Term: Spring 1996
Time/Location: 10 am MWF 320 Coover
Lecture Sections: 1
Lab Sections: not applicable
World Wide Web: www.ee.iastate.edu/~russell/ee421/ee421.html
Instructor:
Steve F. Russell, Associate Professor
Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering
333 Coover ECPE, Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
Phone: 515-294-1273 (voice mail capability)
Email: sfrussel@iastate.edu
Web: www.ee.iastate.edu/~russell/index.html
Office Hours:
Current office hours are posted on my door. Please use sign-up sheet posted on my door for appointments during office hours or call for an appointment during other hours.
Text: "Communications Systems by Simon Haykin, New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 3rd Ed., 1994.
Prerequisites: EE 321 (refer to current ISU catalog for additional details)
Course Syllabus: Refer to handout.
Lecture Notes: Available from the reserve desk in the library.
Course Requirements and Grading Policy:
Homework (20% of semester grade): Assigned and graded.
Exams (80% of semester grade): Two one-hour exams and a final exam. The one-hour exams will be worth 100 points each and the final exam will be worth 150 points. A combination of normed score averaging and class rank will be used to determine the semester grade. Exams are in the syllabus or will be announced at least one week prior to the exam date.
Presentation (0%): None planned.
Project (0%): None planned.
The homework policy stated below is the one that will be in effect at the start of this course. This policy may change over the course of the semester as we try ideas to see what would be most effective.
1. Homework problems will be assigned almost every class period. These will be graded by a grader for this course.
2. To make the homework policy easier to implement, you will be required to d each problem on a separate sheet of engineering paper. Each problem should be numbered and your name should be on each sheet of paper. Problems not done on engineering paper may not be accepted. This acceptance will be at the discretion of the grader.
3. Cyclic Schedule for Homework:
Assign Mon, Collect Wed, Grade Thurs, Return Fri
Assign Wed, Collect Fri, Grade Sat, Return Mon
Assign Fri, Collect Mon, Grade Tue, Return Wed
4. Late Homework: Homework should be handed in during the class period on the day that it is due. Late homework will not receive full credit. The homework grade will be reduced 10% for each day that it is late.
GRADER:
Name: S. Anders Mattsson
Office: 324 Coover
Email: anders@iastate.edu
The "system" includes all the hardware and software needed to this task. Some of the more commonly used system components are:
Transmitters
Receivers
Transmission lines
Antennas
Channel - wire
Channel - wireless
Channel - fiber
Computer Bus
Power Supply (UPS)
Textbooks written for the EE senior are typically not "big picture" oriented. They tend to spend a good deal of time studying the mathematical tools needed for the analysis of a communication system and its components. The, most texts give an in-depth study of the signal structure (modulation) type (AM, FM, PM) and some of the aspect of signal demodulation. To a lesser extent, they cover noise and spectral characteristics. Other important aspects such as antennas and propagation are frequently not covered.
In this course, we will be adding material to the text to cover more of the "big picture" aspects of a communication system. We will also have demonstration of some simple communication systems.
QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS
You are encouraged to ask questions in class about any aspect of communication systems that may be of special interest. Since we cannot begin to cover all the important aspects of communication systems in a two-semester sequence, I will be happy to digress from a prepared lecture to discuss a topic of special interest. You will not be graded on class participation.
TO THE
SENIOR ELECTIVE SEQUENCE EE421/422/423
Welcome to the senior elective sequence in communications theory and design. This sequence of three courses will expose you to the theory of modem communication systems and will lead you through the philosophy and methodology of modem engineering design. In this sequence you will learn the essentials of "turning ideas into reality".
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Introduce the student to the theory and mathematical concepts, signal generation techniques, and signal processing techniques that apply to modem communication systems such as broadcast, two-way radio, radio navigation, and electronic data transfer. This fundamental background forms the foundation for building and maintaining life-long learning and career advancement in the area of communication systems.
2. Present the student with a design philosophy and methodology that is based on currently- accepted professional practice and provide a complete top-down design experience within a team context, i.e., "turning ideas into reality".
OVERVIEW
A communication system is "the system used to transfer information from one location to another". The "system" includes all the hardware and software needed for this task. Some of the more common system components are: Transmitter, Receiver, Communication Channel, Antenna, Transmission Line, Power Supply, and Computer.
Most textbooks written for the EE senior are typically not "big picture" oriented. They tend to spend a good deal of time studying the mathematical tools needed for the analysis of a communication system and its components. Then, most texts give an in-depth study of the signal structure (modulation) types (AM, FM, PM, QAM) and some of the aspects of signal demodulation. To a lesser extent they cover noise and spectral characteristics. Other important aspects such as antennas and propagation are frequently not covered. In addition, the essential area of engineering design applied to communication systems is not well covered in 'traditional texts'.
