ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

Learning Objectives

• mod. A

  The course aims to introduce students of the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in the issues related to the design and development of electronic systems. The term "system" is intended as a set of passive and active electronic components, even complex, suitably interconnected and resident on one or more electronic cards. The course also aims to illustrate the design flow that allows to pass from the transistor level to complex electronic system.

  Knowledge and understanding
  The course will focus on the main architectures of arithmetic circuits (data path) and on the methodology to design the control path of an integrated digital electronic system. Moreover, the design issues related to the interface of an integrated circuit to the "outside world" are addressed. At this purpose, the design and technology of printed circuit boards and passive components will be considered.

  Applying knowledge and understanding
  At the end of the course the student will be able to: 1. design the data path and the control path, also through the use of VHDL, of a digital electronic system; design a multilayer printed circuit board and the power/ground distribution network; design at the system level a complex electronic system also through the use of microcontrollers and FPGAs.

  Prerequisites
  Student should have prior knowledge of basic digital electronics and transmission lines.

• mod. B

  The course aims to provide to the student of the Master of Science degree in Electronic Engineering the tools needed for computer-aided design and experimental testing of integrated and discrete analog/digital circuits. The design of microcontroller-based electronic systems and FPGA programming is also addressed.

  Knowledge and understanding
  The course will focus on the main CAD/EDA tools for the design of electronic systems (both at the transistor and system level) and printed circuit boards.

  Applying knowledge and understanding
  At the end of the course the student will be able to: 1. model and simulate a discrete cmponents system using LTSpice; 2. design and simulate an electronic circuit down to the layout level in Cadence environment; 3. design a multilayer printed circuit board using Eagle CAD; 4. implement a digital electronic system onto a FPGA; 5. program an MSP430 microcontroller.

  Prerequisites

  Student should have prior knowledge of C language.

Course Structure

• mod. A

  The course includes 42 hours of lectures and 30 of CAD/CAE-assisted numerical exercises. Seminars held by researchers and designers from industries operating in the electronics sector will be also organized.

  Attendance is not mandatory, although strongly recommended. Attending and actively participating in the classroom activities will contribute positively towards the overall assessment of the oral exam.

  Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the program planned and outlined in the syllabus.

  Learning assessment

  Learning assessment is verified through the final exam. This consists of an oral exam and the evaluation of 6 practical homeworks to be submitted during the course (60% of the final grade). The students who will not be able to submit the 6 homeworks during the course will be assigned a project that will be worth 60% of the final grade. The project report must be delivered to the teacher's email address at least one week before the beginning of the first session of exams. Assessment criteria of the homeworks/project include: depth of analysis, correctness and originality of the design solutions, ability to justify and critically evaluate the adopted technological solutions, clarity.

  The oral exam consists of three questions on three course topics. In the answers, the student must demonstrate adequate understanding, mastery of the topics discussed and clarity of presentation. The average duration of the oral exam is 40 minutes. The oral exam is worth of 40% of the final grade.

  Learning assessment may also be carried out on-line, should the conditions require it.

• mod. B

  The course includes 30 hours of lectures and 25 of laboratory activities. Seminars held by researchers and designers from industries operating in the electronics sector will be also organized.

  The students must attend at least 80% of the course to be admitted to the final exam. Attending and actively participating in the classroom activities is essential to carry out the homeworks or the final project.

  Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the program planned and outlined in the syllabus.

  Learning assessment

  See mod. A.

Detailed Course Content

• mod. A

  1. Introduction
  2. Boolean logic
  3. State machine design
  4. Arithmetic processing circuits and subsystems
  5. Design flow of an electronic system
  6. Design metrics of VLSI systems
  7. Printed Circuit Boards technology and design
  8. Simulation and synthesis with VHDL
  9. Introduction to microcontrollers

• mod. B

  1. LTSpice simulator: time and frequency domain simulation of discrete electronic circuits
  2. Cadence CAE: design, simulation and layout of logic gates
  3. Experimental characterization of elementary electronic circuits
  4. FPGA programming with VHDL using the BASYS3 board
  5. CAD/CAE Eagle for the design of PCB
  6. Firmware development in C using the board MSP-EXP430G2

Textbook Information

• mod. A

  1. Course notes on Studium
  2. NM. Olivieri, Elementi di Progettazione dei sistemi VLSI (volume I e II), Edises, 2005
  3. N. Weste, D. Harris, CMOS VLSI Design (3rd edition), Addison Wesley, 2004.
  4. J. Rabaey, A. Chandrakasan, B.Nikolic, Digital Integrated Circuits (2nd edition), Prentice Hall, 2003.
  5. D.J. Comer, Digital Logic & State Machine Design (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, 1995.
  6. H. Johnson, M. Graham, High Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic, Prentice Hall, 1993
  7. J. Davies, MSP430 Microcontroller Basics, Elsevier, 2008.

• mod. B

  1. K.C. Smith, "KC's Problems and Solutions for Microelectronic Circuits", fourth edition, Oxford University Press, 1998.

  2. J. Davies, MSP430 Microcontroller Basics, Elsevier, 2008.

  3. W. Kleitz, "Digital Electronics: A Practical Approach with VHDL (9th Edition)", Pearson, 2012.