Article Critique Report on Relevance towards the

HWD401T Syllabus

Omer Farook, Chandra R. Sekhar, and Essaid Bouktache Multiprocessing

Computer System Design - A course with Hardware – Software system
Design approaches.

Problem

Tshwane University of technology prospectus 2010 faculty of ICT Part 5

(2010:48) Syllabus Overview (Hardware Design IV)

According to TUT ICT prospectus part 5 (2010:48) the course content covers
all the aspects of an introduction to the methodology of the computer
hardware design. The problems of current computer hardware design as well
as possible solutions to these problems are discussed. The focal points are
embedded design, PC design and interfacing, the logic devices and the use
of the software support tools for design.

Problem statement: is the article multiprocessing system design a course

with hardware and software design approaches covers TUT syllabus on
hardware design IV of Prospectus faculty of information and communication
technology part 5, (2010:48)?

Purpose
This critique compares the content covered by TUT prospectus syllabus
(2010:48) with content covered by multiprocessing computer system design
– A course with hardware and software system design approaches.
Summary

Omer el al. (2008) is discussing both PC hardware design and software

design; softwares are the programs that enable the hardware to function as
expected or to obtain desired system’s functionalities. C and C++ are
programming languages the authors decided to mention for development of
programs. C, C++ and microcontroller based embedded system design
courses are prerequisites to multiprocessing computer system design.
16F888 is microcontroller chip preferred by the authors.

Microcontrollers are the ones that provide the system’s hardware

functionalities and it is programmed with small pieces of code called
programs that trigger hardware to function the way they are expected.

Laboratory exercise which join the hardware components with software is

achieved by one PC with three USB interface ports connecting three
microcontroller board, and the other board is connect to virtual reality cave,
this is called a generic multiprocessing computer system. PC is the centre of
the system, it provides interface in terms of display devices, input device
storage device and connectivity. PC runs operating system, which have two
class; Windows and Linux. They both have graphical user interface and
command line interface.

There are some software development tools and hardware design

development tools; Custom computer service compiler and MPLAB are
software development tool used for simulation of programs. PIC development
board or programmer is a hardware design and development tool.
Comparison and Evaluation

As indicated in TUT syllabus of hardware design IV (2010: 46), Omer el al.

(2008) provide an overview of hardware interface, software design tools and
platforms utilized and they also show system methodology approach in
multiprocessing.

Multiprocessing computer design: this describes system’s hardware

functionality together with the use of multiple processors with single
computer systems.

PC Centric System: Hardware based: here is an example of the

methodology of the computer hardware design system that shows the PC as
the center piece of the system which runs operating system (windows or
Linux), an application program and an embedded software program targeted
to the specific microcontroller.

Inter-Processor and Processor-PC Communication: this is all about

the interface of the hardware systems. It provides the ports that can used;
those are USB 2.0 port which serve as bridge between processor and PC for
USB communication, Parallel I/O port which can be interfaced with
microcontroller parallel I/O ports and RS-32 serial communication between
PC and UART of the microcontroller, this is also part of the syllabus.

System’s other Processor: 16F88 microcontroller is the mostly utilized in

the course because of its share in the embedded application and due to the
fact that student learn about the microchip PIC microcontroller in the course
that is prerequisite, but there are still other types of microcontroller like
Atmel, Infineon, Free scale, ect. According to Tshwane University of
Technology Hardware Design syllabus, the course does not have
prerequisites which I think is not fair for the course.

PIC Software and Hardware Design Development Tools: here the

authors provides software development tool of 16F88. C language is utilized
together with compiler like customer computer service’s V-4 C, HI Tech PICC
V.9.50.2, IAR Embedded workbench V.2.21.3 and source boot C compiler. PIC
development board or programmer and 16F88 are hardware design
development Tools.

Computer Problems Hardware Design and Solution to those

Problems: The problems of current computer hardware design as well as
possible solutions to these problems are not discussed in multiprocessing
computer system design article, but they are part of TUT syllabus.

The article does not provide much about methodology of the computer
hardware design which is then main part of this course.

Findings
In terms of Article (Microcontroller Programming environments) of (1992)
microcontrollers were originally programmed with assembly language, but
various high-level programming languages are now also in common use to
target microcontrollers. The authors of the article did not mention this
language.

As with all the mid range PICs, 16F88 uses ICSP for programming so it can be
programmed in circuit without removing it if designed correctly. In terms of
Article (Microcontroller Programming environments) of (1992) the only
disadvantage to the chip (16F88 microcontroller) is with that many
peripherals you are unlikely to be able to use them all at the same time as it
only has 18 pins. A similar chip is the 16F877 and this is a 40 pin chip so for
experimentation is a better choice - even so the 16F88 is extremely
powerful.

Conclusion

The article covers almost 90% of the Tshwane University of Technology

Hardware Design Syllabus, but it does not explain problems of current
computer hardware design as well as possible solutions to these problems
which is part of this course.

Hardware design provide student with knowledge of hardware design and

software designed it prepare student for industry and for good productivity
for both hardware and Software design.

The subject content is in line with the syllabus, describes and discusses
embedded design, PC design and interfacing, the design of logic devices and
the use of software support tools for design
References

Tshwane University of Technology, prospectus 2010 on faculty of information

and communication technology part 5, hardware design IV (2010:48)

Omer Farook, Chandra R.Sekhar, and Essaid Boutache, “Multiprocessing

computer System Design” Proceeding of the 2008 IAJC-IJME International
Conferrence ISBN 978-1-60643-379-9.

Ralph J. Smith, 1984:15. Circuits, Devices and Systems Fourth Edition ISBN 0-
471-87