4 ECTS credits
110 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4019832ENR for all students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Engineering
Department
Electronics and Informatics
Educational team
Jacques Tiberghien (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
24 contact hours Lecture
24 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

- The translation of assembly language and high-level programming languages to machine language, compilers and interpreters.
- The representation of data in a computer.
- Instructions and addressing in a sequential computer.
- The stack machine: detailed layout, evaluation of the basic elements of high-level programming languages (expressions, conditions, loops, function calls,…).
- The register machine: detailed layout, processing of the basic elements of high-level programming languages (expressions, conditions, loops, function calls,…).
- Memory hierarchy and caching, peripheral memory.
- Input-output interfaces: polling, interrupts, DMA.
- The operating system.
- Memory management.
- File management.
- Process management.
- Performance indices and their evaluation
 

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : All slides used in class are available on Pointcarre, Pointcarré
Handbook (Recommended) : Structured Computer Organization”,, Andrew S. Tanenbaum, 5th edition, Pearson International, 9780273769248, 2013
Handbook (Recommended) : Operating System Concepts, Avi Silberschatz, Peter Baer Galvin, Greg Gagne, 7th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 9781119455868, 2019
Handbook (Recommended) : Operating Systems Design and Implementation, Andrew S Tanenbaum, Albert S Woodhull, 3rd edition, Pearson International, 9780131429383, 2006
Additional info
All slides used in class are available on the Internet at "infoweb.ac.be"
References:
“Structured Computer Organization”, 5th edition,
Andrew S. Tanenbaum,
Pearson International,
ISBN-10: 0131485210

“Operating System Concepts”, 7th Edition,
Avi Silberschatz, Peter Baer Galvin, Greg Gagne,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
ISBN 0-471-69466-5

“Operating Systems Design and Implementation”, 3rd edition,
Andrew S Tanenbaum, Albert S Woodhull,
Pearson International,
ISBN-10: 0131429388
Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

The goals are:
- To build up basic knowledge about and insight into the organization of computer systems, from hardware to operating system.
The corresponding competences are:
- Knowledge and understanding:
To obtain knowledge about and insight into the representation of data in machines.
To gain insight into the structure and execution of machine instructions in a simple sequential computer.
Understanding the evaluation of expressions, conditions, loops and function calls as used in high-level programming languages at the level of the machine.
Gaining insight into the organization of memory: memory hierarchies, caching and organization of peripheral memory.
Understanding mechanisms for input-output handling: polling, interrupts, DMA.
Understanding the basic roles of the operating system: process management, memory management and file management.
- Applying knowledge and understanding:
Being able to write a simple program in assembly language.
- Making judgements:
Based on the aforementioned knowledge and insights, being able to make choices between alternative solutions, being able to predict probable evolutions, being able to assess the benefits and drawbacks of innovative approaches.
- Communication:
To be able to clearly express oneself, both orally and in writing, with respect to the aforementioned topics. To be able to properly document assembly language programs.
- Learning skills:
To be able to learn about new hardware architectures or operating systems, starting from the knowledge and insights gained.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral exam open book with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

    Note: Oral exam with a 15 minutes written preparation, open book.

Additional info regarding evaluation
Oral exam with a 15 minutes written preparation, open book.
Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Applied Sciences and Engineering: Applied Computer Science: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)