What you will study
This module takes the ideas that you know about basic electronic circuits, together with general engineering principles, and looks at three of the main applications of electronics. It comprises three blocks: signal processing, control and communications.
Interactive software and OpenEngineering Laboratory experiments support the course materials in all three blocks. Throughout the module, we use illustrative case studies.
Block 1: Signal processing
The first block introduces you to signal processing. It starts by defining what we mean by noise in a signal, showing how to explain this in the frequency domain. It then shows how we can remove the noise with the use of analogue electronic circuits – called filters. We’ll show you how to design filters to perform specific tasks by using mathematical models. We’ll also give you a refresher on complex numbers. The block ends with a look at digital filters. First, how we can design filters that run on computers and can perform many of the filtering tasks of analogue circuits. Finally, we look at aspects of processing that we can only do with digital signals, such as image processing.
Block 2: Control
This block introduces the idea of control theory. It discusses the basic principle of using feedback, as well as processes’ transient responses. Block 2 extends some of the ideas of mathematical modelling introduced in Block 1, so you can start designing controllers that produce the desired behaviour of a process. You’ll spend some time looking at how to implement controllers electronically in both analogue circuits and as digital algorithms. You’ll then look at some of the ideas of intelligent control, specifically fuzzy logic control and neural networks.
Block 3: Communication
The final block introduces the principles of communication, with emphasis on radio communications. It starts by looking at modulation, and how to encode a message into a radio frequency waveform. It shows the design and implementation of transmission and receiver circuits, and how radio frequency circuits differ from electronic circuits. You’ll consider aspects of both analogue and digital communications and explore the advantages of each. Finally, you’ll look at space communications – the problems that are inherent, together with the solutions.
You will learn
The knowledge and skills developed in this module are applicable in various engineering roles. At the end of it you’ll be able to:
- describe the application of electronic systems in signal processing, control and communications
- search and use relevant journal papers via the library website
- work with signals, including sampling and filtering
- design controllers to achieve a desired dynamic response
- design radio frequency circuits for transmitters and receivers
- work with equipment using the OpenEngineering Laboratory.
Vocational relevance
This module will help you to gain knowledge and skills that are essential for the practising engineer. It can help you to:
- be aware of the role played by electronics in general engineering
- apply standard electronic theory to practical engineering problems
- use industry-standard software to solve problems
- use industry-standard hardware in electronics engineering in the OpenEngineering Laboratory
- reflect on and improve your personal and professional development as an engineer.