Preliminary Course Schedule (updated 1/7/08) - see website for updates

Monday
Wednesday
Friday
February 4

Registration Day
 		 February 6

L1: Introduction (PDF)

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

February 8

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 7-10

February 11

L3: Introduction to Verilog- Combinational Logic (PDF)

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

February 13

L4: Sequential Building Blocks (PDF)

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

February 15

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 14-17

February 18 - No Class
February 19 - Monday Schedule of Classes Held on 2/19 (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 20

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, 32-144)
Lab 2 (Traffic Light or Auto Alarm FSM) handed out

February 22

Recitation
(34-303, 34-304, 36-112)

FSM Examples, Verilog
Lab 2 Discussion

 

 

February 25

Finish Memory
L8: Arithmetic Structures (PDF)

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

 February 27

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)

February 29

Recitation
(34-303, 34-304, 36-112)

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

March 3

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 5

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 (32-144)
Lab 3 (Memory Tester) handed out 		March 7

Recitation
(34-303, 34-304, 36-112)

VGA Timing Generation , Block RAM/ROM

Lab 3 Discussion

March 10

L12: Reconfigurable Logic Architecture (PDF)

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

March 12

L13: Video (PDF)

Problem Set 3 Due

Lab 3 (Memory Tester) checkoff by March 13 (Thursday) - No detailed report due (see lab for details)

March 14

Quiz Review by TAs (32-144)

Lab 4 (Pong Game) handed out

March 17

No Class on March 17


6.111 Quiz on March 18th (Tuesday)

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

March 19

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 21

No Recitation

Lab 4 Intermediate Checkoff
(not graded)
March 24-28

Spring Break

March 31

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 2

L16: Power Dissipation in Digital Systems (PDF)

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

Lab 4 Check Off by April 3 (Thursday)

April 4

No More Lectures or Recitation

April 7

No Lecture

Project Abstracts Due
Lab 4 Report Due
(both by 1PM in 39-553)

April 9

No Lecture

Proposal Conference with TAs
(April 9-11). Bring Project Proposals for the Proposal Conference

April 11

No Lecture

Lab 2 revised report due (part of CIM)
Proposal Conference with TAs
(April 9-11). Bring Project Proposals for the Proposal Conference

April 14

Block Diagram Conference With TAs
No Lecture

April 16

Block Diagram Conference With TAs
No Lecture

April 18

Block Diagram Conference With TAs
No Lecture

April 21

Patriots Day (Holiday)

April 23

Project Design Presentation in 32-144

April 25

Project Design Presentation in 32-144

April 28

Project Design Presentation in 32-144
Customized Project Checklist Due
(groups + staff)

April 30

Implement/Debug - Milestone 1
No Lecture

May 2

Implement/Debug - Milestone 1
No Lecture

May 5

Implement/Debug - Milestone 2
No Lecture

May 7

Implement/Debug - Milestone 2
No Lecture

May 9

Implement/Debug - Milestone 2
No Lecture

May 12

Implement/Debug

No Lecture

May 13/14/15 (Tu/W/Th)

May 13: Final Project Check-off with TA

May 14: Demo and Video Taping

May 15: Final Project Report Due by 5PM (electronic to the TA)

May 16