Introduction to Computer Organization: ARM Assembly Language Using the Raspberry Pi

General Overview

This document provides a comprehensive guide to computer organization, focusing on ARM assembly language, particularly using the Raspberry Pi platform. Authored by Robert G. Plantz, it covers a wide range of topics from basic concepts to advanced programming exercises.

Contents Overview

Front Matter

• Colophon: Information about the book's publication.
• Acknowledgements: Credits to contributors and supporters.
• Preface: Introduction to the book's purpose and content.

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Efficient Use of This Book: Guidelines on how to effectively navigate and utilize the book.
• Computer Subsystems: Overview of different computer subsystems.
• How Subsystems Interact: Explanation of interactions between subsystems.
• Setting Up Your Raspberry Pi: Instructions for preparing the Raspberry Pi for development.

Chapter 2: Data Storage Formats

• Bits and Groups of Bits: Introduction to data representation in bits.
• Mathematical Equivalence of Binary and Decimal: Relationship between binary and decimal systems.
• Unsigned Decimal to Binary Conversion: Conversion techniques.
• Memory: Understanding memory storage.
• Using C Programs to Explore Data Formats: Practical exploration of data formats using C.
• Examining Memory With a Debugger: Debugging memory.
• Storing Characters: ASCII and character storage.
• Low-level Character Handling: Advanced handling of characters.
• Accessing the GPIO in C: Programming GPIO ports.

Chapter 3: Computer Arithmetic

• Addition and Subtraction: Basic arithmetic operations.
• Arithmetic Errors with Unsigned Integers: Common errors and how to handle them.
• Signed Integers and Overflow: Handling overflow in signed integers.

Chapter 4: Basic Data Types

• C/C++ Basic Data Types: Understanding data types in programming.
• Hexadecimal to Integer Conversion: Conversion methods.
• Bitwise Logical Operations: Logical operations in C.

Chapter 5: Boolean Algebra

• Boolean Algebra Operations: Basic operations and properties.
• Canonical Forms: Standard forms of Boolean expressions.
• Boolean Function Minimization: Techniques to simplify Boolean functions.

Chapter 6: Logic Gates

• Crash Course in Electronics: Basic principles of electronics.
• CMOS Transistors: Understanding transistors.
• NAND and NOR Gates: Functionality of basic logic gates.

Chapter 7: Logic Circuits

• Combinational Logic Circuits: Design and analysis of combinational circuits.
• Programmable Logic Devices: Using programmable devices.

Chapter 8: Central Processing Unit

• Overview: General functions of a CPU.
• CPU Registers and Memory Interaction: How the CPU uses registers and interacts with memory.
• Program Execution in the CPU: Execution process.
• Using gdb to View Registers: Debugging with gdb.

Chapter 9: Programming in Assembly Language

• Program Organization: Structuring assembly programs.
• Creating and Linking Programs: Assembling and linking processes.

Chapter 10: Structure of the main Function

• Passing Arguments in Registers: Argument passing mechanisms.
• Stack Management: Handling the stack in functions.
• Local Variables on the Stack: Storing variables locally.

Chapter 11: Instruction Details

• Addressing Modes: Various addressing techniques.
• Branching and Machine Code: Implementing branching in machine code.

Chapter 12: Program Flow Constructs

• Repetition and Binary Decisions: Implementing loops and conditional statements.

Chapter 13: Writing Your Own Functions

• Passing and Accessing Arguments: Handling function arguments.

Chapter 14: Bit Operations; Multiplication and Division

• Logical Instructions and Shifting Bits: Bit operations in assembly language.

Chapter 15: Data Structures

• Arrays and structs: Working with data structures in C.

Chapter 16: Fractional Numbers

• Fractional Values in Binary: Representing fractions in binary.
• Floating Point Format: Understanding floating-point representation.

Chapter 17: Interrupts and Exceptions

• CPU Features and Interrupts: Handling exceptions and interrupts.

Chapter 18: Input/Output

• I/O Interfacing and Ports: Techniques for managing input and output operations.

Chapter 19: General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) Device

• GPIO Memory and Connections: Using GPIOs for hardware interfacing.

Back Matter

• GNU make: Building programs using make.
• Hints and Solutions: Solutions to selected exercises.
• Bibliography: References and further reading.

Index

A comprehensive index is provided covering terms and topics from A to Z with references to sections, paragraphs, items, and subsections for detailed navigation.

These notes provide an overview of the key content and organization of the document, serving as a guide for study or review of ARM assembly and computer organization with Raspberry Pi.