Undergraduate Level 100 Courses
Foundations of Computer Engineering I
Prerequisite: Engineering student or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture, 2 hours laboratory
Algorithm development, syntax and semantics of the C programming language stressing computer systems concepts. Concepts of the machine model, procedural programming and program development including coding, debugging and testing of programs are covered. The use of libraries, header files and macros are covered. Engineering examples are used. Variables, operators, control, input/output, arrays, structures, functions, pointers and files are covered using engineering examples.
Foundations of Computer Engineering II
Prerequisite: ECE 160
3 hours lecture, 2 hours laboratory
Computer system and program design issues, abstract data types, dynamic memory allocation, procedural and data structures using the C programming language. Concepts of the machine model, procedural programming and program development including coding, debugging and testing of programs are covered. The following data structures are covered: linked lists, stacks, queues, binary trees and hash tables. Run time complexity and procedural abstractions such as recursive functions are discussed. Features of the C programming language such as multiple header files, libraries and input/output programming with files are covered using engineering examples.
Directed Study
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor, department chairperson, and college dean
Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area covered in a regular course not currently being offered. Requires the submission and approval of a detailed proposal that will become part of the student's file. Conditions and hours to be arranged.
Undergraduate Level 200 Courses
Circuit Theory I
Prerequisites: EGR 101; and MTH 114 or MTH 112
3 hours lecture, 1.5 hours laboratory
The first course covering basic theory of circuit analysis. The goals of this course include developing an ability to solve engineering problems and to design, implement and test circuits to meet design specifications. Topics include network theorems, review of techniques to solve simultaneous equations, nodal and mesh circuit analysis, dependent sources, Thevenin's and Norton's equivalent circuits, solution of first and second order networks to switched DC inputs, natural responses, AC circuit steady-state response analysis, review of complex numbers, phasors, coupled inductors and ideal transformers, rms voltage and current, the maximum power transfer theorem, balanced 3-phase systems, and power and energy computations. Group classroom and project activities require design, simulation, implementation and measurement of practical circuits. Written reports of project results are required.
Circuit Theory II
Prerequisites: ECE 201
3 hours lecture, 1.5 hours laboratory
The second course in basic circuit theory and design. Topics include applications of Laplace transforms to solutions of switched circuits and differential equations with initial conditions, stability, poles/zeros, Fourier transform, frequency response, Bode plots, network analysis, and equivalent circuits. Students are introduced to graphical convolution and Fourier series. Group classroom and project activities require design, implementation and measurement of filters and other circuits to meet design specifications.
Elements of Electrical Engineering I
Prerequisite: MTH 114 or MTH 112
3 hours lecture
Introduces the non-ECE major to some of the basic concepts in Electrical Engineering. The laws of circuit theory and their applications in the analysis of both DC and AC circuits consisting of passive components (resistors, capacitors, and inductors) are introduced. The concepts of power, impedance, reactance, complex power, phasors, and frequency response are discussed. Semiconductor devices (diodes and transistors) are introduced, analyzed, and applied in basic circuits. Use of available computer software to simulate and evaluate circuit performance is required.
Elements of Electrical Engineering II
Prerequisite: ECE 211
3 hours lecture
Second course of two-part sequence for non-ECE majors, covering more advanced concepts/applications of Electrical Engineering. Amplifiers utilizing bipolar or field-effect transistors are analyzed and designed. The concepts of feedback systems are introduced in the application of operational amplifiers as summers, integrators, differentiators, filters, and comparators. Basic Boolean algebra and elements of digital logic (gates, adders, flip-flops, counters, and registers) are applied in the analysis and design of practical digital circuits. Use of available computer software to simulate and evaluate the analog and digital circuit designs and homework problems is required. In addition, three-phase power, magnetic circuits, and the characteristics, control, and application of AC and DC machines are studied.
ECE 250 one credit
#maincontent Fundamentals of MATLAB
Prerequisite: ECE 160
0.5 hours lecture, 1.5 hours laboratory
Introduction to the MATLAB programming language. Topics include, but not limited to, arrays, script files, functions, function files, two-dimensional plots, programming in MATLAB.
ECE 251 one credit
#maincontent Elements of Electrical Engineering Laboratory
Co-requisite: ECE 211
3 hours laboratory
Introduces and develops basic bread-boarding techniques and circuit construction; acquaints the non-ECE student with measurements using voltmeters, ammeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, and signal generators; and demonstrates the practical use of some fundamental electronic devices in simple applications. Students use a computer software package to simulate the behavior of the devices and circuits, which have been constructed and tested in the laboratory exercises.
Fundamentals of UNIX
Prerequisite: ECE 160
2 hours lecture
Fundamentals of the UNIX operating system. Students apply the skills learned in ECE 160, using the UNIX operating system. Topics covered include X-windows, several basic UNIX commands, compilers and debugging tools, scripting tools, the use of system libraries, and the creation of system libraries.
Digital Logic and Computer Design
Prerequisite: Engineering student or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture, 1.5 hours laboratory
Fundamental theory and design methods for digital systems. Topics include logic components, Boolean algebra, combinational circuit analysis and design, synchronous and asynchronous sequential circuit analysis and design, state diagrams, state minimization and assignment, basic computer organization and design. This course also teaches the use of software tools for design, minimization, simulation, and schematic capture of digital systems. The digital systems that are designed will be implemented using MSI, LSI, and field programmable gate arrays. A hands-on laboratory is included in which students work in teams.
Embedded System Design
Prerequisite: ECE 260
3 hours lecture, 1.5 hours laboratory
A study of embedded system design useful to electrical and computer engineers, including assembly language programming, program debugging, and system design. Students learn the fundamentals of microprocessor technology including instruction set architectures, memory hierarchy design, and input/output functions. Practical applications apply this technology toward the design of systems involving data collection, automatic control and operator interfaces. Emphasis is placed on hands-on program development using a microcontroller.
