Course Syllabus
ECE 580 – Digital Control Systems
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
1. Course Number and Name:
2. Credit Units/Contact Hours:
3. Course Coordinator:
ECE 580 – Digital Control Systems
3/3
Ali Amini
4. Text, References & Software
Recommended Text:
Digital Control System Analysis and Design, Charles Phillips & Troy Nagle, 3rd. Ed., Prentice
Hall 1995, ISBN 0-13-309832-X.
Additional References:
Digital Control of Dynamic Systems, Franklin & Powell, 2nd . Ed., Addison-Wesley Publishing
Inc. 1988, Automatic Control System, Kuo, 7th. Ed. Prentice Hall 1995.
Software:
MATLAB: Control and Simulink Tool Boxes, Math Works Inc.
Internet Resources:
http//hpme12.me.edu/matlab/html/
5. Specific Course Information
a. Course Description
Application of z-transform and state variable methods to the analysis and design of digital and
sampled-data control systems; the sampling process, data reconstruction devices, stability
analysis, frequency response methods, continuous network compensation, digital controllers, zplane synthesis, state-variable feedback compensation, variable gain methods in non-linear
sampled-data system analysis.
b. Prerequisite by Topic
Students taking this course should have complete familiarity with the topics of control systems
(ECE 480) and discrete system (ECE 351) courses. Specifically students should be familiar with
evaluation of system response, Mason’s Gain Formula, stability discussion using Routh-Hurwitz
criterion, Root-Locus, Nyquist criterion. Students should be familiar with frequency response of
system, and understand the idea of Phase and Gain Margin. Understanding time domain
(continuous and discrete), S-domian, Z-domain, and frequency domain (continuous and discrete)
in modeling, analyzing and solving linear digital systems is also the main prerequisite for taking
this course.
c. Elective Course
6. Specific Goals for the Course
a. Specific Outcomes of Instructions – After completing this course the students should be able to:
1. Understand the idea behind digital control as compared to analog control.
2. Do simulation diagram and model systems in discrete state variable forms.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Solve discrete state variable equations using discrete k-domain, and Z-domain.
Model systems in discrete form and understand sampling and data reconstruction.
Understand Starred Transform and its use in modeling and data reconstruction.
Evaluate discrete time open loop system transfer function with data hold transfer function
included.
7. Evaluate the modified Z-Transform and relate it to Starred Transform.
8. Evaluate discrete time closed loop system transfer function with data hold transfer
function included.
9. Compute discrete system time response for open or closed loop systems for first,
second or higher order systems.
10. Map S-plane to Z-plane and vice versa.
11. Evaluate steady state error.
12. Discuss stability using Z-plane pole-zero diagram, Routh-Hurwitz criterion, and
Jury’s test.
13. Plot Root-Locus and discuss response characteristics and stability.
14. Plot frequency response using Bode and Nichols chart.
15. Be able to use Digital Controller to design systems and evaluate system response.
b. Relationship to Student Outcomes
This supports the achievement of the following student outcomes:
a. An ability to apply knowledge of math, science, and engineering to the analysis of electrical
engineering problems.
c. An ability to design systems which include hardware and/or software components within
realistic constraints such as cost, manufacturability, safety and environmental concerns.
e. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve electrical engineering problems.
k. An ability to use modern engineering techniques for analysis and design.
m. An ability to analyze and design complex devices and/or systems containing hardware and/or
software components.
n. Knowledge of math including differential equations, linear algebra, complex variables and
discrete math.
7. Topics Covered/Course Outline
1. Discrete time system and Z-transform. System difference equation, simulation
diagram, state variable equations and solution.
2. Sampling and reconstruction. Ideal sampler, and other samplers. Starred transform,
A/D and D/A conversion.
3. Open loop discrete time systems.
4. Closed loop discrete time systems.
5. System time response characteristics.
6. Stability analysis technique.
7. Frequency response.
8. Digital Controller Design.
Prepared by:
Ali Amini, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, October 2011
Ali Amini, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, March 2013