Digital Design & Computer Architecture - Problem Solving I (Spring 2022)
•February 23, 2026
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Why It Matters
Understanding these foundational concepts is critical for designing high‑performance, secure processors, especially as memory‑centric architectures gain traction. The open resources accelerate education and research in emerging memory technologies and security.
Key Takeaways
- •Lecture covers core computer architecture problem sets.
- •Includes FSM, MIPS, pipelining, Tomasulo algorithms.
- •Provides slides, PDFs, and extensive reading list.
- •Highlights memory security issues like RowHammer.
- •Enables students to master out‑of‑order execution.
Pulse Analysis
The spring 2022 edition of ETH Zürich’s Digital Design and Computer Architecture program introduced a focused Problem Solving I lecture, spearheaded by renowned computer‑architecture researcher Professor Onur Mutlu. Known for his pioneering work on memory systems and processing‑in‑memory, Mutlu brings a research‑driven perspective to classroom instruction, bridging theory with real‑world challenges. By publishing the lecture on July 5, 2022, the department not only supports its enrolled cohort but also provides a valuable learning artifact for engineers, academics, and industry practitioners seeking a concise yet comprehensive overview of modern architectural problem solving.
The session systematically tackles a spectrum of core topics that underpin today’s high‑performance CPUs. Starting with finite‑state machines and the MIPS instruction set, it progresses through dataflow analysis, multi‑stage pipelining, and the intricacies of Tomasulo’s algorithm for dynamic scheduling. A dedicated segment on out‑of‑order execution demystifies the mechanisms that enable superscalar processors to extract parallelism from sequential code. Each concept is anchored to specific homework questions, allowing learners to apply theory directly to practical design problems—a pedagogical approach that mirrors industry verification workflows.
Beyond the lecture, Mutlu’s team supplies slide decks in both PPTX and PDF formats and curates a reading list that spotlights cutting‑edge research on processing‑in‑memory, intelligent architectures, and the RowHammer vulnerability—a persistent security concern in DRAM. By linking to seminal arXiv papers and IEEE retrospectives, the resources empower students to explore memory‑centric computing trends that are reshaping data‑center and edge‑device design. This open‑access model accelerates knowledge transfer, fostering a pipeline of talent equipped to tackle the performance and reliability challenges of next‑generation hardware.
Original Description
Digital Design and Computer Architecture, ETH Zürich, Spring 2022 (https://safari.ethz.ch/digitaltechnik/spring2022/)
Problem Solving I
Lecturer: Professor Onur Mutlu (https://people.inf.ethz.ch/omutlu/)
Date: July 5, 2022
Questions:
00:00:00 - Finite State Machines (FSM) II (HW2, Q5)
00:32:28 - The MIPS ISA (HW3, Q2)
00:57:58 - Dataflow I (HW3, Q3)
01:19:36 - Pipelining I (HW4, Q1)
01:31:21 - Tomasulo’s Algorithm (HW4, Q4)
01:42:29 - Tomasulo’s Algorithm (Rev. Engineering) (HW4, Q6)
01:59:34 - Out-of-Order Execution - Rev. Engineering II (HW4, Q8)
02:19:31 - Boolean Logic and Truth Tables (HW1, Q6, Spring 2021)
02:30:02 - Pipelining II (HW4, Q2, Spring 2021)
Problem Solving I Slides (pptx): https://safari.ethz.ch/digitaltechnik/spring2022/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=onur-digitaldesign_comparch-2022-problem-solving-i-beforelecture.pptx
Problem Solving I Slides (pdf): https://safari.ethz.ch/digitaltechnik/spring2022/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=onur-digitaldesign_comparch-2022-problem-solving-i-beforelecture.pdf
Recommended Reading:
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A Modern Primer on Processing in Memory
Intelligent Architectures for Intelligent Computing Systems
RowHammer: A Retrospective
Fundamentally Understanding and Solving RowHammer
RECOMMENDED LECTURE VIDEOS & PLAYLISTS:
========================================
Computer Architecture Fall 2021 Lectures Playlist:
Digital Design and Computer Architecture Spring 2021 Livestream Lectures Playlist:
Featured Lectures:
Interview with Professor Onur Mutlu:
The Story of RowHammer Lecture:
Accelerating Genome Analysis Lecture:
Memory-Centric Computing Systems Tutorial at IEDM 2021:
Intelligent Architectures for Intelligent Machines Lecture:
Computer Architecture Fall 2020 Lectures Playlist:
Digital Design and Computer Architecture Spring 2020 Lectures Playlist:
Public Lectures by Onur Mutlu, Playlist:
Computer Architecture at Carnegie Mellon Spring 2015 Lectures Playlist:
Rethinking Memory System Design Lecture @stanfordonline :
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