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ECE 138 Digital Systems Laboratory (2) Spring Instructor: Current Catalog Description Required or Elective: required Credit Hours: 2 Prerequisites: ECE 33 Textbooks/required materials: No formal text is used. Various handouts are given the students. Course objectives: To present the students with a rather involved set of specifications and have them work in teams of two to design and laboratory test a fully functional digital system in a Xilinx Spartan-3 board kit. Topics covered: At the beginning of the semester some basic digital information is reviewed. This includes Karnough Maps, Mealy and Moore sequential design methodologies, as well as basic types of flip-flops. The features of the Xilinx Spartan-3 Starter Kit are presented. Other topics such as debouncing switches, module N counters, programming the ROMs of the Spartan system, creating counters which slow down exponentially with time, and basic means for comparing 3 numbers to see if 2 or 3 are equal are covered.
Student Assessment: The final grade is based almost entirely upon the successful demonstration at the end of the semester that their system does meet all the original design specifications. Their grade suffers if some aspects are not met, or an incomplete is given for more serious breaches. Class/laboratory schedule: At the beginning of the semester all students meet weekly for 50 minutes of lecture. Once their design phase starts, this 50 minute time is turned into an optional consultation session in which students having problems meet as a group to discuss those problems they are having with their individual designs. All students also have a semester long 3 hour weekly laboratory session. The laboratory is also open for their optional use at almost all other times during the day. Contribution of course to meeting professional component (ABET Criterion 4) This course contributes to criterion 4a by reinforcing certain basic mathematical concepts taught to the students in calculus. Specifically, the solution of linear differential equations is mentioned in the discussion of forced response (particular solution) and transient response (homogeneous solution) in linear circuits. The matrix solution of the linear equations associated circuit analysis is also mentioned. This course contributes to criterion 4b by introducing a variety of fundamental engineering topics crucial to an electrical or computer engineer’s background. The modeling of physical, especially electrical, systems is emphasized in the discussion of Thevenin equivalent and other equivalent circuits. Linear system theory is introduced via the discussion of AC and transient response. Engineering design is emphasized in the discussion of such topics as maximum power transfer, transfer functions and filtering, and switched networks. Relationship of course to ABET criteria (Criterion 3): This course is highly supportive of ABET criteria. The main supported items are 3a, 3c, 3e, 3i, and 3k: 3a: an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering – Reference to physics and mathematics is typical in the flow of the course. For example, in discussing capacitors and inductors, the basic physics is reviewed. In discussing steady state and transient response, the students are shown that circuit solutions obey differential equations and that such equations have particular and homogeneous solutions. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems This course supports ABET criteria 3e an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems as well as criteria 3i, a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning, and also 3k: an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice |
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