Course Catalogue

View Specification Document | Reading List

This course will develop in students an understanding of the principles of signals and systems by means of spectral analysis, and provide them with the mathematical tools-Fourier, Laplace and z-transforms-to carry out such analyses

Course will be delivered continuously in the traditional manner at UESTC.

Mandatory Entry Requirements

advanced mathematics, linear algebra, circuit analysis

Recommended Entry Requirements

None

None

None

Assessment

5% homework, 20% laboratory work including report, presentations and demonstrations, 20% closed-book mid-term exam (2 hours), 55% final exam (2 hours)

Reassessment

In accordance with the University's Code of Assessment reassessments are normally set for all courses which do not contribute to the honours classifications. For non honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students, and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions are listed below in this box.

Due to the nature of the coursework and sequencing of courses, it is not possible to reassess the coursework laboratory.

Students in the BEng (Hons) Electronics and Electrical Engineering with Communications programme may only resit the homework, mid-term exam, and final exam when the resits are scheduled for this Year 2 course. Student may not take the resits that are scheduled for UESTC3007 Signals and Systems course offered to students in the BEng (Hons) Electronics and Electrical Engineering programme. Furthermore, students who retake Signals and Systems may only retake the course when it is offered within the BEng (Hons) Electronics and Electrical Engineering with Communications programme.

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The initial grade on coursework laboratories will be used when calculating the resit grade.

Students in the BEng (Hons) Electronics and Electrical Engineering with Communications programme are only allowed to resit components of this Year 2 course or retake the Year 2 course. Students are not allowed to resit components of or retake UESTC3007 Signals and Systems course, which is offered to students in the BEng (Hons) Electronics and Electrical Engineering programme.

The aims of this course are to:

■ develop in students the mathematical techniques (Laplace transforms, Fourier transforms, z-transforms) necessary;

■ analyse linear time-invariant systems;

■ build experience using these mathematical tools to the solution of realistic signal processing systems

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ compare the mathematical principles underlying the continuous and discrete time Fourier transforms, the Laplace transform and the z-transform and judge the applicability of particular transforms in the solution of a range of problems related to linear time-invariant systems;

■ explain the basis and uses of the convolution sum/integral and employ the techniques of series, transforms and convolution to translate a broad range of functions between the time and frequency domains;

■ identify the key properties of continuous-time and discrete-time signals and linear time-invariant systems, and list those properties which are of particular interest in the solution of problems in communication systems and periodic signals;

■ apply the properties of transforms and convolution to circuit functions (including filters) to determine the time domain and frequency domain response of system architectures (including communication systems);

■ employ transforms in the design and analysis of signal modulation and de-modulation schemes and analyse various time and frequency domain waveforms to determine the modulation strategies has been employed;

■ assess the importance of the The Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem, and employ the sampling theorem in practical characterisation of signals.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment. In addition students must submit work for assessment for the course laboratory or a grade of credit withheld will be given.

Students must attend the timetabled laboratory classes.

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher participation/submission rates. Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing a MyCampus absence report.