BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Industrial Experience / Course details

Year of entry: 2027

Course unit details:
Signals and Systems

Course unit fact file
Unit code EEEN20131
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Offered by Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This unit will cover the following:

Part I: Continuous-time domain

  • Mathematical definition of signals
  • Energy and spectral density of deterministic signals.
  • Correlation and autocorrelation, white noise signals.
  • Mathematical definition of a system as an input/output mapping
  • Fundamental properties of a system: memoryless, causality, invertibility, stability, linearity and time-invariance
  • Convolution operator
  • Impulse response of a linear time-invariant (LTI) system
  • Fourier transform and its properties
  • Signal spectrum, Fourier analysis, PSD, ESD and Wiener-Kitchen relationship, Parseval’s theorem, linear time invariant channels, and equalisation.
  • Frequency domain response of an LTI system
  • Introduction to analogue filters
  • Laplace transform and its properties
  • Transfer function of a causal LTI system
  • Transients of circuits based on their transfer function 

Part II: Discrete-time domain

  • Mathematical definition of signals, elementary signals, and signal properties
  • Sampling theorem and pulse shaping theorem.
  • Mathematical definition of a system as an input/output mapping
  • Fundamental properties of a system: memoryless, causality, invertibility, stability, linearity and time-invariance
  • Convolution operator
  • Impulse response of a linear time-invariant (LTI) system
  • Numerical integration and differentiation
  • Fourier transform and its properties
  • Frequency domain response of an LTI system
  • Introduction to digital filters
  • z-transform and its properties
  • Transfer function of a causal LTI system 

Part III: Laboratories

The laboratories will focus on Matlab and Simulink

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
EEEN10121 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Mathematics 1E1 for EEE MATH19681 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Mathematics 1E2 MATH19682 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
EEEN10242 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

The course unit aims to: Introduce the mathematical tools for analysing signals and systems in the time and frequency domains, and provide a basis for applying these techniques in control and communications engineering.

Learning outcomes

ILO1: Analyse and develop simple mathematical models for representing signals and systems.

ILO2: Convert time domain models into frequency, Laplace and Z domain models of signals and linear time-invariant systems (continues and discrete) and vice versa.

ILO3: Analyse and calculate system impulse responses and system responses for given inputs of linear time-invariant systems using convolution (time domain), system transfer function (frequency, Laplace and Z domains)

ILO4: Design of analogue and digital filters based on their frequency domain response.

ILO5: Explain the signal and system properties and relationship between continous-time and discrete-time signals and systems. 

ILO6: Analyse the transient of electrical circuits using their transfer function.

ILO7: Apply basic Matlab and Simulink tools for analysis and simulation of continuous and discrete-time systems.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Other 20%
Written exam 80%

Coursework:

Laboratories (9 hours).

Form of assessment: quiz and report

Feedback methods

Exam: feedback is provided after exam board.

Laboratories: feedback is provided two weeks after report submission.

Recommended reading

Chaparro, L.F. and Akan, A. (2024). Signals and Systems Using MATLAB. 4th edn. Academic Press. ISBN: 9780443157097. 

Oppenheim, A.V. and Willsky, A.S. (1997). Signals and Systems. 2nd edn. Prentice Hall. ISBN: 9780138147571.

Haykin, S. and Van Veen, B. (2003). Signals and Systems. 2nd edn. Wiley. ISBN: 9780471164746.

Hossain, E. (2022). MATLAB and Simulink Crash Course for Engineers. Springer. ISBN: 9783030897611. 

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 40
Practical classes & workshops 9
Tutorials 4
Independent study hours
Independent study 147

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Joaquin Carrasco Gomez Unit coordinator

Return to course details