Object-Oriented Software Development
Prerequisite: ECE 160
3 hours lecture, 2 hours laboratory
Basic object-oriented concepts. This course covers language concepts including objects, classes, and polymorphism from the viewpoint of object-oriented design; and implementation including portability, maintainability, networking, and concurrency. There is a term project applying the object-oriented approaches to the entire life-cycle of software development, in which the students work in teams to prototype a software system with design tools and test the system against various design criteria.
Experiential Learning
Prerequisites: At least sophomore standing and GPA equal or greater than 2.0. Permission of the instructor, department chairperson, and college dean
#maincontent Work experience at an elective level supervised for academic credit by a faculty member in an appropriate academic field. Conditions and hours to be arranged. Graded CR/NC. For specific procedures and regulations, see section of catalogue on Other Learning Experiences.
Directed Study
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor, department chairperson, and college dean
Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area covered in a regular course not currently being offered. Requires the submission and approval of a detailed proposal that will become part of the student's file. Conditions and hours to be arranged.
Undergraduate Level 300 Courses
Engineering Ethics
1 hour lecture
Theory and practice in engineering ethics. This course, offered by a team of multi-disciplinary engineering faculty, examines codes of ethics and studies real-life cases. Applying fundamental tools, discussing with peers, and inviting engineers/speakers, students carry over their analytical talents into a new area of moral deliberation. Examples of various engineering fields concerning ethical, social, economic, and safety issues are analyzed to give students a full understanding of engineering ethical practice. Students are also engaged in practice of mock company in multi-disciplinary student teams.
Digital Electronics
3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory
Fundamentals of solid-state electronic devices and the application of these devices to the design of digital circuits. Among the topics covered are junction transistors, logic gates, MOS and CMOS logic design, bipolar logic design using emitter-coupled logic (ECL). Focus is on the design of logic circuits through solving design-oriented problems and the design, implementation, and testing of logic circuits by means of computer simulation software. The course has an integrated laboratory, and, in addition, contains a component designed to increase awareness of the dynamic nature of the field.
Analog Electronics
3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory
Fundamental concepts of analog electronics and the application of these concepts to the design of analog circuits (both discrete and integrated). Among the topics covered are the fundamentals of operational amplifiers, small-signal modeling and linear amplification, single-transistor amplifiers, and multistage amplifiers. Also covered are frequency response, feedback, stability and oscillators. Focus is on the design of analog circuits through solving design-oriented problems and the design, implementation, and testing of analog circuits by means of computer simulation software. This course has an integrated laboratory.
Discrete-Time Linear Systems
Prerequisites: ECE 202 and ECE 250
3 hours lecture
Introduction to discrete-time signal analysis and linear systems. Topics include time domain analysis of discrete-time linear time-invariant (LTI) systems, solution of difference equations, system function and digital filters, stability and causality, discrete-time Fourier series, discrete-time Fourier transform and discrete Fourier transforms, z-transforms, sampling and the sampling theorem, discrete-time state equations, and communication systems. Students use analysis tools to design systems that meet functional specifications.
Continuous-Time Linear Systems
Prerequisites: ECE 320 and MTH 212
3 hours lecture
Introduction to continuous-time signal analysis and linear systems. Topics include classification of signals and systems, basic signal manipulation, system properties, time domain analysis of continuous-time linear time-invariant (LTI) systems, Laplace transform and its use in LTI system analysis, transfer functions and feedback, frequency response and analog filters, Fourier series representation and properties, continuous-time Fourier transform, spectral analysis and AM modulation, and simulation.Students learn to use signal analysis tools.
Electromagnetic Theory I
Prerequisites: ECE 201, MTH 213 (or MTH 211), and PHY 112 (or PHY 114)
3 hours lecture
Fundamentals of time-invariant electric and magnetic fields and time-varying electromagnetic fields leading to general Maxwell’s equations. Topics include the electromagnetic model, vector calculus, electrostatic fields, steady electric currents, magnetostatic fields, electromagnetic induction, slowly time-varying electromagnetic fields, and Maxwell’s equations in integral and differential form; solutions of Maxwell’s equations in the presence of boundary conditions are presented. Maxwell’s equations in complex domain are introduced and utilized. Circuit theory and its relationship to electromagnetics is presented as an approximate form of Maxwell’s equations. Numerical techniques for field computation are introduced.
Electromagnetic Theory II
Prerequisite: ECE 335
3 hours lecture
Fundamentals of electromagnetic waves, propagation, and radiation as a continuation of ECE 335. The course reviews general Maxwell's equations in integral and differential form, and electromagnetic boundary conditions. Poynting's theorem and Lorentz potentials are studied. Topics include the propagation of uniform plane electromagnetic waves in free space and in various media (including wave reflection and refraction, and skin effect), transmission-line theory using frequency- and time-domain analysis, analysis of waveguides and electromagnetic resonators, and fundamentals of radiation and antennas. Numerical techniques for radiation and scattering are introduced.Two laboratory experiments on transmission lines and waveguides are performed.
Algorithms
Prerequisites: ECE 161, MTH 114 (or MTH 112), and MTH 350
3 hours lecture
Computer algorithm design concepts, computational complexity, NP-completeness, and the design and analysis for efficient algorithms. Topics include data structures, sorting, graph, shortest path, depth first search, breadth first search, and network flow networks, computational geometry, dynamic programming, linear programming, parallel and distributed, and other state-of-the-art algorithms. The course includes group projects and presentations requiring students to design experiments to determine algorithm's complexity as well as to design algorithms for problem solving.
Operating Systems
3 hours lecture
Operating system design and implementation using the specifics of current operating systems. The course covers file, process, memory and Input/Output management; multitasking, synchronization, and deadlocks; scheduling and inter-process communication. Projects include team system’s programming assignments to investigate the kernel interface, files, processes, and inter-process communication for a current operating system.
Digital Design
Prerequisite: ECE 263
2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory
Synthesis of state machines including design, applications and implementation. Register transfer languages and ASM chart design methodologies. PLA, ROM-centered, and FPGA implementations. Specific applications to controllers and interface devices will be discussed. An FPGA based laboratory experience is included.
