Students are provided with an understanding of the principle of operations of analog circuits of medium complexity that are used as building blocks in larger circuits. High frequency small signal models of transistors; multistage amplifiers; cascade configuration. Non-ideal operational amplifier, use of negative feedback, effect of feedback on gain, input and output impedances, noise, distortion and parameter tolerances, applications. Positive feedback circuits: linear feedback oscillators, switching oscillators, multivibrators. Emitter coupled differential amplifier. Use of negative feedback with transistor amplifier. Current mirror, basic Opamp internal structure.

The aim of this course is to provide the student with knowledge and understanding of the basics of communication theory. Modulation techniques, sampling theorem; AM, FM, PCM, signal-to-noise ratio; Hilbert transforms; digital communications: ASK, FSK, PSK, DPSK, probability of errors; pulse shaping and timing.

Review of Maxwell's equations and boundary conditions. Waveguide structure models. Resonant cavities. Introduction to fibre-optics. Antenna theory for element and arrays. A study of earth propagation modes such as ground waves, space waves and ionospheric reflections.

Sampling, z-transforms and transfer functions; state-space representations; stability; root locus; compensator design; computer control of feedback systems.

Review and extension of polyphase circuit theory and analysis. Symmetrical components. Power, energy, maximum demand, frequency and phase measurements. Characteristics of power transformers, a.c. and d.c. rotating machines, including two-machine systems. Electrical power generation and distribution. Survey of the economics of power systems. Methods of analysis of power transmission. Faults in interconnected systems.

Introduction to digital signal processing; sampling: Nyquist rate, sample and hold, D/A and A/D, delta modulation; digital signal processors; DSP hardware: multipliers and barrel shifters; hardware architectures; digital filters design and implementation: FIR and IIR; FFT algorithm and software implementations; multiprocessor systems. This course consists of lectures, demonstrations, exercises and laboratories.

Spread Spectrum Systems, Fundamentals of Satellite Communications, Fundamentals of Cellular Mobile Communications. Error correction codes.

Introduction to the C language, concurrent processes, inter-process communication, deadlock, scheduling, input/output, file systems, file servers, memory management, virtual storage management.

Microwave circuit analysis using impedance and scattering-matrix representations. Microwave sources, amplifiers and solid state devices. Microwave passive devices; filters, couplers, etc. Microwave integrated circuits (Microstrip) and CAD techniques. Microwaves receivers and transmitters. Overview of communication satellite systems with emphasis on RF components and link consideration. Introduction to radar basics, target cross-section, MTI and pulse doppler, weather radar, synthetic aperture radar and pulse compression techniques.

Survey of sensors and transducers for measuring physical quantities; measurement errors and calibration of analog and digital interfaces; sampling, quantization; actuators. Implementation of representative microprocessor-based closed-loop systems selected from the areas of motor drives and robotics. Software implementation of robot control systems. Types of robot arms. Path control and obstacle avoidance methods. Single processor and multi-processor distributed systems.

Characteristics of power semiconductor devices. Switching circuits; rectifiers, voltage controllers, converters, inverters and cycloconverters. Polyphase circuits, harmonics and modulation. Applications to control of DC machine, synchronous and induction motors. Energy conversion.

IC technologies overview; MOS transistor: structure, operation, modelling; NMOS inverters: d.c. analysis and comparative analysis; CMOS inverter: d.c. and transient analysis, power dissipation; IC lithography and fabrication steps; layout and layout verification; Digital CMOS circuits: analysis and layout of combinational and sequential circuits; dynamic CMOS; I/O structures.

The design project allows the student to demonstrate that he is capable of applying the skills and techniques he has learned in program courses to deliver a working product. Under the supervision of a faculty member, groups of 2-4 students design and construct a prototype system to satisfy selected criteria against which its actual performance is evaluated. Oral progress reports are required along with a written final report and formal examination by a board of staff members.

Contact Hours: 2 - 2 - 4 (Fall Term)
Contact Hours: 0 - 4 - 4 (Winter Term)

See EEE455. Emphasis will be placed on software specification, documentation and management techniques.

Contact Hours: 2 - 2 - 4 (Fall Term)
Contact Hours: 0 - 4 - 4 (Winter Term)

Practical processes and techniques for the development of usable computer systems. Topics include: Foundations of usability. Users, user roles and context of use. Activity and task modeling. Abstract interface modeling. Interface navigation. Layout, visual communication, affordances and constraints. Supporting interface learning. Prototyping and prototype evaluation.  Architectures and implementation techniques. Inspection and review methods. Usability metrics. Laboratory and field testing.     

Principles and characteristics of distributed systems, computer communication technologies and protocols, client/server systems, interprocess communication, distributed objects, time services and interprocess coordination, distributed transaction and replica which include concurrency control and two phases-commit-protocol, name services, security such as cryptographic key distribution, authentication and signature, web services, network-centric computing, and an overview of divers internet services and protocols (e.g. SMTP, NNTP, HTTP, FTP, Telnet, WWW, PPP).

A course to familiarize the student with some aspects of computer hardware. Topic include: computer design methodology, processor and control design, memory and system organization. Input/ Output.

Review of computer-communication techniques and networks; circuit and packet switching; network topology; queueing and its application to networks; capacity assignment; routing and flow control; multiple-access techniques; network protocols; security and cryptography.

Introduction to scale-related complexities inherent in software projects. Study of software development processes, and of work products associated with those processes. Specific topics include: Requirements Analysis, Software Metrics, Software Quality, Estimating Software Complexity, Estimating Software Projects, Testing & Inspection, and Software Project Management. Lectures may be supplemented with critical reading and discussion of published articles on software. The course is supported by a laboratory in which the students undertake a software development project.

Hardware components and technologies; digital systems design methodology; ASIC design methodology; synchronous systems: static timing analysis, performance analysis, synchronization and synchronization failures; clocked static and dynamic circuits; asynchronous circuits; arithmetic algorithms: architectural trade-offs and silicon realization; regular array architectures: PLA architectures and PLA generation for ICs, MOS memory architectures: RAM, DRAM, ROM and CAM. Students will learn to design digital systems or components of digital systems including physical realization using CAE tools.

Definition, structure, and properties of embedded real-time systems. Typical applications. Review of related concepts, including tasking models, context switching, interrupts, and the ADA rendez-vous. Specification and design methods for real-time systems and applicable CASE (Computer-Aided-Software- Engineering) tools. Specification and verification of timing. Scheduling and schedulability analysis. Real-time operating systems, kernels, and programming languages. Fault tolerance, critical races, deadlock and livelock. Host target development. Distributed systems.