CSU, Chico Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

EECE 221: Processor Architecture & Assembly Language Programming

Prerequisites: EECE 135 or CSCI 111

Required for EE, CMPE and MECA majors

Catalog Description:An introduction to the components that make up a processor and the organization of those components. The representation of numbers, data, and instructions within a processor along with the ways they are addressed. Assembly language programming using arithmetic, logical, test, and input/output instructions. Formerly ECE 086.

Course Objectives:

• introduce the architectural organization of a computer system
• provide students with an understanding of the low-level operation and capabilities of computer system
• explain the sequence of events and data paths used in execution of an assembly language program
• give students the ability to write, test, and document assembly language programs

Course Outcomes:

Students shall be able to:

• convert numbers from one base to another
• add and subtract binary and hexadecimal numbers
• represent data and instructions as they would be stored in a computer's memory
• explain the sequence of events and data paths used in execution of a machine language program
• use assembly language to control peripheral devices
• break a complex task into the simple operations that can be performed in assembly language
• document an assembly language program so that it may be understood by others
• test, diagnose and correct assembly language programs
• interface an assembly language routines to code written in a high-level language using stack frames

Class/Laboratory schedule:

• One hundred minutes a week lecture
• One hundred minutes laboratory activity

Contribution of Course to Meet the Professional Component:

• Engineering Science: 2 units
• Engineering Design: 1 unit

Relationship of Course to Program Outcomes and Objective:

This course makes significant contributions the following program outcomes:

• An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
• An ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems

This course supports the achievement of the following elements of the program objective:

• Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to identify, formulate, and solve computer engineering problems
• Use industry standard tools to analyze, design, develop and test computer-based systems containing both hardware and software components.
• Achieve success in graduate programs in computer engineering, electrical engineering or computer science.
• Continue to develop their knowledge and skills after graduation in order to succeed personally and contribute to employer success.

Back to Courses

Back to EE flow chart

Back to CMPE flow chart