Random Signals and Noise
Prerequisite: ECE 320
3 hours lecture
Concepts of probability and statistics as they apply to random signals and their effect on system analysis and design. Topics covered include basic probability, random variables, probability density and distribution functions, joint distributions, conditional distributions, functions of a random variable, mean, variance, covariance, characteristic functions, random processes, correlation functions, power spectral density, linear systems, linear filters, systems that maximize signal-to-noise ratio, and selected applications and designs from communication theory, sonar and radar, and control theory.
Directed Study
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor, department chairperson, and college dean
Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area covered in a regular course not currently being offered. Requires the submission and approval of a detailed proposal that will become part of the student's file. Conditions and hours to be arranged.
Undergraduate Level 400 Courses
Engineering Internship
Prerequisites: Senior standing; submission of a detailed project proposal to be approved by the appropriate curriculum committee
An electrical or computer engineering project performed under the joint supervision of an industrial or governmental sponsor and a faculty advisor. ECE 400 is an approved technical elective and may not be substituted for ECE 457/458 - Design Project I/II.
Undergraduate Research
Prerequisite: Senior standing
Investigations of a fundamental and/or applied nature intended to develop research techniques, initiative, and self-reliance. Also, studies are conducted in areas not included in the formal course offerings. Admission to the course is based on a formal proposal endorsed by an advising professor. On the recommendation of the advising professor, the course may be extended for another three credits.
Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Topics of timely interest in electrical and computer engineering. Course content may change from year to year according to instructor's preferences.
Active Circuits I
Prerequisite: ECE 312
3 hours lecture
Design course in the manipulation and generation of signals using analog integrated circuits, especially operational amplifiers. Methods are developed to understand and control the impact of practical component limitations like input and output impedance, frequency response, offset voltages, bias currents and cost. Stability considerations and compensation techniques are studied, and students are introduced to noise considerations in circuit design. Students design, build and test many of the circuits discussed in the course such as precision voltage and current sources, V/I and I/V converters, and active filters. Students work individually on small designs but in teams on larger ones.
Introduction to VLSI Design
Prerequisites: ECE 311
3 hours lecture
Introduction to design of Very Large Scale Integrated Circuits (VLSI), taught at the transistor level. Computer tools are used to create and simulate integrated circuit layouts. Levels of design automation covered include Full Custom layout, Schematic Driven layout, Standard Cells and fully automated synthesis of HDL code. Students are required to complete a project that can be submitted for fabrication.
Introduction to Analog Integrated Circuit Design
Prerequisite: ECE 413
#maincontent 3 hours lecture
Introduction to the design of CMOS analog integrated circuits (ICs), with occasional references to bipolar ICs to make comparisons. Students are required to complete the design of a reasonably complex IC and make a class presentation of its design methodology and simulation results.
Introduction to Solid State Electronics
Prerequisite: PHY 114 (or PHY 112)
3 hours lecture
Solid state device behavior. Among the topics covered are semiconductor fundamentals, p-n junction theory, and both the bipolar and the field effect transistor. Emphasis is placed on those transistor parameters that need to be considered in VLSI and microwave applications.
Antennas and Propagation
Prerequisite: ECE 336
3 hours lecture
Solution of Maxwell's equations for radiation problems. Hertzian dipole as a fundamental radiation element is described. Radiation patterns, directivity, gain, antenna impedance, radiation efficiency, and antenna polarization are defined. The course reviews wire dipole antennas, loop antennas, antennas above ground plane, and corner reflector antennas. Topics include receiving antenna properties, antenna arrays, and microstrip patch and slot antennas. Rectangular horn antennas and parabolic reflector antennas are studied. Also discussed are ground-wave propagation and ionospheric propagation.
Wireless Communications
Prerequisite: ECE 320
3 hours lecture
Introduction to the principles and practice of wireless communications. The course presents the concepts of frequency reuse and cellular structure and covers propagation effects, multipath fading, digital and analog modulation, diversity and equalization, multiple access and wireless networks. The course also presents modern wireless systems and standards. The focus of the course is to understand wireless communications at a systems level and is designed as a senior elective for departmental majors. Basic understanding of electromagnetic wave propagation and communication theory is expected. The course includes a project related to new technological advances in wireless systems.
Advanced Electromagnetic Theory
Prerequisite: ECE 336
3 hours lecture
Vector analysis in a generalized orthogonal coordinate system. The course reviews basic electromagnetic-field theorems. Two- and three-dimensional boundary value problems are addressed and solution methods presented. Topics include wave propagation in multi-layer media and wave polarization. Waveguides with cylindrical conducting boundaries, special waveguide types, waveguide devices, cavity resonators, radiation, and scattering are also studied.
Microwave and RF Engineering
Prerequisite: ECE 335
3 hours lecture
Review of transmission line theory. The concept of impedance transformation is presented. The characteristics of coaxial lines, waveguides and microstrip lines are studied in detail. Propagation and impedance properties of these lines are derived. Smith charts are used for designing matching and tuning circuits. The use of S-parameters and the analysis of multi-port networks are presented. Passive multi-port devices such as microwave power couplers and dividers are described. The fundamentals of microwave and RF filters and resonators are discussed, and their implementation using microstrip lines and waveguides is also presented.
Wireless System Design
Prerequisite: ECE 335
3 hours lecture
Design of microwave and RF wireless systems. Transmission line theory and network analysis are reviewed and the fundamentals of antenna theory are presented. Basic antennas such as dipoles, slots, and horns are covered. System noise and its description are discussed. Operational concepts of microwave detectors and mixers are presented. The design and analysis of detector and mixer circuits are covered. Operational concepts of microwave and RF amplifiers, oscillators and frequency synthesizers are presented. The integration of components in microwave and RF receivers and their performance are covered. Microwave systems such as radar, remote sensors and radiometers are also described.
