Microcomputer Laboratory
The Microcomputer Laboratory is where electrical and computer engineering students gain practical "hands-on" and design experience with Motorola's popular 68HC11 micro-controller. In all the experiments the students use a 68HC11 microcomputer that is interfaced to a variety of devices each requiring one of the standard codes for information transfer. It serves as the laboratory for both CPEN 231L and CPEN 321L.
CPEN 231L is the accompanying 1-credit laboratory for CPEN 231 Microcomputer Architecture and Assembly Programming, which is a 3-credit core course in both electrical and computer engineering programs. It is offered in the fall and spring semesters of the sophomore year.
Ten experiments intended to introduce the student to assembly language and microcomputer architecture are offered in CPEN 231L. The first experiments focus on the programming of the microprocessor, emphasizing program structure such as stacks and subroutines, and the effective use of registers and memory. After these introductory experiments, students are familiarized with the peripheral interface adapter (PIA), port replacement unit (PRU), asynchronous communication interface adaptor (ACIA) and the alphanumeric programmable display. In the later experiments students incorporate these peripheral devices with software polling routines and interrupts to built simple calculators, clocks and combinations thereof. All programs are demonstrated to the instructor and evaluated.
CPEN 321L is the accompanying 1-credit laboratory for CPEN 321 Introduction to Systems Software, which is a 2-credit core course in the computer engineering program. It is offered in the fall semester of the junior year.
In the laboratory CPEN 321L students learn how to integrate programs containing assembly language and C. This is done using an integrated development environment (IDE) supporting a compiler, assembler, linker, loader and debugger. Several designs of kernels that support a multitasking processing environment are implemented in this lab. Students design and implement a real-time system that uses one of the kernels to integrated multiple concurrent processing tasks.
The training and experience that CpE and EE students gain in the Microcomputer Laboratory enhance their understanding of microprocessors and microcomputer architecture. Not only does it provide the fundamentals for more advanced courses in computer engineering such as CPEN 331 Computer Architecture and CPEN 442 Embedded Computer Systems, but enables the students to apply the 68HC11 for control and data processing in many engineering applications.