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Module

EEE2013 : Digital Electronics

  • Offered for Year: 2020/21
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Fei Xia
  • Owning School: Engineering
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0

Aims

To enable students to understand the essential principles of digital logic systems as used for control, communications and information processing.
To enable the student to design such systems.
To study the operation and performance of computer arithmetic circuits, synchronous and asynchronous sequential logic circuits.

Outline Of Syllabus

1. Logic Design and VHDL
Review of techniques for logic design, from discrete logic gates to ASICs; The VHDL language as a tool for digital design; FPGA and PLA architectures.

2. Arithmetic Circuits
Combinational logic circuits for the parallel adder; carry propagation; carry look-ahead; subtraction; logic functions; the ALU; multiplication and shifting; serial multipliers: parallel and carry save methods.

3. Sequential Logic

Synchronous systems
Finite state machines; state assignment; synthesis of synchronous FSMs; implementation methods; memory and combinational logic; examples of implementation of controllers and algorithms.

Asynchronous systems
Fundamental mode; implementation of a primitive flow table; races; metastability and synchronisation failure.

Teaching Methods

Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials400:3020:00Lecture – asynchronous online lectures and materials
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture81:008:00Tutorial Classes and other synchronous online activities
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion110:0010:00Open book assignment (problem solving) (9 hours of budgeted prep time and 1 hour assessed assignment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion240:3012:00Revision for Exam
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion12:002:00Written exam
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical81:008:00Online lab sessions to be executed at home for a total time of 8 hours.
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study401:0040:00General reading; reviewing lecture notes; solving practice problems
Total100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures provide core material and guidance for further reading, problem solving practice is provided through tutorials. Work is further re-enforced through laboratory sessions.

Assessment Methods

Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination1202A8024-hour takehome exam. Exam workload 2 hours.
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Prob solv exercises2M20Solution to problems
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The examination provides the opportunity for the student to demonstrate their understanding of the course material. The problem solving aspects of the assessment enable students to demonstrate that they are able to apply this understanding and their analysis and synthesis skills to novel situations. The in-course assessments (problem solving exercises) provide the opportunity for students to demonstrate their abilities under open book conditions.

Reading Lists

Timetable