Electromechanical Energy Conversion
Prerequisite: ECE 311
3 hours lecture
Transformers and rotating machines. Among the AC devices studied are three-phase transformers, induction motors, reluctance motors, stepper motors, and synchronous motors. DC motors and electric vehicle drive circuits are included.
Power Electronics
Prerequisite: ECE 311
3 hours lecture
Electronic circuit design techniques using power semiconductor devices for industrial and residential applications. Typical applications include switching DC power supplies, power conditioners, DC-to-AC inverters, DC-to-DC converters, motor controllers, AC-to-AC converters, and utility-intertie.
Power Systems I
Prerequisites: ECE 335
3 hours lecture
First course of a two-semester sequence covering energy sources such as fossil-fuels, nuclear, hydro, photovoltaic, wind, and bio-mass; loads such as residential and commercial end-users; and the transmission-distribution networks that connect them.
Power Systems II
Prerequisite: ECE 443
3 hours lecture
Second course of a two-semester sequence continuing with the modeling, analysis, and design of power generating plants, loads, and transmission-distribution networks.
Fault-Tolerant Computing
3 hours lecture
Techniques for designing and analyzing dependable and fault-tolerant computer-based systems. Topics addressed include: fault, error, and failure cause-and-effect relationships; fault avoidance techniques; fault tolerance techniques, including hardware redundancy, software redundancy, information redundancy, and time redundancy; fault coverage; time-to-failure models and distributions; reliability modeling and evaluation techniques, including fault trees, cut-sets, reliability block diagrams, binary decision diagrams, and Markov models. In addition, availability modeling, safety modeling, and trade-off analysis are presented.
Computing Methods of Numerical Analysis
Prerequisites: ECE 250, MTH 212, and MTH 213 (or MTH 211)
3 hours lecture
Mathematical methods useful to the engineer, including topics from numerical analysis and linear algebra. Students learn how and when to apply a particular numerical analysis tool or method and can analyze and interpret the results provided by the method. Emphasis is placed on selecting appropriate numerical tools for a variety of basic problems, applying them, and studying their reliability, efficiency, and computer implementation. A large number of problems are solved using the computer.
Computer Architecture
3 hours lecture
An examination of various components that make up a computer system, including CPU, memory, input/output, and buses, as well as how they work together to form a functioning computer system. The major advances in computer organization and architecture including von Neumann architecture, interrupts, the family concept, microprocessors, cache memory, virtual memory, virtual I/O, pipelining, RISC, superscalar processors, IA-64 (EPIC), micro-programmed control unit as well as parallel processing are also presented. This course includes team projects.
Design Project I
Prerequisites: Senior standing in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
2 hour lecture, 3 hours laboratory
The goal of this course is to prepare the student to undertake and successfully complete the capstone design experience embodied in the subsequent course ECE 458 Design Project II. The objectives of this course include providing a firm basis in the methodology of planning and executing an engineering design project, exposing the student to real case studies involving engineering design, forming a design project group and developing group skills in executing design projects, preparing a design project plan, and having the student groups select a design project of appropriate complexity and their faculty advisor in preparation for the subsequent course ECE 458. Included in this course are two major written reports and two major oral presentations as well as minor reports and presentations.
Design Project II
Prerequisite: ECE 457
1 hour lecture, 6 hours laboratory
Continuation of ECE 457. Goals of this course are for the student to conduct, successfully complete, and professionally present the results of his/her capstone design project under the oversight of his/her faculty advisor. The objectives of this course include executing the design project plan prepared in ECE 457, conducting group activities associated with the execution of the design project, participating in design reviews, preparing the project report, and presenting and demonstrating the results of the project activities to a group of faculty, students, and industry representatives. Included in this course are three major written reports and three major oral presentations as well as minor reports and presentations.
Computer Systems Performance Evaluation
3 hours lecture
Probability and statistics with applications to principles of queuing theory, computer systems simulation, and empirical analysis techniques as applied to computer systems modeling. This course is oriented toward a practical application of theory and concepts to computer systems hardware and software performance.
Microprocessors I
3 hours lecture
Design and construction of a microprocessor based computer system. Students will learn how a computer operates at the chip level and develop an understanding of the interdependence of hardware and software. Students will develop circuitry and software to control CPU interaction with SRAM, ROM and peripheral chips, as well as reset and boot-up control and interrupt handling. At the end of the course, students will have produced a working computer.
Microprocessors II
Prerequisite: ECE 461
3 hours lecture
Design and construction of an advanced microprocessor computer system. This course is a continuation of ECE 461 in which students will modify the previous design to accommodate multiple processors to achieve parallel computation or use an advanced microprocessor to achieve higher performance.
Database Programming
2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory
Database management system specification, design, implementation, operations and evaluation introduced using a current industrial grade database management system (Oracle, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL or Informix UDS). SQL language concepts including object-relational operations, object-language relational schema modeling using entity-relationship modeling concepts, data definition language, data manipulation language, data control language, persistent stored modules, triggers and assertions specification and use, applied within both ad-hoc and embedded systems environments are investigated in a studio classroom context. The laboratories include team database application development projects utilizing all major elements of contemporary object-relational database languages aimed at developing least cost solutions to contemporary information management problems.
Advanced Database Design
Prerequisite: ECE 466
2 hours lecture, 2 hours laboratory
Database management systems and operations. Students learn how to describe and design a database, how to describe and specify embedded and ad-hoc database applications, and how to develop least cost solutions to information management problems integrated through a series of database design exercises implemented within an industry grade database management system. Topics include database management systems architecture and operations, database applications specification, database stored procedure design, database embedded program design, and database ad-hoc specification and design.
Advanced Computer Architecture
Prerequisite: ECE 456
3 hours lecture
Advanced computer design, emphasizing fundamental limitations and tradeoffs in designing high performance computer systems. Students develop an understanding of the theoretical foundations in both hardware and software by studying parallel computer models; program partitioning, granularity, and latency; processor architectures and interconnects; and memory hierarchy, interleaving and bandwidth. Specific architectures such as shared memory multi-processors, message passing multi-computers, and superscalar, supervector, VLIW and dataflow designs will be explored.
