ETCE TC2K Course Outline – EET 120
EET 120 – Digital Electronics Laboratory
Standard Course Outline (Updated – Fall 2005)
Catalog Description:
120: Digital Electronics
(1 credit). Laboratory study of solid-state pulse, digital, industrial, and motor control circuits.
Prerequisite: EET109. Concurrent EET117.
Goals of the Course:
Digital Electronics Laboratory is a required course for freshman students in the Electrical
Engineering Technology (EET) associate degree program. The purpose of the course is to
provide students with an understanding of how to analyze, build, and troubleshoot digital
circuits. Student should become proficient in using oscilloscopes, signal analyzers, and similar
equipment to test digital circuits. In addition students must learn to write well-organized reports
using a word processor. Students must learn to apply PSPICE for Windows (or similar
programs) to evaluate the potential performance of these circuits. Students should also learn
current technologies in the area of programmable memories.
Relationship to EET
Program Outcomes:
EET 120 contributes to the following EET program outcomes:
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Course Outcomes:
Students should be able to conduct experiments, and then analyze and interpret results.
(Outcome 2)
Students should be able to communicate effectively orally, visually, and in writing.
(Outcome 5)
Students should be able to apply creativity through the use of project-based work to the
design of circuits, systems or processes. (Outcome 10)
The specific course outcomes supporting the EET program outcomes are:
Outcome 2:
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Students will demonstrate that theoretical device/circuit operation can be
implemented in properly constructed digital circuits.
Students will be able to correctly operate standard electronic test equipment such
as oscilloscopes, signal analyzers, digital multi-meters, power supplies, frequency
meters, and programmable memories programmers to analyze, test, and implement
digital circuits.
Students will be able to correctly analyze a circuit and compare its theoretical
performance to actual performance.
Students will be able to apply troubleshooting techniques to test digital circuits.
Outcome 5:
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Students will be able to prepare and present an organized written engineering
report on electronic testing of digital circuits.
Outcome 10:
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Suggested Texts:
Rev 2
Students will demonstrate proficiency in digital circuits analysis and design
methods by designing, implementing, and testing project-based digital circuits.
The following are suitable texts for this course:
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Michael Wiesner. Digital Electronics. A practical Approach, Prentice Hall.
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Patrick Kane. Xilinx Laboratory Manual to accompany Cook’s Digital Electronics with
PLD Integration, Prentice Hall.
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ETCE TC2K Course Outline – EET 120
The following are useful reference for this course:
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Roy W. Goody. OrCAD PSPICE for Windows. 3rd Ed. Prentice Hall
Prerequisites by Topic: Students are expected to have the following topical knowledge upon entering this course:
Course Topics:
Computer Use:
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Understanding of voltage, current, resistance and fundamentals of DC circuits.
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Basic understanding of algebra.
The listed below laboratory exercises should be considered as suggested topics to be
supplemented or modified by locally developed exercises:
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Introduction to laboratory and review of lab policies
IC families, TTL electrical characteristics
DeMorgan’s theorem
Logic circuit simplification
Design of combinational circuit
Introduction to flip-flops
Application of flip-flops
Memory systems
Programmable logic
Final project presentations
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Students are expected to use PSPICE for Windows, Electronic Workbench, or
equivalent software for the purpose of analysis and design of digital circuits.
Students should learn how to implement a design using programmable logic (specific
hardware and software tools depend on local availability.)
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Required Equipment:
The following is the minimum list of the equipment and devices required to conduct this course:
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Course Grading:
Comments &
Suggestions:
Course grading policies are left to the discretion of the individual instructor. However, the
mixture of informal and formal lab reports is recommended. Part of the laboratory work should
include a final project accompanied by oral presentation and written report. A suggested grading
strategy is:
 Formal reports – 30%
 Informal reports – 30%
 Lab work and participation – 10%
 Lab project – 30%
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Rev 2
Oscilloscope
Digital training board
IC Discrete chips
Universal Programmer and/or PLD board
Window-based PC
The same person should teach EET117 and EET120
Students should work in teams, preferable two to a team
Laboratory exercises in the area of PLDs should be selected based on local
hardware/software availability.
Information about PLDs: CPLDs, FPGAs, hardware & software, board manufacturers
can be accessed from following web sites:
o http://www.xilinx.com
o http://www.altera.com
o http://www.xess.com
o http://www.digilentinc.com
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ETCE TC2K Course Outline – EET 120
Course Assessment
The following may be useful methods for assessing the success of this course in achieving the
intended outcomes listed above:
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Course Coordinator:
Rev 2
Outcome 2, 5, 10: Student completion and instructor grading of laboratory experiments.
Outcome 5, 10: Student design and preparation of the laboratory testing procedures.
Team-based assignments, which necessitate effective communication and good time
management, can be useful in evaluation of team success.
Andrzej J. Gapinski, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Engineering, Fayette Campus
(ajg2@psu.edu)
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