Subject Code & Name: CW25201 – Computer Organization and Architecture
Regulation: R-2025
Semester: II (Second Semester)
Branch: B.Tech. CSBS (CSBS)
Credits / L-T-P: 4 Credits | L-T-P: 3-1-0
Course Objectives
- To introduce the fundamental components of digital computer systems.
- To explain various Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) types and instruction execution processes.
- To impart knowledge on system performance metrics and evaluation techniques.
Full Unit-wise Syllabus
Unit I – Introduction
Functional Units of a Digital Computer, Classes of Computer Systems, Hardware-Software Interface, Operation and Operands of Computer Hardware, Instruction Set Architecture, RISC and CISC Architectures, Addressing Modes, Assembly Language Programming, Translation from High-Level Language to Machine Language, Performance Metrics, Benchmarks, Transition from Uniprocessors to Multiprocessors.
Activities: C code to machine code mapping; Assembly of computer system components.
Unit II – Arithmetic for Computers
Integer Arithmetic, Binary Parallel Adder, Carry Lookahead Adder, Carry Save Adder, Fast Adders, Binary Multiplication, Booth’s Algorithm, Bit Pair Recoding, Binary Division, Restoring and Non-Restoring Division, Floating Point Numbers (Single and Double Precision), Floating Point Representation, Arithmetic Operations on Floating Point Numbers, ALU Design, Parallelism and Computer Arithmetic.
Activities: Arithmetic Operations; Restoring / Non-restoring division.
Unit III – Processor Design
Design Conventions of a Processor, Datapath Design, Building the Datapath, Implementation of Basic MIPS ISA, Designing the Control Unit, Simple Implementation Scheme and Drawbacks, Execution of a Complete Instruction, Hardwired and Microprogrammed Control, Instruction Level Parallelism, Basic Concepts of Pipelining, Pipelined Datapath and Control, Performance, Pipeline Hazards – Structural, Data, and Control Hazards, Handling Exceptions.
Activities: CPU datapath analysis; Pipeline hazard analysis.
Unit IV – Memory and I/O
Types of Memories, Need for a Hierarchical Memory System, Cache Memories, Memory Mapping, Measuring and Improving Cache Performance, Virtual Memory, Paging and Segmentation, TLB, Implementing Protection with Virtual Memory, Memory Management Techniques, Associative Memories, Introduction to Virtual Machines, Memory and I/O Devices, Interfacing I/O Devices to the Processor, Memory and Operating System, Programmed Input/Output, Interrupts, Direct Memory Access (DMA), RAID.
Activities: CPU Cortex memory hierarchy; Cache memory mapping.
Unit V – Advanced ILP and Parallel Processing
Advanced Instruction Level Parallelism (ILP), Exploitation of ILP, Out-of-Order Execution, Dynamic Scheduling, Speculation, Dynamic Branch Prediction, Multiple Issue Processors – Static and Dynamic, Limitations of ILP, Multithreading.
Activities: Out-of-Order Execution and Dynamic Scheduling; Virtual Demonstration of processor performance in real workloads.
Unit VI – Next Generation Computer Architecture
Multicore Architectures, Superscalar Processors, VLIW, Introduction to Multicore and Multiprocessor Systems, Graphics Processing Units (GPU), CUDA Programming Paradigm, Neural Processing Units (NPU), AI Processing Chips (AI PC), Overview of Next Generation Processors.
Activities: ILP Pipeline Simulation; Dynamic branch prediction strategies.
Course Outcomes (COs)
- CO1: Describe the functional units and instruction set architectures of a computer system.
- CO2: Apply knowledge of processor functionality to implement and analyze the internal operations of a computer system.
- CO3: Design and analyze basic digital systems and control units for efficient instruction execution.
- CO4: Recognize the importance of learning advancements to keep up with evolving computer architecture.
Assessment Pattern (Quick Note)
- Weightage: Continuous Assessment 40% | End Semester Examinations 60%
- Internal methodology: Assignments (10%), Quiz (5%), Project based learning (20%), Flipped Classroom (5%), Review of GATE questions (10%) & Internal Assessment (50%)
Source: Official Anna University – B.Tech. Computer Science and Business Systems R-2025 Syllabus
Last Updated: September 2026