Computer Networks
3 hours lecture
Introduction to current networking methodologies. Backbone design, layered architecture, protocols, local and wide area networks, internetworking, broadband, electrical interface, and data transmission. Simulation projects are included.
Communication Theory
3 hours lecture
Probability theory, signals and linear networks, Fourier transforms, random processes and noise are reviewed. Analog communications including amplitude and frequency modulation with and without noise are studied. Digital communications including baseband pulse modulation, quantization, sampling theory, digital pulse shaping, matched filter, Nyquist criterion and error rates due to noise are covered.
Advanced Communications Systems
Prerequisite: ECE 471
3 hours lecture
Continuation of ECE 471. Signal-space analysis is introduced. Passband digital transmission, direct sequence and frequency-hop spread-spectrum modulation and multiuser radio are studied. Entropy is discussed and channel capacity is derived. Block and convolutional error-control coding is covered.
Digital Signal Processing
Prerequisite: ECE 320
3 hours lecture
Methods and techniques for digital signal processing, covering the basic principles governing the design and use of digital systems as signal processing devices. Review of discrete-time linear systems, Fourier transforms and z-transforms. Topics include allpass and minimum-phase systems, linear phase systems and group delay, sampling, decimation, interpolation, discrete-time filter design and implementation, discrete Fourier series, discrete Fourier transform, the fast Fourier transform, and basic spectral estimation. Applications to digital processing of real data are included.
Digital Processing of Speech Signals
3 hours lecture
Applications of digital signal processing to speech signals. Course goals are to reinforce concepts learned in prerequisite courses, to introduce new tools needed to deal with time-varying signals and to have students apply what they have learned to their own voices. A semester design project is a large component of this course. Topics include a review of digital signal processing and random signal fundamentals, brief introduction to articulatory and acoustic phonetics, time-domain methods for speech processing, short-time Fourier analysis, homomorphic speech processing, linear predictive coding of speech, and applications.
#maincontent Control Theory I
Prerequisite: ECE 321
3 hours lecture
Classical control of single-input single-output systems. Both time domain and frequency domain analysis and design techniques are presented. Subjects included are signal flowgraphs, control devices, electrical motors, root-locus, Bodé plots, stability, Routh-Hurwitz criterion, Nyquist stability, phase lead/lag controllers and PID controllers.
Control Theory II
Prerequisite: ECE 481
3 hours lecture
Continuation of ECE 481. Control Theory II introduces control of discrete systems, modern control theory, and nonlinear control. Concepts of discrete systems, state variables, observability, controllability, phase plane and describing functions method are surveyed.
Advanced Engineering Mathematics
Prerequisites: MTH 213 (or MTH 211) and MTH 212
3 hours lecture
Selective topics in advanced engineering mathematics. The mathematical areas considered are linear algebra, partial differential equations, complex analysis, and calculus of variations. Representative examples of the topics covered are real and complex matrices, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, method of separating variables for solving partial differential equations, solution of partial differential equations by Fourier series and integrals, integration of complex functions, Taylor and Laurent series, conformal mapping, unconstrained and constrained optimization, and Lagrange multipliers.
Database Systems I
Prerequisite: CIS 370 (or ECE 367)
3 hours lecture
Introduction to database systems from an architectural and functional perspective. The course provides an overview of database systems architecture, computer representation of information, computer data storage, properties of persistent data, database structuring models (relational, object, object-relational, and entity-relationship), transaction processing models, concurrency control techniques, database transaction recovery, and security. These concepts will then be explored by examining and comparing the architecture and operations of database systems such as conventional, real-time, temporal, fault-tolerant, distributed, heterogeneous, secure and others.
Network Security
Prerequisite: ECE 469
3 hours lecture
Principles and practices of security in computer networks. This course covers the theoretical foundations of securing computer networks including cryptography and models. It steps through the practical process of defending networking resources. It also reveals various case studies, large and small, to familiarize the techniques that attackers use. An Internet Testbed is facilitated for students to experiment attacks and defenses.
Introduction to Ocean Engineering
Prerequisite: Senior standing in the College of Engineering
2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory Lab includes boat trips and LMSET Acousto/Optic Tank Experiments
Study of a range of ocean engineering topics to provide a basis for the design of systems, which must function in the ocean environment. Topics include ocean waves, water quality, ocean optics, vehicle dynamics, underwater structures, and ocean sensing systems. The course also includes laboratory experiments aboard the UMass Dartmouth research vessel Lucky Lady and experiments in the acousto/optic tank at the UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology.
Principles of Underwater Systems
Prerequisite: ECE 491
3 hours lecture
Principles that govern the design and operation of underwater systems, for engineering students. The student should develop a broad understanding of underwater systems that will prepare him/her for more advanced studies and/or engineering projects in underwater systems. Topics include generation of sonar signals and sound propagation in the ocean. The course also includes laboratory experiments aboard the UMass Dartmouth research vessel Lucky Lady and experiments in the acousto/optic tank at the UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology.
Independent Study
Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of the instructor, department chairperson, and college dean
Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area not otherwise part of the discipline's course offerings. Requires the submission and approval of a detailed proposal that will become part of the students file. Conditions and hours to be arranged.
Directed Study
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor, department chairperson, and college dean
#maincontent Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area covered in a regular course not currently being offered. Requires the submission and approval of a detailed proposal that will become part of the students file. Conditions and hours to be arranged.
Graduate Level 500 Courses
Master's Graduate Research
Prerequisite: Submission of a formal proposal endorsed by a faculty advisor
Investigations of a fundamental and/or applied nature intended to develop design techniques, research techniques, initiative, and self-reliance. Admission is based on a formal proposal endorsed by an advisor and submitted to the ECE Graduate Program Director.
Applications of Active Circuits
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Advanced analog design techniques with emphasis on using operational amplifiers. Topics include multi-pole transfer functions and stability, noise calculations, interfacing with digital circuits, and specialized analog applications. Problems are solved using numerical and circuit simulation software packages.