In this senior elective sequence, a textbook has been chosen that best serves the needs of a student wanting to learn the essential elements of communications theory and design. In addition, your instructor will be adding material to the text to cover more of the "big picture" aspects of a communication system. Further, there will be demonstrations of some simple communication systems in the classroom to give you a first-hand knowledge of the 'equipment' used in communication systems, what it looks like, and the basics of how it operates. Finally, the essential elements of modem engineering design philosophy and methodology are woven into the sequence so that every student will learn how to "turn ideas into reality". The culmination of the design part of this sequence is the design project in EE 423 where all the design concepts are integrated into a project that results in the design and fabrication of a basic, but complete, working communication system.
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM THEORY - "IDEAS"
Communication theory is made of a body of knowledge, including mathematics, probability and statistics, governing equations, and signal processing block diagrams, that describes the design and performance of an entire communication system. Your textbook as been specifically chosen because it provides a very comprehensive coverage of all the important topics of communication theory and will serve as a valuable desk reference in your career. The theory covers the essential topics of information sources, source coding, modulation/demodulation, error detection and correction, wave propagation, antennas, signals corrupted by noise, information theory, optimal solutions, alternative implementations, and mathematical techniques. Systems theory, probability and statistics, and Fourier analysis form the mathematical foundation for communications theory. The other foundation is the large body of practical implementations of signal processing blocks necessary to build an effective and practical communication system.
Expectations: Students are required to learn the basic mathematical structure that applies to communication theory. They also must learn all of the subsystems and essential building blocks used in communication systems along with the associated signal processing block diagrams and governing equations. Finally, students are expected to integrate these concepts and apply them to new communication designs and new situations.
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DESIGN - "REALITY"
Your textbook weaves theory and design into a mosaic of communication systems concepts. The text and lectures offer alternative implementations for many of the basic building blocks of a communications system. Examples are bit synchronizers, single-sideband generators, and modulation formats. Also, there are design problems in the text that give you an opportunity to apply a concept to the design of an element of the system. The essence of traditional engineering design for a communication system is to optimize the technical design while imposing the constraints of functionality, reliability, size, weight, and life-cycle cost. Current design practice also demands consideration of social impact, safety, esthetics, and ethics. Systematic top-down design is usually done by first considering the needs of a consumer or customer and then preparing a Product Specification Document based on these needs while considering the constraints listed above. Next, the design engineers use the Product Specification Document to develop a Technical Specification Document. The Technical Specifications Document is a restatement of the Product Specification Document but in technical terms that have the most meaning to engineers. Next, the engineering design team conducts a trade-off study of various subsystem designs that are capable of meeting the requirements of the Technical Specification Document. The team then considers various combinations of the various building block alternatives while considering all of the constraints listed above. By this process, they produce a baseline design which is then analyzed in detail to make sure it meets all the requirements. Any .'fine tuning' of the design is done at this stage. The team builds and tests an engineering prototype of the design and further refines it based upon test results. It is during this design stage that the mechanical design is executed and electrical components selected and purchased. When this is completed, the next step is to incorporate all. manufacturability and testability constraints into the baseline design and then produce a manufacturable prototype. This last prototype undergoes extensive testing and review to make sure it meets every requirement and is the best overall design that can be rendered considering all the constraints given above. At this stage, the design engineers prepare comprehensive, concise, and well written technical documentation on the design. The documentation includes schematics, parts lists, component layout, software programs, manufacturing guidelines, and production test requirements.
Expectations: The primary goal of the design component of this senior sequence is to provide each student with a comprehensive design experience that incorporates most of the elements listed above. In EE 421/422 this is accomplished by giving design examples and having classroom discussions of the design issues of functionality, reliability, size, weight, life-cycle cost, social impact, safety, esthetics, and ethics. In EE 423, each student does a limited number of experiments to become familiar with the lab equipment and the functioning of selected communication system components. Then, throughout the semester of EE 423, a 3 person design team works on a project involving top-down engineering design. The designs are open-ended problems, i.e., each team gets to select their project and define its boundaries. This is done to offer the maximum opportunity for each student to develop their creativity. Each team prepares a project proposal that serves as a Specification Document which is reviewed by the instructor. Each project team tries to incorporate as many elements of design as possible. Every student is expected to maintain an engineering notebook which documents the day-to-day design details. The EE 423 project culminates in the demonstration of a working prototype of the design and the submission of a comprehensive final report. The project and final report are graded on the basis of design quality, clarity of technical descriptions, communication skills, and the completeness of the design factors listed above. The instructor saves documentation for the EE 423 course consisting of the design proposal, final reports, lab notebooks, and video tape of final presentations.
sfr