Preliminary Course Schedule (updated 1/24/07) - see website for updates

Monday
Wednesday
Friday
February 5

Registration Day
 		 February 7

L1: Introduction (PDF)

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

February 9

L2: Combinational Logic (PDF)

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

Hands-on Logic Analyzer Tutorial by TAs and Gim Hom (in the 6.111 lab) , February 8-11

February 12

L3: Introduction to Verilog- Combinational Logic (PDF)

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

Lecture by Gim Hom

February 14

L4: Sequential Building Blocks (PDF)

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

February 16

L5: Simple Sequential Circuits and Verilog (PDF)

Simple counters, Verilog implementation of Sequential Circuit.

Hands-on Tutorial by TAs and Gim Hom (in the 6.111 Lab): ModelSim, Labkit, February 15-18

February 19 - No Class
February 20- Monday Schedule of Classes Held on 2/20 (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 21

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 23

Recitation
(34-303, 34-304, 36-144)

FSM Examples, Verilog
Lab 2 Discussion

 

 

February 26

Finish Memory
L8: Arithmetic Structures (PDF)

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

 February 28

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 2

Recitation
(34-303, 34-304, 36-144)

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

March 5

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 7

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 9

Recitation
(34-303, 34-304, 36-144)

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

Lab 3 Discussion

March 12

L12: Reconfigurable Logic Architecture (PDF)

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

March 14

L13: Video (PDF)

Lecture by Prof. Tayo Akinwande

Problem Set 3 Due


March 16

 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 19

No Class on March 19


6.111 Quiz on March 20th (Tuesday)

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

March 21

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 23

No Recitation

Lab 4 Intermediate Checkoff
(not graded)
March 26-30

Spring Break

April 2

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 4

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 6

No More Lectures or Recitation

Lab 4 Check Off

April 9

No Lecture

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

April 11

No Lecture

Proposal Conference with TAs
(April 11-13). Bring Project Proposals for the Proposal Conference

April 13

No Lecture

Lab 2 revised report due (part of CIM)
Proposal Conference with TAs
(April 11-13). Bring Project Proposals for the Proposal Conference

April 16

Patriots Day (holiday)

April 18

Block Diagram Conference With TAs
No Lecture

April 20

 Block Diagram Conference With TAs
No Lecture

April 23

Project Design Presentation in 34-101

April 25

Project Design Presentation in 34-101

April 27

Project Design Presentation in 34-101

April 30

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

May 2

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 4

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 7

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 9

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 11

Implement/Debug
No Lecture

May 14

Implement/Debug

No Lecture

May 15/16/17 (Tu/W/Th)

May 15: Final Project Check-off with TA

May 16: Demo and Video Taping

May 17: Final Project Report Due by 5PM (electronic to the TA)

May 18