (part of CIM)
Proposal Conference with TAs
(April 12-14). Bring Project Proposals for the Proposal Conference

April 17

Patriots Day

April 19

Block Diagram Conference With TAs
No Lecture

April 21

 Block Diagram Conference With TAs
No Lecture

April 24

Project Design Presentation in 34-101

HKN Course Evaluation

April 26

Project Design Presentation in 34-101

April 28

Project Design Presentation in 34-101

May 1

Project Design Presentation in 34-101
Customized Project Checklist Due
(groups + staff)

May 3

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 5

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 8

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 10

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 12

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 15

Implement/Debug

No Lecture

May 16/17 (Tu/W)

Final Project Demonstrations and Video Taping

Final Project Report Due by 5PM on May 18 (Thursday)

May 19