Random Signals and Systems I
Prerequisite: Probability and random variables; or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Random variables and probabilistic description of signals and systems. The course provides the analytical tools for studying random phenomena in engineering systems and provides graduate students with an extensive treatment of probability theory, Bayes theorem, random variables, distribution and density functions, conditional distributions, moments, functions of random variables, characteristic functions, stochastic processes, Gaussian processes, stationary processes, correlation functions, power spectral density, response of systems to random inputs, mean square error estimation, filtering and prediction, and noise analysis. The course prepares students for a wide range of courses in communications, signal processing, acoustics, control and other areas of engineering in which random signals and systems have an important role.
Digital Spectral Analysis
3 hours lecture
Spectral estimation techniques with particular emphasis on performance/resolution tradeoffs. The course enables participants to understand spectral estimation and acquire a working knowledge of the spectral analysis techniques available, with a critical understanding of the advantages and limitations of all spectral estimation techniques studied. The student learns: (1) the limitations of Fourier transform based spectral estimators; (2) the benefits and limitations of high resolution methods; (3) how to choose accurate and appropriate models; (4) the state-of-the-art in modern spectral estimation; (5) how the modern spectral estimators perform in practice; (6) when to select each spectral estimation method.
Solid State Electronics
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Solid state device behavior. Among the topics covered are semiconductor fundamentals, p-n junction theory, and both the bipolar and the field effect transistor. Emphasis is placed on those transistor parameters that need to be considered in VLSI and microwave applications.
Digital Filters
3 hours lecture
Design, simulation, and implementation of digital filters. After a review of classical FIR and IIR design techniques and modern AR, MA, and ARMA techniques, the course immerses the student in problem solving with digitized signals and DSP microprocessors. These problems include noise reduction, echo cancellation, signal detection, etc. Computer simulation is an integral part of the course, and students are expected to have some familiarity with small computer operating systems and assembly language programming concepts.
Active Remote Sensing of the Environment
3 hours lecture
Principles and applications of active remote sensing techniques. Course focuses on microwave and millimeter wave radar techniques. Topics include radar equation, detection theory, scattering from targets and natural surfaces, and imaging systems. The following sensors are covered: synthetic aperture radar (SAR), radar scatterometers, altimeters, polarimetric radars and interferometric radars. Applications include ocean wave and wind measurements, soil moisture measurements, biomass measurements, measurement of land topography, and precipitation studies. Course also includes laboratory computer exercises for analyzing and processing real sensor data.
Passive Remote Sensing of the Environment
3 hours lecture
Principles and applications of passive remote sensing techniques. Course addresses the use of sensors such as thematic mappers, optical multispectral scanners, infrared radiometers and multispectral microwave radiometers. The following sensors are covered: Thematic Mapper, SPOT, AVHRR, SSM/I and WINDRAD. Applications include ocean color and productivity measurements, ocean temperature measurements, salinity measurements, ocean wind measurements, marine pollution monitoring and atmospheric measurements. Course also includes laboratory computer exercises for analyzing and processing real sensor data.
Radar Engineering
Prerequisite: ECE 436 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Fundamentals of microwave radar engineering and radar system analysis. The course covers the radar equation, radar detection theory, noise analysis, radar cross-section, continuous wave and pulsed systems, moving target indicators, pulse compression, radar transmitters and receivers. Also covered are radar systems such as pulsed Doppler radar, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR), polarimetric radar and interferometric radar. Applications include target detection, radar remote sensing, satellite oceanography and terrain mapping.
VLSI Design
Prerequisite: ECE 311 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Design of Very Large Scale Integrated Circuits (VLSI), taught at the transistor level. Computer tools are used to create and simulate integrated circuit layouts. Levels of design automation covered include Full Custom layout, Schematic Driven layout, Standard Cells and fully automated synthesis of HDL code. Required readings from the current literature lead to a formal written report on recent developments in VLSI. Students are required to complete and present at least one project. Some designs may be fabricated.
Analog Integrated Circuit Design
3 hours lecture
Introduction to the design of CMOS analog integrated circuits (ICs), with occasional references to bipolar ICs to make comparisons. Required readings from the current literature lead to a formal written report on recent developments in analog ICs. Students are required to complete the design of a complex IC and make a class presentation of its design methodology and simulation results.
Applied Computational Electromagnetics
Prerequisite: ECE 336 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Numerical techniques for practical applications in electromagnetic scattering, propagation, and radiation. The course reviews fundamentals of electromagnetic field and wave theory and covers all basic classes of computational techniques used in modern applied electromagnetics. Numerical techniques include the method of moments, finite difference method, finite element method, and physical optics. Applications cover static and quasi-static problems, transmission lines, scattering, and antennas.
Antenna Theory
Prerequisite: ECE 336 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Antenna fundamentals, antenna arrays, and basic types of antennas for wireless communication. Mathematical solution of Maxwell’s equations for radiation problems is introduced. Basic antenna parameters are defined and discussed. Electrically small antennas are analyzed. Theory of receiving antennas is presented. Topics in antenna arrays include the array factor, pattern multiplication, multidimensional arrays, and phased arrays. Several types of antennas are studied, including wire and microstrip antennas.
Electromagnetics of Signal Integrity
Prerequisite: ECE 336 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Electromagnetic fundamentals of signal integrity in high-speed, high-density interconnects. Theory of multi-conductor transmission lines (MTLs) is presented. Per-unit-length capacitance, inductance, conductance, and resistance matrices of MTLs embedded in a multi-layer substrate are introduced and evaluated numerically using the method of moments. Time-domain response of MTLs terminated in arbitrary networks is studied. Circuit-analysis models for MTLs in the Laplace-transform domain are introduced. The effects of signal delay, distortion, cross-talk, ringing, multiple reflections, and losses are discussed.
