ECEN 380 – Signals and Systems
Credits/Contact Hours: 3 Credit Hours / Class meets for 135 minutes 2x/week
Course Lead: Kevin B. Smith
Required Materials
 Signals & Systems, 2nd edition by A. V. Oppenheim, A. S. Willsky, and S. H. Nawab
 MATLAB® for Engineers, 3rd edition, by Holly Moore
Course Description:
Signals and Systems provides an introduction to many basic concepts and analytical tools in
signal and system theory. This material has application in nearly all fields in engineering. It
forms the basis for understanding many modern technologies from communications to medical
imaging systems.
The main goal of this course is to develop the classical signals and systems analysis theory for
the both continuous- and discrete-time cases. These principles form the base of a very mature,
rich sub-discipline of electrical engineering that has many extensions and special nuances, many
of which can be pursued in further study. This course is mainly a “theory” course rather than an
“applied” course. It focuses on the development of analysis techniques, which define a body of
knowledge that has a variety of potential specific applications. The examples that are given will
be motivated by their pedagogical value rather than their practical use.
Prerequisite: ECEN 250, Math 316
Required: This is a require course in the Electrical Engineering curriculum and an elective
course in the Computer Engineering curriculum.
Course Objectives:
Students will:
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Determine whether a signal has the following properties: discrete time, continuous time,
power, energy, periodic, aperiodic, even, odd
Perform the following operations on signals, alone or in combination: amplitude scaling,
addition, multiplication, differentiation, integration time scaling, reflection, time shifting
Identify and use the following elementary signals: exponentials, sinusoids, complex
exponentials, exponentially damped sinusoids step functions, impulses, sifting and time
scaling properties of impulses
Identify and manipulate series and parallel interconnections of systems
Determine whether an input/output description for a system has the following properties:
stability, memory, memoryless, causality, invertibility (simple cases), time invariance,
linearity
Evaluate the convolution sum and integral given an input and the impulse response
Use the commutative, associative, and distributive properties of convolution
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Determine whether a system described by an impulse response has properties:
memoryless, causal, stable
Find the step and frequency responses of a system given the impulse response
Determine whether a system described by a difference or differential equation is stable
Evaluate the time domain signal corresponding to DTFS, FS, DTFT, and FT
representations using the defining equations
Use partial fraction expansions to find the inverse DTFT and FT
Use the tables of representations and properties to find the appropriate representation or
time signal
Use the frequency response to solve for the input, output, or impulse response of a system
given the other two signals
Determine the frequency response of systems described by differential and difference
equations
Use the FT or DTFT representation for periodic signals to analyze mixtures of periodic
and aperiodic signals
Determine the FT representation for a sampled signal
Find the z-transform of a time signal using the defining equation
Find the z-transform and inverse z-transform using the tables of transforms and properties
Learn basic MATLAB® skills, Programming in MATLAB®, and advance MATLAB®
concepts.
Topics:
Continuous and discrete-time signals: Operations on signals, Properties of signals,
Elementary signals, Continuous- and discrete-time systems, Interconnections of systems,
and System Properties
Time Domain Representations for Linear Time Invariant Systems: Convolution,
Properties of convolution, Difference and differential equations
Fourier Representations of Signals: Discrete time periodic signals - the discrete time
Fourier series, Continuous time periodic signals - the Fourier series, Discrete time
nonperiodic signals - the discrete time Fourier transform, Continuous time nonperiodic
signals - the Fourier transform Properties of Fourier representations.
Applications of Fourier Representations: Frequency response from time-domain system
descriptions, Fourier transform representations for periodic signals, Convolution and
modulation revisited - mixing periodic and nonperiodic signals, The Fourier transform
representation for discrete-time signals, and Sampling continuous-time signals,
Reconstruction of continuous-time signals from samples.
The z-transform: Definition, Convergence, Properties, Inversion
Introduction to MATLAB® basics and programing.
Relationship of Course to Computer Engineering Program Outcomes:
Program Outcome
(a) Apply knowledge of math, science, and engineering
(b) Design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze
and interpret data
(c) Design a system, component, or process to meet
desired needs
(d) Function on multi-disciplinary teams
(e) Identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
(f) Understanding of professional and ethical
responsibility
(g) Communicate effectively
(h) Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a
global context
(i) Recognize the need for, and have ability to engage in,
life-long learning
(j) Understand contemporary issues
(k) Use techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools
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Emphasis
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