Introduction to Signals, Control and Communications

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The key concepts of modern communications and their application in communication systems
• The concepts of transfer functions, block diagrams, poles and zeros and simple feedback systems

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Derive transfer functions for mechatronic and electromechanical systems
• Appreciate the importance of linearising systems, and the use of linear models
• Determine the transfer function and step response for a system of any order

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand the links between mathematical concepts and be able to apply them to a range of engineering problems (shared with ELEC1300).
• Understand the principles of defining problems in standard form to allow standard solutions (shared with ELEC1300).

SIGNALS

• Analogue and digital information
• Amplitude and phase spectra
• Fourier theory - harmonics
• Fourier series - square, triangular and sawtooth waves
• Nyquist sampling rate
• Analogue to digital conversion - sampling, quantisation, PCM
• Convolution

CONTROL

• Linear Time Invariant Systems and Ordinary Differential Equations
• An alternative approach to time-based analysis
• Transfer Functions, Poles, Zeroes and the Characteristic Equation
• Block Diagram Notation
• noise and disturbance- Standard Inputs and System Response
• transient and steady state performance
• Modelling and control of mechatronic systems: The servomotor

COMMUNICATIONS

• Analogue and digital modulation
• Baseband and carrier modulation - radio propagation
• Analogue carrier modulation - AM, PM, FM
• Circuits for analogue modulation and demodulation
• Spectra of amplitude modulation - power
• Non-coherent and coherent detection
• Variations of amplitude modulation - DSBSC, QAM, SSBSC, ISB, VSB
• Baseband modulation - PAM, PDM, PPM, line codes
• Digital carrier modulation - ASK, PSK, FSK
• Phasors and constellation diagrams - Gray coding
• Spectra of digital carrier modulation - bandwidth efficiency
• Repetition code – AWGN and BER plot – BER vs bandwidth
• Analogue vs digital modulation comparison – bandwidth, noise resilience
• Variable length coding – average codeword length

The content of this module is delivered through lectures, module website, directed reading and tutorials.

Students work on their understanding through a combination of independent study, preparation for timetabled activities, tutorials and problem classes, along with formative assessments in the form of coursework assignments.

Students work on their practical skills, professional skills and technical understanding in technical and assessed laboratories.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.