Computer Architecture, 6 credits

Datorarkitektur, 6 hp

TDTS10

Main field of study

Computer Science and Engineering

Course level

First cycle

Course type

Programme course

Examiner

Zebo Peng

Director of studies or equivalent

Ola Leifler

Education components

Preliminary scheduled hours: 30 h
Recommended self-study hours: 130 h

Available for exchange students

Yes

Main field of study

Computer Science and Engineering

Course level

First cycle

Advancement level

G1X

Course offered for

  • Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management - International
  • Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management

Prerequisites

Switching Theory and Logical Design, Computer Hardware and Architecture

Intended learning outcomes

This course will give students knowledge of how a computer works and an understanding of computer architecture and organization. After completing the course, the students should be able to:

  • Understand and explain the overall functioning of a computer system.
  • Make a connection between programs and the way they are executed on the actual hardware infrastructure.
  • Evaluate the complexity of modern computer systems and identify what the main problems are and how they are solved.
  • Identify the main parameters which impact the quality of a computer system, how they relate to the system complexity and, implicitely, cost.
  • Understand technical specifications of microprocessors. Describe the architecture of a modern processor, evaluate and compare. Report in written and oral form.
  • Course content

    Components of a computer, computer performance, instruction set, RISC vs CISC, arithmetic, pipe-lining, instruction level parallelism, memory hierarchy, cache memory, virtual memory, input/output handling and interconnect structure, parallel programming, GPUs.

    Teaching and working methods

    The course consists of a series of lectures, laboratory assignments and an exam.

    Examination

    LAB1Laboratory work3 creditsU, G
    TEN2Written examination3 creditsU, 3, 4, 5

    Grades

    Four-grade scale, LiU, U, 3, 4, 5

    Other information

    About teaching and examination language

    The teaching language is presented in the Overview tab for each course. The examination language relates to the teaching language as follows: 

    • If teaching language is Swedish, the course as a whole or in large parts, is taught in Swedish. Please note that although teaching language is Swedish, parts of the course could be given in English. Examination language is Swedish. 
    • If teaching language is Swedish/English, the course as a whole will be taught in English if students without prior knowledge of the Swedish language participate. Examination language is Swedish or English (depending on teaching language). 
    • If teaching language is English, the course as a whole is taught in English. Examination language is English. 

    Other

    The course is conducted in a manner where both men's and women's experience and knowledge are made visible and developed. 

    The planning and implementation of a course should correspond to the course syllabus. The course evaluation should therefore be conducted with the course syllabus as a starting point.  

    Department

    Institutionen för datavetenskap

    Director of Studies or equivalent

    Ola Leifler

    Examiner

    Zebo Peng

    Education components

    Preliminary scheduled hours: 30 h
    Recommended self-study hours: 130 h

    Course literature

    Books

    • Patterson, David A., Hennessy, John L., (2007) Computer organization and design : the hardware/software interface
      ISBN: 9780123706065, 0123706068, 9780123742056
      Amsterdam ; Boston : Elsevier/Morgan Kaufmann, c2007.; Morgan Kaufmann series in computer architecture and design
    Code Name Scope Grading scale
    LAB1 Laboratory work 3 credits U, G
    TEN2 Written examination 3 credits U, 3, 4, 5

    Course syllabus

    A syllabus must be established for each course. The syllabus specifies the aim and contents of the course, and the prior knowledge that a student must have in order to be able to benefit from the course.

    Timetabling

    Courses are timetabled after a decision has been made for this course concerning its assignment to a timetable module. 

    Interrupting a course

    The vice-chancellor’s decision concerning regulations for registration, deregistration and reporting results (Dnr LiU-2015-01241) states that interruptions in study are to be recorded in Ladok. Thus, all students who do not participate in a course for which they have registered must record the interruption, such that the registration on the course can be removed. Deregistration from a course is carried out using a web-based form: https://www.lith.liu.se/for-studenter/kurskomplettering?l=en. 

    Cancelled courses

    Courses with few participants (fewer than 10) may be cancelled or organised in a manner that differs from that stated in the course syllabus. The Dean is to deliberate and decide whether a course is to be cancelled or changed from the course syllabus. 

    Guidelines relating to examinations and examiners 

    For details, see Guidelines for education and examination for first-cycle and second-cycle education at Linköping University, Dnr LiU-2019-00920 (http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592).

    An examiner must be employed as a teacher at LiU according to the LiU Regulations for Appointments, Dnr LiU-2017-03931 (https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/622784). For courses in second-cycle, the following teachers can be appointed as examiner: Professor (including Adjunct and Visiting Professor), Associate Professor (including Adjunct), Senior Lecturer (including Adjunct and Visiting Senior Lecturer), Research Fellow, or Postdoc. For courses in first-cycle, Assistant Lecturer (including Adjunct and Visiting Assistant Lecturer) can also be appointed as examiner in addition to those listed for second-cycle courses. In exceptional cases, a Part-time Lecturer can also be appointed as an examiner at both first- and second cycle, see Delegation of authority for the Board of Faculty of Science and Engineering.

