For a first course in Computer Design and Architecture offered in Engineering and Computer Science departments. Takes a “No Mysteries” approach to designing computer systems. Interrelates three different viewpoints to provide a unique understanding of the subject: the perspective of the logic designer, the assembly language programmer, and the computer architect. The text has coverage of the developments in microprocessors, including ALU, pipelining, memory hierarchy, networks and the Internet. And, rather than focusing on a single type of architecture, Heuring and Jordan describe both CISC and RISC models at the ISA level using the formal description language of RTN (Register Transfer Notation), allowing for a more in-depth appreciation of different machine structures and functions.

Table of Contents:
1. The General Purpose Machine. The General Purpose Machine. The User's View. The Machine/Assembly Language Programmer's View. The Computer Architect's View. The Computer System Logic Designer's View. Historical Perspective. Trends and Research. Approach of the Text. 2. Machines, Machine Languages, and Digital Logic. Classification of Computers and Their Instructions. Computer Instruction Sets. Informal Description of the Simple RISC Computer, SRC. Formal Description of SRC Using Register Transfer Notation, RTN. Describing Addressing Modes with RTN. Register Transfers and Logic Circuits: From Behavior to Hardware. 3. Some Real Machines. Machine Characteristics and Performance. RISC versus CISC. A CISC Microprocessor: the Motorola MC68000. A RISC Architecture: The SPARC. 4. Processor Design. The Design Process. A 1-Bus Microarchitecture for the SRC. Data Path Implementation. Logic Design for the 1-Bus SRC. The Control Unit. 2- And 3-Bus Processor Designs. The Machine Reset. Machine Exceptions. 5. Processor Design—Advanced Topics. Pipelining. Instruction-Level Parallelism. Microprogramming. 6. Computer Arithmetic and the Arithmetic Unit. Number Systems and Radix Conversion. Fixed Point Arithmetic. Semi-Numeric Aspects of ALU Design. Floating Point Arithmetic. 7. Memory System Design. Introduction: The Components of the Memory System. RAM Structure: The Logic Designer's Perspective. Memory Boards and Modules. Two Level Memory Hierarchy. The Cache. Virtual Memory. The Memory Subsystem In the Computer. 8. Input and Output. The I/O Subsystem. Programmed I/O. I/O Interrupts. Direct Memory Access (DMA). I/O Data Format Change and Error Control. 9. Peripheral Devices. Magnetic Disk Drives. Improving Disk Drive Performance and Reliability. Other Mass Storage Devices. Display Devices. Printers. Input Devices. Interfacing to the Analog World. 10. Communications, Networking and the Internet. Computer to Computer Data Communications. Serial Data Communications Protocols. Local Area Networks. Modern Serial Buses: USB and Firewire. The Internet. Appendix A: Digital Logic. Appendix B: RTN Description of SRC. Appendix C: Assembly and Assemblers. Appendix D: Tutorial on Machine Representations and Arithmetic.