COMPSYS 303 : Microcomputers and Embedded Systems
Engineering
2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Embedded systems are ubiquitous, application specific, reactive computing systems. These are neither fully hardware-based or software-based but require interacting hardware or software components. This course is an introductory course that will present issues for embedded system design using the SOPC (system on a programmable chip) approach. Many applications of embedded systems, ranging from single board simple systems to complex examples of distributed embedded systems will be discussed in the lectures. As a running case study a bio-medical application of an implantable pacemaker will be developed. Case studies involving industrial automation examples will also be discussed. There will be lectures as well as labs and all labs require compulsory attendance.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
Learning Outcomes
- Identify embedded systems: Students will be able to grasp the difference between general purpose computers, embedded systems, and automation systems. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
- Being able to write concurrent programs: Students will be able to deal with typical concurrency and synchronization issues in an embedded system. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
- Understand interfacing concepts: Students will be able to understand peripherals and interfacing including interrupts, polling, serial interfacing and direct memory access based IO. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
- Program using C: Students will have ability to program a custom embedded system using the high-level language C and the model-driven approach using SCCharts. (Capability 3.1, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Understanding of buses used in embedded processors: Students will have understanding of buses, bus protocols, masters, slave devices and bus arbitration. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
- Program in a PLC language: Students will be able to understand current design practice of automation systems. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
- Design small-scale embedded applications: Students will be able to design and implement embedded applications using Altera NIOS2 environment (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Develop An example embedded application as group work (assignment) (Capability 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Assignments | 30% | Group Coursework |
| Test | 15% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 55% | Individual Examination |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
| Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 1-2 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation, which is up to 10 hours per week.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at scheduled activities including labs/tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials/labs will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events including group discussions.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Health & Safety
Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy. We follow the standard health and safety requirements of the Engineering MDLS labs:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/engineering/about-the-faculty/facilities/health-and-safety.html
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Student feedback from past years have been incorporated to reduce the exam to 55%. Piazza is also enabled.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.