KD6028 - Digital System Design and Implementation

The design techniques and underlying knowledge covered in this module will be delivered using lectures and seminars, the latter will be used to give you the opportunity to undertake problem solving and real-world design exercises. Lecture content and seminar sessions will provide you with formative feedback where for example short tests or seminar sheet problems will be expanded and solved in an interactive manner with the students taking a significant role.
Workshops complement the delivery of theoretical content though the use of: (i) circuit-level simulation (CMOS) to explore the performance and design of low-level digital circuits and: (ii) The design of a Programmable Logic based system using industry-standard tools and hardware and (iii) Short software demonstration videos on the use of simulation tools.

All taught materials will be provided on the eLearning platform, including workshop exercises, seminar problems and specimen past exam questions. You will be encouraged to ask questions and fully engage during all contact sessions. You will also have continuous access to the simulation software in order follow demonstration Panopto videos, practice tutorials and develop your personal and technical skills in digital system design.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Applying the techniques associated with digital system Testing and Design-for-Test. (AHEP 4 C1)

2. Applying the context of digital system design in the developing field of microelectronics (AHEP 4 C1, C3)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

3. Desing a Finite State Machine (FSM) in order to control memory devices and other digital sub-systems to meet a particular set of requirements. Implement such FSM control hardware using standard digital components. (AHEP 4 C5, M5)

4. Applying techniques and methodologies used in the simulation and modelling of a range of digital systems described at differing abstraction levels, including Hardware Description Language (HDL) and CMOS circuit level. (AHEP 4 , C6, M6)

5. Analysis and modelling of digital circuits, including low-level CMOS circuits. (AHEP 4 C2)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

The summative assessment of the module will be via a combination of:
- Coursework (CW): a project assignment (80%, LO1, LO2, LO3 and LO5) and
- Coursework (CW): coursework report based upon work completed in the workshop reports (20%, LO4).

The project assignment is given in week 1 and lab assignment is given on the exam day.

Formative feedback will be provided in the workshop sessions in an interactive manner by engaging the students in the design process. Moreover, feedback on the project assignment will be provided approximately 4 weeks after.

KD5065 C Programming and Digital Systems

In this module you will learn how to design and implement digital systems using a range of powerful techniques and tools that reflect current industrial practice. You will produce optimised design solutions to a range of practical problems using Finite State Machines (FSMs) and other logical elements, using a powerful and novel design technique. Important building blocks such as memories, arithmetic units, combinational and sequential logic sub-systems and other functional elements, are described in terms of their behaviour and verified by means of a widely used high-level design language and associated software tools. Practical workshops, involving the use of industry standard software and hardware, will be used to provide experience of the complete digital system design flow, from initial concept to hardware testing. You will gain experience in the creation of a real design solution, from specification to realisation in the form of programmable logic.
In addition to the above, you will learn about the underlying technology of the most ubiquitous type of digital logic (CMOS), in terms of circuit design, performance and optimisation.
You will also develop an understanding of a range of technologies that can be used to implement digital systems and their commercial and performance trade-offs, such as power consumption, speed and design engineering costs. Practical design and implementation issues, such as testing and ‘Design-for-Test’ will also be covered, provide a valuable insight into the challenges and issues faced by the modern digital system design engineer.