1. Basics

   • Gates: AND, OR, INVERTER, NAND, NOR

   • Truth tables.

   • Two-level forms: sum of products (SOP) and product of sums (POS)

   • Deriving SOP and POS from truth tables.

   • Normal (or cannonical) forms: SOP in which each product (AND) term contains all input variables in either true or complemented form.

   • Minterms/Maxterms

   • Implementing with one gate: algebraic manipulation

   • Implementing with one gate: gate equivalency rules, performing AND/OR operations with only NAND gates or only NOR gates.

   • Active high vs active low inputs and outputs.

   • Changing a circuit diagram with AND/OR gates into one using only NAND gates or only NOR gates.

2. Expression Reduction Techniques.
   • Algebraic reduction. Using Boolean laws and postulates (appendix A).

   • Using Karnaugh Maps (you don't have to be able to explain why Karnaugh Maps work).

3. Multiplexors, demultiplexors, decoders.
   • How to design multiplexors, demultiplexors, decoders.

   • How to use multiplexors to implement truth tables.

   • How to use decoders to implement truth tables.

   • How to implement truth tables with Mux using folding.

   • How to use decoders to decode addresses.

4. Latches and Flip-flops.
   • The S-R latch. How it works. How to implement (NOR vs NAND S-R implementations). How to use in circuits.

   • Timing diagrams and characteristic tables for the S-R latch. What are invalid inputs and why.

   • Flip-flops.

     • Gated latches. How they work. Why level triggered latches are a problem.

     • Edge-triggered flip-flops. How they work, how they're implemented. How pulse-narrowing circuits work.

     • How ayschronous Preset and Clear inputs work.

     • Master-slave flip-flops. How they work and are implemented.

     • What a J-K flip-flop does. How to use it in a circuit.

     • What a D flip-flop does, how it is implemented, how to use it in a circuit.

     • What a T flip-flop does, how it is implemented, how to use it in a circuit.

5. Memories.
   • How to design and implement register files.
   • The differences between RAM and ROM and PLAs.
   • How to implement PLAs.
   • The difference between PROM, UVPROM, EEPROM.
   • The differences between Static RAM and Dynamic RAM.
   • How to design SRAM and DRAM using a 2D configuration with row and column latches.
   • How to design SRAM and DRAM using a 2 1/2 D configuration.
   • How to multiplex addresses to save address pins.
   • How sense logic works in DRAM.
   • How memory banks work.
   • How synchronous RAM and double data rate RAM work.

6. Chapter 2, COD.

   • Understand all of the MIPS assembly language instructions explained in chapter 3. You will not have to write assembly language programs.

   • Understand MIPS machine instructions. Know what each field in each type of instruction is used for.

   • Be able to translate between MIP's assembly language instructions and their machine language equivalents.

   • Know the different types of addressing used in MIPS assembly language and how each of these are implemented in MIPS machine language.

   • Understand how different types of branches are implemented in machine language.

   • You do not have to know about alternative implementations (Intel, PowerPC, etc.)

   • You do not have to know how procedure calls are implemented in MIPS.

Last updated on 22 Feb 2005 by John Barr