Processor designing

[ArkTheYO]

Hey everyone,

I wish to pursue a career where i get the opportunity to design CPU, but i am confused which engineering degree to go for:

Should i be going for Electrical and Electronics Engg.(EEE) or Electrical and communications Engg.(ECE)

[AresKrieger]

Communications is things like wifi and remote control (there's more than just that but good enough examples), I don't how EEE is different than standard electrical engineering which is the degree I have and I've had the opportunity to work with chip design, you could also go into computer engineering but they also do more coding and less hardware, however they do have the opportunity to go into hardware if they choose appropriate professional electives. It really depends on the school as to what the curriculum specializes in.

[Mark77]

Modern CPU design is a combination of a number of disciplines within the overall ECE, Physics, mathematics, and computer science disciplines.  Manufacturing CPU's has inputs from nearly all branches of engineering (Chem, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.).  The whole process is a giant team effort amongst a distributed supply chain.  High level CPU design these days is largely an exercise in programming in languages with as VHDL and Verilog, along with the use of large numbers of proprietary and licensed toolsets from companies like Cadence.

 

There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of electrical and computer engineers around the world.  Only the tiniest fraction are directly involved with CPU design itself.  So I'd suggest that you pick courses that are going to be applicable to the sorts of jobs you're going to be able to get.  Over the past decade or two, software skills have been the most in demand. 

[rockon5622]

Validation is what you want to do, it is the gateway to comp arch. Take classes that teach you verilog, know a scripting language, know linux, be really good at debugging and using waveforms. Learn about coverage and testbench creation. Also, get really good with clocks if design is what you want. 

[ArkTheYO]

2 hours ago, rockon5622 said:

Validation is what you want to do, it is the gateway to comp arch. Take classes that teach you verilog, know a scripting language, know linux, be really good at debugging and using waveforms. Learn about coverage and testbench creation. Also, get really good with clocks if design is what you want. 

Thanks !

[rockon5622]

Np if you have any more questions I will try my best. Computer engineer is the degree you want.

[ArkTheYO]

2 minutes ago, rockon5622 said:

Np if you have any more questions I will try my best. Computer engineer is the degree you want.

Ok but the place where i live or i should say i come from doesnt have Computer Engg. degrees, we only have option for Computer Science Engg.

[rockon5622]

I would just do what you enjoy the most.

[rockon5622]

Intel has jobs for comp sci, ee, ce, mat sci, just work hard and you never know where you might end up

[ArkTheYO]

1 minute ago, rockon5622 said:

I would just do what you enjoy the most.

Well i like more of harware since thats something i have been into since i was an 11 year old but as time is moving fast hardware seems to kinda way(though i still enjoy it) and software is the king now so thats why i am kinda confused wherein if there is any major which blends in a both of them

[rockon5622]

Do embeded design. So, comp sci

[ArkTheYO]

2 minutes ago, rockon5622 said:

Do embeded design. So, comp sci

But all the people i know who have done Comp sci are all into software fields and noone is in harware arena.

[rockon5622]

8 minutes ago, ArkTheYO said:

Well i like more of harware since thats something i have been into since i was an 11 year old but as time is moving fast hardware seems to kinda way(though i still enjoy it) and software is the king now so thats why i am kinda confused wherein if there is any major which blends in a both of them

 

2 minutes ago, ArkTheYO said:

But all the people i know who have done Comp sci are all into software fields and noone is in harware arena.

Embedded is the link between hardware and software. Like drivers and operating systems.

 

The real question is what do you specifically want to do

[ArkTheYO]

If asked specifically i want to cpu designing but i want to learn about software stuff too. In a easier way a blend of  both!

[rockon5622]

Verilog and C classes

[ArkTheYO]

2 minutes ago, rockon5622 said:

Verilog and C classes

Thanks a lot!

[Jumper118]

Micro electronics 

[-rascal-]

If you want to get into CPU architecture and design, then you want to be in Electrical or Computer Engineering.

The famous Microprocessor Engineer / CPU architect, Jim Keller, is an EE.

 

Communications, as already mentioned, involves working with:

• Antennas
• Transmission Lines
• Fibre Optics
• Wireless communication (e.g. WiFi, Bluetooth, etc)
• Networks (e.g. error control, protocols)

 

You want to take courses that involves:

• C (is the standard  bare minimum programming language ELEC and CENG are taught)
• SystemC programming
• VLSI (e.g. Verilog and VHDL)
• Hardware Security
• Parallel and Cluster Computing
• In-depth of Electronic Devices (e.g. MOSFETs, Bi-polar transistors, properties of silicon, metal semiconductors, etc)

Another option you probably could look into is Digital and Embedded Systems...

• System-on-Chip Engineering
• Hardware Security
• VSLI
• Real-Time Computer Systems
• Computer Systems and Architecture

 

Overall, CENG is more firmware design, while ELEC is a bit more hardware design.

Regardless, CENG and ELEC courses are ~90% identical...at least here in Canada.

 

PS:

When did "Engineering" use two g's? 

I've been an Electrical Engineering student for ~5 years and it's always known as just "Eng"...like B.Eng, M.Eng, P.Eng...

Spoiler

My cousin, who is an Electrical Engineer (graduated in 2006) -- specialized into Communications.

I'm a fourth-year Electrical Engineer student -- specializing into Electronics

 

[rockon5622]

10 hours ago, -rascal- said:

If you want to get into CPU architecture and design, then you want to be in Electrical or Computer Engineering.

The famous Microprocessor Engineer / CPU architect, Jim Keller, is an EE.

 

Communications, as already mentioned, involves working with:

• Antennas
• Transmission Lines
• Fibre Optics
• Wireless communication (e.g. WiFi, Bluetooth, etc)
• Networks (e.g. error control, protocols)

 

You want to take courses that involves:

• C (is the standard  bare minimum programming language ELEC and CENG are taught)
• SystemC programming
• VLSI (e.g. Verilog and VHDL)
• Hardware Security
• Parallel and Cluster Computing
• In-depth of Electronic Devices (e.g. MOSFETs, Bi-polar transistors, properties of silicon, metal semiconductors, etc)

Another option you probably could look into is Digital and Embedded Systems...

• System-on-Chip Engineering
• Hardware Security
• VSLI
• Real-Time Computer Systems
• Computer Systems and Architecture

 

Overall, CENG is more firmware design, while ELEC is a bit more hardware design.

Regardless, CENG and ELEC courses are ~90% identical...at least here in Canada.

 

PS:

When did "Engineering" use two g's? 

I've been an Electrical Engineering student for ~5 years and it's always known as just "Eng"...like B.Eng, M.Eng, P.Eng...

  Reveal hidden contents

My cousin, who is an Electrical Engineer (graduated in 2006) -- specialized into Communications.

I'm a fourth-year Electrical Engineer student -- specializing into Electronics

 

Sounds right but, to add to that list you need a scripting language like perl or python.

[ArkTheYO]

@-rascal- Hey thanks a lot! Actually here in Asia we write it as Engg.! 

[ArkTheYO]

@-rascal- and @rockon5622 So should i go for EEE or EE?