Digital Systems: From Logic Gates to Processors

The course will give you an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of modern digital system design from a practical perspective. Our focus is on the actual system and not the electronic components that make it up, unlike other "classic" courses in digital circuit design. This approach will allow us to lay the foundation for the design of complex digital systems.You will learn a set of design methodologies and will use a set of (educational-oriented) computer-aided-design tools (CAD) that will allow you not only to design small and medium size circuits, but also to access to higher level courses covering so exciting topics as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) design or computer architecture, to give just two examples.

The course topics can be complemented by the creation of a simple, transversal processor. This is used as an example for a more complex digital system. You will be able to understand the basics of computer architecture, such as microprograms, instruction sets and microinstructions.

This course will prepare you to be:

* Create digital systems of medium complexity.

• Understand how to describe digital systems in high-level languages like VHDL.

• Understand the basics of computers (machine language)