Electromagnetics
Prerequisite: ECE 336 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Advanced electromagnetics concepts, with in-depth studies of electromagnetic waves, radiation, and scattering. Time-varying electromagnetic fields, electrical properties of matter, and electromagnetic theorems are presented. Wave equations are discussed, along with wave propagation, polarization, reflection, and transmission. Multiconductor transmission lines, waveguides, cavity resonators, and radiation and antenna principles are studied. Geometrical optics, diffraction theory, and physical optics are introduced. Topics in scattering include scattering by planar surfaces, cylinders, wedges, and spheres.
Database Systems I
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and at least a C grade in programming
3 hours lecture
Introduction to database systems from an architectural and functional perspective. The course provides an overview of database systems architecture, computer representation of information, computer data storage, properties of persistent data, database structuring models (relational, network, object, object-relational and entity-relationship), transaction processing models, concurrency control techniques, database and transaction recovery, and security. These concepts will then be explored by examining and comparing the architecture and operations of database systems such as conventional, real-time, temporal, fault tolerant, distributed, heterogeneous, secure and others.
Fault-Tolerant Computing and Reliability Engineering
Prerequisites: MTH 212; MTH 331 or ECE 384; or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Techniques for designing and analyzing computer-based systems. Topics addressed include: fault, error, and failure cause-and-effect relationships; fault avoidance techniques; fault tolerance techniques, including hardware redundancy, software redundancy, information redundancy, and time redundancy; fault coverage; time-to-failure models and distributions; reliability modeling and evaluation techniques, including fault trees, cut-sets, reliability block diagrams, binary decision diagrams, and Markov models. In addition, availability modeling, safety modeling, and trade-off analysis are presented. The course will also include a research project and investigation of current topics.
Network Security
Prerequisite: ECE 469 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture,1 hour laboratory
Principles and practices of security in computer networks. This course covers the theoretical foundations of securing computer networks including cryptography and models. It steps through the practical process of defending networking resources. It also reveals various case studies, large and small, to familiarize the techniques that attackers use. An Internet Testbed is facilitated for students to experiment attacksand defenses.
Fundamentals of Acoustics
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
3 hours lecture supplemented by classroom demonstrations
Fundamentals of acoustics including vibration and wave propagation in solid and fluid media. Topics include: vibration and wave propagation in one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional media including strings, bars, membranes, plates and fluids; mechanical and electrical equivalent circuit models, separation of variables and normal modes; the development of the homogeneous and inhomogeneous linearized wave equation and solutions; propagation of plane waves and spherical waves in gasses and fluids, derivation of speed of sound for arbitrary fluids, complex sound speed and wave numbers; acoustic impedance, acoustic velocity, acoustic displacement and energy relations; reflection, transmission, refraction and attenuation phenomena in fluids.
Computer Systems Performance Evaluation
Prerequisites: ECE 460 and graduate standing
3 hours lecture
Development of a broad working knowledge of probability, queuing theory, petri-nets, simulation and empirical modeling as applied to computer systems hardware and software performance modeling and assessment. The course is oriented toward a practical application of theory and concepts with an emphasis placed on the use of computer tools to model performance and to perform tradeoff analysis.
Computer Systems
3 hours lecture
An examination of various components that make up a computer system, including CPU, memory, input/output, and buses, as well as how they all work together to form a functioning computer system. The major advances in the computer organization and architecture including von Neumann architecture, interrupts, the family concept, microprocessors, cache memory, virtual memory, virtual I/O, pipelining, RISC, superscalar processors, IA-64 (EPIC), micro-programmed control unit as well as parallel processing are also presented. State-of-the-art research projects are assigned to prepare students to perform research in the field of computer organization and architecture.
Advanced Computer Architecture
Prerequisite: ECE 561 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Advanced computer design, emphasizing fundamental limitations and tradeoffs in designing high performance computer systems. Students develop an understanding of the theoretical foundations in both hardware and software by studying parallel computer models; program partitioning, granularity, and latency; processor architectures and interconnects; and memory hierarchy, interleaving and bandwidth. Specific architectures such as shared memory multi-processors, message passing multi-computers, and superscalar, supervector, VLIW and dataflow designs will be explored.
Computer Operating Systems
3 hours lecture
Operating system design and implementation using the specifics of current operating systems. Topics covered include: file, process, memory and Input/Output management; multitasking, synchronization, and deadlocks; scheduling and inter-process communication. Projects include system’s programming assignments to investigate the kernel interface, files, processes, and inter-process communication for a current operating system.
Microprocessors I
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in the College of Engineering
3 hours lecture
Design and construction of a microprocessor based computer system. Students will learn how a computer operates at the chip level and develop an understanding of the interdependence of hardware and software. Students will develop circuitry and software to control CPU interaction with SRAM, ROM and peripheral chips, as well as reset and boot-up control and interrupt handling. At the end of the course, students will have produced a working computer.
Microprocessors II
Prerequisite: ECE 566
3 hours lecture
Design and construction of multiprocessor microprocessor computer systems. This course is a continuation of ECE566 in which students will modify the previous design to accommodate multiple processors to achieve parallel computation.
Advanced Computer Networks
Prerequisite: ECE 469 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Advanced topics on the protocols, algorithms and tools supporting the development and delivery of quality assured services over networks. The course covers capabilities provided by emerging ultra-fast network technologies, routers and routing functions. Emphasis in on todays de-facto Internet standards of TCP/IP protocol suite, recent developments and research issues for next generation internetworking driven by multimedia real-time distributed applications requiring quality of service guarantees.
Digital Communications
Prerequisite: ECE 471 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Fundamentals of digital communications. Topics covered include information theory, vector signal space, detection of digital signals in noise, sampling process, waveform coding techniques, digital modulation and demodulation techniques, error control coding, spread spectrum modulation, and wireless communications.