    Forms of examination

    Principles for examination

    Written and oral examinations and digital and computer-based examinations are held at least three times a year: once immediately after the end of the course, once in August, and once (usually) in one of the re-examination periods. Examinations held at other times are to follow a decision of the board of studies.

    Principles for examination scheduling for courses that follow the study periods:

    • courses given in VT1 are examined for the first time in March, with re-examination in June and August
    • courses given in VT2 are examined for the first time in May, with re-examination in August and October
    • courses given in HT1 are examined for the first time in October, with re-examination in January and August
    • courses given in HT2 are examined for the first time in January, with re-examination in March and in August.

    The examination schedule is based on the structure of timetable modules, but there may be deviations from this, mainly in the case of courses that are studied and examined for several programmes and in lower grades (i.e. 1 and 2). 

    Examinations for courses that the board of studies has decided are to be held in alternate years are held three times during the school year in which the course is given according to the principles stated above.

    Examinations for courses that are cancelled or rescheduled such that they are not given in one or several years are held three times during the year that immediately follows the course, with examination scheduling that corresponds to the scheduling that was in force before the course was cancelled or rescheduled.

    When a course is given for the last time, the regular examination and two re-examinations will be offered. Thereafter, examinations are phased out by offering three examinations during the following academic year at the same times as the examinations in any substitute course. If there is no substitute course, three examinations will be offered during re-examination periods during the following academic year. Other examination times are decided by the board of studies. In all cases above, the examination is also offered one more time during the academic year after the following, unless the board of studies decides otherwise.

    If a course is given during several periods of the year (for programmes, or on different occasions for different programmes) the board or boards of studies determine together the scheduling and frequency of re-examination occasions.

    Retakes of other forms of examination

    Regulations concerning retakes of other forms of examination than written examinations and digital and computer-based examinations are given in the LiU guidelines for examinations and examiners, http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592.

    Registration for examination

    Until January 31 2021, the following applies according to previous guidelines: In order to take an written, digital or computer-based examination student must register in advance at the Student Portal during the registration period, which opens 30 days before the date of the examination and closes 10 days before it. Candidates are informed of the location of the examination by email, four days in advance. Students who have not registered for an examination run the risk of being refused admittance to the examination, if space is not available.

    From February 1 2021, new guidelines applies for registration for written, digital or computer-based examination, Dnr LiU-2020-02033 (https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/622682).

    Symbols used in the examination registration system:

      ** denotes that the examination is being given for the penultimate time.

      * denotes that the examination is being given for the last time.

    Code of conduct for students during examinations

    Details are given in a decision in the university’s rule book: http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/622682.

    Retakes for higher grade

    Students at the Institute of Technology at LiU have the right to retake written examinations and digital and computer-based examinations in an attempt to achieve a higher grade. This is valid for all examination components with code “TEN”, “DIT” and "DAT". The same right may not be exercised for other examination components, unless otherwise specified in the course syllabus.

    A retake is not possible on courses that are included in an issued degree diploma. 

    Grades

    The grades that are preferably to be used are Fail (U), Pass (3), Pass not without distinction (4) and Pass with distinction (5). 

    • Grades U, 3, 4, 5 are to be awarded for courses that have written or digital examinations.
    • Grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) may be awarded for courses with a large degree of practical components such as laboratory work, project work and group work.
    • Grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) are to be used for degree projects and other independent work.

    Examination components

    The following examination components and associated module codes are used at the Faculty of Science and Engineering:

    • Grades U, 3, 4, 5 are to be awarded for written examinations (TEN) and digital examinations (DIT).
    • Examination components for which the grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) may be awarded are laboratory work (LAB), project work (PRA), preparatory written examination (KTR), digital preparatory written examination (DIK), oral examination (MUN), computer-based examination (DAT), home assignment (HEM), and assignment (UPG).
    • Students receive grades either Fail (U) or Pass (G) for other examination components in which the examination criteria are satisfied principally through active attendance such as tutorial group (BAS) or examination item (MOM).
    • Grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) are to be used for the examination components Opposition (OPPO) and Attendance at thesis presentation (AUSK) (i.e. part of the degree project).

    In general, the following applies:

    • Mandatory course components must be scored and given a module code.
    • Examination components that are not scored, cannot be mandatory. Hence, it is voluntary to participate in these examinations, and the voluntariness must be clearly stated. Additionally, if there are any associated conditions to the examination component, these must be clearly stated as well.
    • For courses with more than one examination component with grades U,3,4,5, it shall be clearly stated how the final grade is weighted.

