Computer Architectures and Assembly Programming (MIPS)

with Tens of Solved Examples and Assignments, lecture notes and tutorials

What you'll learn
MIPS Instruction Set Architecture
MIPS Assembly Programming - Theory and Practice with tens of examples
RISC ISA Architectures
Single Cycle and Multi-Cycle Processor Design
Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) Design
Design the Control Unit of a Real Processor
Convert MIPS Assembly Instructions into Machine Codes
Understand Computer internal parts such as ALU, Datapath and control Unit
Understand CPU (Central Process Unit) and how it works

Requirements
Basics of digital logic design
Basic knowledge of programming in any high level languages( C, python , …)

Description
Welcome to Computer Architectures and Assembly Programming Course!

This course's major purpose is to outline the architectural aspect of computers. In other words, it is concerned with how computers, as machines, execute instructions at many levels, including the hardware and assembly language levels. Students learn about the fundamental technological structure and evolution of computers, fundamental hardware components, MIPS instructions set architectures and its assembly language, processor microarchitecture including the control unit (MIPS is used as an example), memory hierarchy, storage, and input/output devices.

This course can be divided into 2 chapters: Software & Hardware. In the software chapter (Section 1-3) you will learn how to write an assembly language program for MIPS architecture and in the hardware chapter (Section 4-7), I will show you how the internal components of the MIPS processor work together to execute your program. Finally, I prepared several tutorials and assignments with their solutions to help you better understand this topic.

Course Outline

1. Introduction to MIPS Assembly Programming

Memory Operand: Load Word & Store Word in MIPS Assembly Language

Immediate Addressing Mode & Signed/ Unsigned data in MIPS Assembly Language

ADD, ADDI, ADDU, ADDIU, SUB, LW and SW Instructions in MIPS

Branches and Jump Instruction in MIPS Assembly Language + how to read array

Loop Structure in MIPS Assembly Language

The Other Comparison Instruction + Logical Instructions in MIPS

MIPS Alignment Restrictions: .align, .byte .half and .word Assembler's directive

How Data will be Stored in Memory in the MIPS Architecture?

MIPS System Call

Simple I/O and MIPS System Calls: Hello World!

Simple I/O and MIPS System Calls: Read 2 Numbers and Display their Summation

Simple I/O and MIPS System Calls: an Example of IF-ELSE Structure in MIPS

Simple I/O and MIPS System Calls: an Example of IF-ELSE-IF Structure in MIPS

MIPS Divide Instruction + Determine whether the input number is odd or even

MIPS Example: Read 5 Numbers and Print Their Average

MIPS Multiplication Instruction

MIPS Example: Display the Multiplication of 2 numbers + Factorial Example

MIPS Example: Add Two Integer Numbers

2. Learn MIPS Programming with Examples

MIPS Example: Read a char and determine whether it is an uppercase, lowercase or etc. in MIPS

MIPS Example: Determine the number of zeros in the binary notation of a number

MIPS Example: Read two numbers A and B and compute and print (A+2*B)/5

MIPS Example: Convert C code to MIPS Assembly

MIPS Examples: Learn How to Divide and Multiplication

MIPS Example: Find the Maximum Element of an Array in MIPS Assembly Language

MIPS Example: Find Both Maximum and Minimum of an Input Integer Array

MIPS Example: Nested IF-ELSE IF Structure

MIPS Example: Convert a capital letter to lowercase and vice versa

MIPS Example: Check the input character and determine is it alphabet, digit or .

MIPS Example: Read 2 operands and an operator and print the result

MIPS Example: Compute the sum of N integers: (1 + 2 + … + N), While Structure

3.Functions in MIPS Assembly Language with Several Examples

Functions in MIPS - Jump and Link (jal) & jump Register(jr) Instructions

Functions in MIPS - How to Pass Arguments to the Functions?

Functions in MIPS - Who saves the register? Spilling Registers

Functions in MIPS - MIPS's conventions to split register spilling chores

Functions in MIPS - MIPS Stack and Push and Pop Implementations

Functions in MIPS - Factorial Function

MIPS Example: Write a function to read N numbers and store them in an array

MIPS Example: Write a function to reverse an input array

MIPS Example: Write a function to count the number of divisors of an argument

4.MIPS Instruction Encoding

MIPS Instruction Encoding: R-Type Instructions

MIPS Instruction Encoding: I-Type Instructions

MIPS Instruction Encoding : J-Type Instruction

5. Computer Architecture: Processor Datapath, ALU and Register File Design

Generic Datapath and Register Files Part 1

Generic Datapath and Register Files Part 2

ALU Design Part 1

ALU Design Part 2

6. Single-Cycle Datapath for MIPS Architecture

MIPS Datapath Overview

Datapath for Fetching an Instruction and increment PC in MIPS Architecture

Datapath for R-type Instruction in MIPS Architecture

MIPS Datapath for Load Word (LW) and Store Word (SW) Instructions

Datapath for Branch Instructions in MIPS Architecture

Combining the Datapaths of R-type Instructions and LW/SW Instructions

Integrating the datapaths of R-Type, Memory and Branch Instructions in MIPS Arc

R-Type + Memory Instructions Data Path

Control Unit for the Single-cycle MIPS Processor

ALU Control Unit Design for MIPS Architecture

7. Multi-Cycle Datapath for MIPS Architecture

Multi-Cycle Datapath for MIPS Architecture Part 1

Multi-Cycle Datapath for MIPS Architecture Part 2

Multi-Cycle Datapath for MIPS Architecture Part 3

Multi-Cycle Datapath for MIPS Architecture Part 4

8. Tutorials + Assignments

Tutorial + Assignment: Introduction to MARS

Tutorial + Assignment: Introduction to MIPS Assembly Programming

Tutorial + Assignment: Integer Arithmetic

Tutorial + Assignment: Flow Control

Tutorial + Assignment: Arrays and Files

Tutorial + Assignment: Integer Multiplication and Division

Tutorial + Assignment: MIPS Functions and the Stack Segment

Fibonacci sequence

Compute the summation of even numbers between 2 input numbers

Simple I/O in MIPS Assembly Language

IF-ELSE-IF Structure in MIPS Assembly Language

Single-Cycle Datapath Quiz with Video Solution

Multi-cycle Datapth

The course is Example-based. Almost every lecture and component of the course directly leads to a hands-on laboratory assignment with a solution. The more you practice with MIPS hardware and software, the more proficient you will become.

I use lots and lots of examples. I take you step-by-step through the lessons – each time providing sample code and documentation to make sure you are supported through the course.

The course does not waste your time. From the very beginning, we jump right into your first project – Let's Get Started.

I am here to help. I am an educator with a singular focus on providing a meaningful experience for my students. And, while I cannot do the work for you, I am willing to work WITH you to help you succeed.

The goal of this course is to shed light on the obscure interface layer between hardware and software. In this context, we will go over instruction set architectures, assembly programming, computer/memory organization, machine language conversion, data bus, and sub-routines, which are all important topics in computer architectures. This course teaches students about the core hardware components of a computer and how they interact with one another. It educates students about the computer's many layers, such as the application level, operating system level, assembly language level, and machine language level.

Computer architectures, which I recommend to anyone working on electronic system design or computer programming and who is interested in processor design, have opened many doors for me in my own career. I hope you find this tutorial useful as well.

Who this course is for
Computer or Electrical Engineering students
Programmers who want to learn about computer hardware / software interface
Everyone who is interested in Computer / Processor structures!
Candidates considering applying for embedded system design / programming positions in defense industry, aerospace, R&D and IT companies