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Session 3232

Computer Architecture Design Project using Actual Air Traffic Control Specifications

Joe Hartman Boise State University

Abstract

Our computer architecture course includes the design of a system to solve a real world problem.

The system requirements and evaluation criteria are provided in a Request for Proposal (RFP). The class is divided into teams of four with equal numbers of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science majors. The problem chosen is to design a specialized, redundant computer to control individual messages sent to commercial aircraft via the radio frequency transponder link to the enroute aircraft in the United States.

Since the actual design involved a team of 175 engineers (managed by the author, when he was in the industry), it would be impractical for a team to do the detailed design. However, it is possible to do a top-level system design in response to a RFP. The RFP included specifications and costs for potential components such as computers, voting circuits, buses, and memory units. The teams are responsible for proposing a system block diagram, performing a reliability analysis, and calculating the projected cost.

The evaluation of the student proposals is similar to actual government evaluations of proposals - 40 % on cost, 50% on technical merit, and 10% on reliability achieved beyond the specified minimum.

ΠThe project provides training in the following areas:

ΠSystem Design

ΠRedundancy / Reliability Techniques

ΠCost -Design tradeoffs

ΠTeam Projects Oral and Written Presentation Skills

These areas are required for a high percentage of engineering positions, but often overlooked in many undergraduate engineering curricula.

Many of the student proposals submitted were very similar to the actual design. The benefits of a design problem based on an RFP response to an actual problem will be described.

Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright @ 2001, American Society for Engineering Education

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Hartman, J. (2001, June), Computer Architecture Design Project Using Actual Air Traffic Control Specifications Paper presented at 2001 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 10.18260/1-2--9022