Games Systems Architecture

This module extends the student's experience of hardware-level programming, and looks at hand-held device hardware

Synopsis of Module

This unit is designed to enable students to understand the organisation of a production processor, develop an understanding of assembly language programming and an essential understanding of digital systems design. The purpose of the unit is not to primarily develop a skill in low level programming but to illuminate underlying computer systems concepts fundamental to making effective use of computers in the games setting. The approach is essentially a practical one to allow students to develop their own low level software and to interface with simple digital devices.

Aims of Module

To provide an appreciation of a range of different microprocessor organisations, focussing on those used for games systems, and a detailed understanding of the organisation of a particular microprocessor.
To develop a skill in assembly language programming.
To develop an understanding of how machine instruction sets are implemented by microprograms and hardware.
To develop an understanding of elementary digital design of combinational and sequential functions.
To introduce the fundamental hardware issues faced by games developers

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, the student will be able to

Demonstrate an appreciation of the architecture of a range of different microprocessors and display a detailed understanding of the organisation of a particular microprocessor.
Write representative software in assembly language to perform data manipulation and control simple I/O devices, and give graphical output.
Discuss how machine instruction sets are implemented in hardware and using microprograms.
Design elementary combinational and sequential digital circuits.

Outline Syllabus

Microprocessor architecture and organisation - 16 and 32-bit words, microprocessors and microcontrollers. Instruction sets; formats, operands - addressing modalities, subroutines, concurrency, RISC and CISC designs. (40%)
A detailed treatment of the organisation of a particular microprocessor, eg the ARM. The memory map and support for high-level programming languages. (40%)
A detailed treatment of the pipeline process and the issues of superscalar architecture. (10%)
Digital design - Logic Gates, Boolean functions and simplification, truth tables and timing diagrams. Simple combinational and sequential functions. (10%)