This book begins with an introduction to the analog versus digital question, and then describes the advantages of today’s popular digital systems. Like any other digital system book, it starts with a description of the number system. LaMeres then describes the basic logic gates used in logic circuits and current consumption during gate operations, including logic families; detailed examples from Texas Instruments are provided. Combinational logic is described together with Boolean algebra, as well as how Karnaugh maps are useful for deriving and simplifying logic circuits. “Verilog (Part 1)” briefly explains the hardware description language in order to develop a combinational logic circuit (described in previous chapters). Combinational circuits for student lab experiments are explained using the Verilog language. LaMeres describes small-scale integrated (SSI), medium-scale integrated (MSI), large-scale integrated (LSI), and very-large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits, and then presents some of the components used in MSI logic such as decoders, encoders, multiplexers, and demultiplexers.

The second half of the book starts by introducing sequential circuits, including the components needed to develop them (such as latches and flip-flops). The “Verilog (Part 2)” chapter further covers what is needed to develop sequential circuits. Then the book describes memory architecture components such as read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). It also discusses programmable logic components such as programmable logic arrays (PLAs), programmable array logic (PAL), generic array logic (GAL), complex programmable logic devices (CPLD), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), including lookup tables (LUTs) and input/output blocks. The book ends with arithmetic components and an 8-bit computer, together with an implementation in Verilog.

This book presents the logical components, step by step, to develop a complete computer system. Thus, it presents a comprehensive view of a computer system that can be developed from logical circuits; combinational and sequential circuits are not explored in detail. The book is suitable for undergraduates; students will learn both the logic and experimental aspects of a computer component using Verilog.

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