Module Details

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Code COMP103
Coordinator Dr D Jackson
Computer Science
Djackson@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2016-17 Level 4 FHEQ First Semester 15

Aims

  • To introduce how computers function at the instruction operation level.
  • To introduce the relationships between the instruction operation level and both the higher (software) and lower (hardware) levels

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the module, students should understand how a computer operates at the machine code level;

At the conclusion of the module, students should understand at an introductory level the structure of computer hardware at the gate and register transfer level;

At the conclusion of the module, students should appreciate the roles and organisation of the major kinds of system software, including operating systems, compilers and system service routines.


Syllabus


  • Machine Architecture and instruction execution ( 6 lectures): The CPU. Stored Program concept.   Program Execution.  A very basic overview of instruction-level operation, using a small number of instructions only.
  • Machine-level correspondence to high level constructs (6 lectures): Simple Arithmetic expressions.  Array variables.  Very simple loops. Conditional expressions.  Subroutines and subroutine calling mechanisms. Stacks and recursion.
  • Introduction to Electronic Logic Circuits (4lectures): Elementary logic gates. Simple  combinational circuits, half-adder and full-adder, parallel adder and comparator. Flip-flops.
  • Introduction to Operating Systems (3 lectures):Outline of time-sharing, interrupt mechanism, normal state/special state switching.
  • Introdu ction to Compilers (2 lectures): Lexical analysis, syntax analysis and code generation.
  • Concepts of process (3 lectures): Idea of a process. Foreground and background processes.  Inter process communication, process spawning. Simple Unix process control facilities.  Shell scripts.
  • Basic networking concepts (3 lectures):Protocols, client-server concept, the Internet.
  • System support tools (2 lectures): Introduction to the Assembler and simulator/debugger used in the practical work

Practical Work: Practical work is carried out on the Departmental Unix system.  Some introductory assembly-language programming will be carried out using a simulator, but facility in assembly-language programming is NOT an aim of the course. A modest Unix Shellscript will also be developed.


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Lecture -

3 per week for 1 semester

Laboratory Work -


Teaching Schedule

  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 36

    8

    44
Timetable (if known) 3 per week for 1 semester
 
           
Private Study 106
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment

EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Written Exam  120  Semester 1  80  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Formal Exam Notes (applying to all assessments) This CA work is not marked anonymously. Practical assessment is employed for both formative assessment and summative assessment. Students will get short formative feedback on a weekly basis from the module demonstrators during tutorial / lab sessions. More detailed summative and formative feedback will be returned following assessment of the continuously assessed (CA) work. Resit exam will replace failed CA components, the Learning Outcomes will be covered in the resit exam.  
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Coursework  12 hours in total fo  10  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assignment 1 
Coursework  12 hours in total fo  10  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assignment 2 

Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
Explanation of Reading List: