| Unit name | Signals and Communications |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EEME20003 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Armour |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Analysis and design of electrical and electronic systems Engineering Mathematics 1 |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
Communication technology now underpins all aspects of modern life. The ability to communicate information underpins modern transport and energy systems as well as education and health care and is essential to most entertainment and media. Whilst as users of the things we may tend to take the technology for granted, someone must design and implement them. Demand for data services has grown exponentially since the inception of the internet and this trend shows no sign of abating and so someone will need to design the technologies that facilitate our lifestyles in future.
This unit will prepare you to be an engineer in this domain, teaching you how signals can be processed and conditioned effectively and how these signals can be used to communicate information in electrical, optical and electromagnetic media.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit is mandatory for relevant undergraduate programmes. It builds upon the fundamentals of analogue and digital electronics taught in year 1 and teaches you how to apply them in a communications domain. The unit will teach you the basic foundations of a wide variety of communication systems. This will prepare you for units in subsequent years of study that cover more specialised aspects of signal processing and communications in computing, image and video processing, and photonic and wireless communications.
An overview of content
The unit introduces the characteristics and inter-relations of linear signals. Signals are considered in both continuous and discrete form. Principles of sampling theory, aliasing, correlation, convolution, and spectral analysis will be presented. Analysis of linear systems using the Z transform, and pole-zero representation of filter transfer functions will be considered and the methods for the design of digital filters are introduced. The characterisation of systems in the time and frequency domains (i.e. impulse responses, transfer functions and frequency response) will be discussed.
The unit also introduces the basics of digital information transfer over wired and wireless links. The key building blocks of communications systems are introduced and the many challenges for design engineers are considered. The fundamental limits of what can be achieved in a communication channel is presented in the form of the Shannon Theorem and various baseband and bandpass modulation methods are presented. Their relative strengths and weaknesses are compared such that good choices can be made for different applications. Criteria for the design of bandlimiting filters for communications are presented and the essential elements of error control coding are explained.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will gain an understanding of the engineering challenges of signal processing and communications and appreciate the practical constraints that impact upon their design. If you progress to specialising in more advanced systems, this unit will be your introduction to those systems. If you go on to work in domains other than signal processing or communications, you will do so with an appreciation of what those systems can and cannot do in your chosen domain and be able to work with those are specialists in those domains.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this unit, you will be able to:
The unit will incorporate a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities, including lectures, problem classes, worked example classes, self-directed exercises and self-directed study.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
During the unit, you will have the opportunity to attempt a number of design tasks in the classroom, typically addressing small (‘toy’) scenarios as examples of more realistic, larger scale problems. You will also have access to a number of online quizzes. You will be able to attempt the quizzes as many times as you wish and you will receive feedback upon submission which will guide you toward reflective self-improvement.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The unit will be assessed by a single terminal exam (100% weighting). The exam will assess all Learning Outcomes.
When assessment does not go to plan
Reassessment takes the same form as the original summative assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EEME20003).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