    For mandatory components, the following applies: If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component. (In accordance with the LiU Guidelines for education and examination for first-cycle and second-cycle education at Linköping University, http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592). 

    For written examinations, the following applies: If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it. If the coordinator has instead recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives. (In accordance with the LiU Guidelines for education and examination for first-cycle and second-cycle education at Linköping University, http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592).

    Reporting of examination results

    The examination results for a student are reported at the relevant department.

    Plagiarism

    For examinations that involve the writing of reports, in cases in which it can be assumed that the student has had access to other sources (such as during project work, writing essays, etc.), the material submitted must be prepared in accordance with principles for acceptable practice when referring to sources (references or quotations for which the source is specified) when the text, images, ideas, data, etc. of other people are used. It is also to be made clear whether the author has reused his or her own text, images, ideas, data, etc. from previous examinations, such as degree projects, project reports, etc. (this is sometimes known as “self-plagiarism”).

    A failure to specify such sources may be regarded as attempted deception during examination.

    Attempts to cheat

    In the event of a suspected attempt by a student to cheat during an examination, or when study performance is to be assessed as specified in Chapter 10 of the Higher Education Ordinance, the examiner is to report this to the disciplinary board of the university. Possible consequences for the student are suspension from study and a formal warning. More information is available at https://www.student.liu.se/studenttjanster/lagar-regler-rattigheter?l=en.

    Regulations (apply to LiU in its entirety)

    The university is a government agency whose operations are regulated by legislation and ordinances, which include the Higher Education Act and the Higher Education Ordinance. In addition to legislation and ordinances, operations are subject to several policy documents. The Linköping University rule book collects currently valid decisions of a regulatory nature taken by the university board, the vice-chancellor and faculty/department boards.

    LiU’s rule book for education at first-cycle and second-cycle levels is available at http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/Innehall/Utbildning_pa_grund-_och_avancerad_niva. 

    Books

    Patterson, David A., Hennessy, John L., (2007) Computer organization and design : the hardware/software interface

    ISBN: 9780123706065, 0123706068, 9780123742056

    Amsterdam ; Boston : Elsevier/Morgan Kaufmann, c2007.; Morgan Kaufmann series in computer architecture and design

    Note: The course matrix might contain more information in Swedish.

    I = Introduce, U = Teach, A = Utilize
    I U A Modules Comment
    1. DISCIPLINARY KNOWLEDGE AND REASONING
    1.1 Knowledge of underlying mathematics and science (G1X level)
    
                                
    1.2 Fundamental engineering knowledge (G1X level)
    X
    X
    LAB1
    TEN2
    
                                
    1.3 Further knowledge, methods, and tools in one or several subjects in engineering or natural science (G2X level)
    X
    LAB1
    TEN2
    
                                
    1.4 Advanced knowledge, methods, and tools in one or several subjects in engineering or natural sciences (A1X level)
    
                                
    1.5 Insight into current research and development work
    
                                
    2. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
    2.1 Analytical reasoning and problem solving
    X
    LAB1
    TEN2
    
                                
    2.2 Experimentation, investigation, and knowledge discovery
    
                                
    2.3 System thinking
    X
    X
    LAB1
    TEN2
    
                                
    2.4 Attitudes, thought, and learning
    X
    X
    LAB1
    TEN2
    
                                
    2.5 Ethics, equity, and other responsibilities
    
                                
    3. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION
    3.1 Teamwork
    X
    LAB1
    
                                
    3.2 Communications
    X
    
                                
    3.3 Communication in foreign languages
    X
    LAB1
    TEN2
    
                                
    4. CONCEIVING, DESIGNING, IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATING SYSTEMS IN THE ENTERPRISE, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT
    4.1 External, societal, and environmental context
    X
    
                                
    4.2 Enterprise and business context
    
                                
    4.3 Conceiving, system engineering and management
    X
    
                                
    4.4 Designing
    X
    
                                
    4.5 Implementing
    X
    
                                
    4.6 Operating
    
                                
    5. PLANNING, EXECUTION AND PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITH RESPECT TO SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIETAL NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS
    5.1 Societal conditions, including economic, social, and ecological aspects of sustainable development for knowledge development
    
                                
    5.2 Economic conditions for knowledge development
    
                                
    5.3 Identification of needs, structuring and planning of research or development projects
    
                                
    5.4 Execution of research or development projects
    
                                
    5.5 Presentation and evaluation of research or development projects
    
                                

    This tab contains public material from the course room in Lisam. The information published here is not legally binding, such material can be found under the other tabs on this page.

    There are no files available for this course.