Discrete-Time Signal Processing
3 hours lecture
Representation, analysis and design of discrete signals and systems. Topics include a review of the z-transform and the discrete-time Fourier transform, the fast Fourier transform, digital filter structures, digital filter design techniques, quantization issues and effects of finite word-length arithmetic, sampling and oversampling, decimation and interpolation, linear prediction, the Hilbert transform and the complex cepstrum. Students gain experience in analyzing and designing digital signal processing systems through computer projects.
Sonar Signal Processing
3 hours lecture
Classical theories in detecting and processing both active and passive signals in noise with special emphasis on the underwater environment and associated techniques in sound navigation ranging (SONAR). Both spatial and temporal processing methods are studied including beamforming, matched filtering, effects of noise and interference, application and utility of frequency agile signals, narrowband and broadband passive techniques, and adaptive algorithms to address the time/space varying interference sources. Applications in underwater detection, classification, localization and communication are also discussed.
Artificial Intelligence
Prerequisites: Probability and random variables; or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
An introduction to artificial intelligence and expert systems. Topics covered include state-space representations and search methods; problem-reduction representation and search methods; Bayes networks; theorem proving using predicate calculus; natural languages; expert system design using Lisp or Prolog; and an introduction to neural networks and pattern recognition.
Time Series Analysis
Prerequisite: ECE 384 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Fundamentals of time series analysis. Topics covered: moving average and autoregressive models; estimation of the mean and autocorrelation; statistical forecasting; spectral analysis and estimation; bivariate processes; linear system identification; and nonstationary time series. Application to electrical engineering and marine science problems is emphasized.
Mathematics of Systems Analysis
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
3 hours lecture
Elementary exposition of linear algebra and time domain methods and their utility in the analysis and design of linear systems. Linear space, state variables, controllability, observability, assignability, linear state variable feedback design, time variant systems and adjoint model are included.
Optimal Control Theory
Prerequisite: ECE 581
3 hours lecture
The calculus of variations and classical optimal control techniques based on it. Modern control theory is presented including Pontryagin’s principle of maximum and Bellman’s dynamic programming. Relation to Hamiltonian mechanics is discussed.
Nonlinear Systems Theory
Prerequisite: ECE 581
3 hours lecture
Analysis and design techniques for nonlinear systems. Topics covered include singular points, contraction mapping, existence and uniqueness of solutions, comparison principle, Lyapunov stability, stability of perturbed systems, slowly varying systems, input-output stability, circle criterion, Popov criterion, small-gain theorem, describing function method, feedback control design via linearization, exact feedback linearization, and other selected topics from nonlinear control theory.
Estimation Theory
3 hours lecture
Basic concepts and principles of estimation theory. Topics include least squares estimation, recursive least squares estimation, best linear unbiased estimator, Bayes estimation, maximum likelihood estimation, maximum a posteriori estimation, conditional mean, Gauss-Markov random processes, Kalman filtering, prediction, smoothing, and nonlinear estimation. Estimator bounds and properties are discussed.
Fuzzy Sets and Applications
Prerequisite: Probability and random variables; or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Concepts of fuzzy sets, understanding their impact on mathematics, and development of the principles of design. Crisp sets, their operations, and classical two value logic are reviewed and extended to fuzzy sets and fuzzy logic. Relations, orderings, compatibility maps, and morphisms are extended to their fuzzy counterparts. Fuzzy numbers, fuzzy arithmetic and equations are presented. Approximate reasoning, evidence theory, possibility theory and probability are covered. Measures of uncertainty, vagueness, and information are developed. Application to fuzzy control is presented while applications to other disciplines are studied via individualized student projects.
Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Topics of timely interest in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Course content may change from year to year according to instructor’s preferences.
Principles of Project Engineering
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
An introduction to design, scheduling, managing, implementation and documentation of engineering and applied science projects. The course emphasizes the methodologies that lead to successful execution of projects and the phases and steps of the design process. The course requires the students to practice writing parts of a professional technical document or journal submission. Students work on real engineering tasks and assignments of contemporary importance; these works may be work or school related.
Independent Study
Prerequisite: Submission of a formal proposal that includes grading procedure and must be endorsed by the instructor, the students advisor, the ECE Graduate Program Director, and the department Chairperson before the course begins.
Allows study into areas not included in the formal course listings.
Directed Study
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor, the ECE Graduate Program Director, and the department Chairperson.
Allows completion of a numbered course formally in the graduate program listing but not being offered as a scheduled class.
Underwater Acoustics I
Prerequisite: ECE 557 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Underwater aspects of sound including a review of the wave equation and its solutions. Topics include: production, propagation and reception of sound underwater, radiation impedance, normal modes in rectangular and cylindrical cavities, acoustic waveguides, group speed and phase speed, introduction to transducers and arrays, beam patterns and aperture functions Fourier transform pairs, beam steering, The wave equation and its application to boundary value problems are reviewed. The Eikonal equation, velocity profiles in the ocean, ray tracing techniques and propagation models of sound in the sea are introduced. Transmission loss, noise, directivity and the passive and active sonar equations are also developed.
Underwater Acoustics II
Prerequisite: ECE 597 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
A continuation of ECE 597. This course covers advanced aspects of underwater sound propagation including ray, normal mode, parabolic and WKB approximations, shallow water treatments, surface and bottom reflection, scattering theory, reverberation, and ambient and self noise studies.
Graduate Seminar
Prerequisite: Graduate Students in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Course includes instruction in library services, introduction of department faculty research and laboratories, thesis/dissertation requirements, professional ethics and standards, and seminar presentations by speakers from industry and academia in addition to UMass Dartmouth faculty. Students are required to attend several department seminars and participate in technical discussions and write a report by the end of the semester.
Graduate Level 600 Courses
Masters Graduate Project/Thesis
Prerequisite: Submission of a formal proposal endorsed by the Students Graduate Committee
Investigations of a fundamental and/or applied nature, intended to develop design techniques, research techniques, initiative, and self-reliance. For the project option, after three credits, a written project report has to be completed and approved by the students graduate committee. For the thesis option, after six credits, a written thesis must be completed in accordance with the rules of the Graduate School and the College of Engineering. Admission to the course is based on a formal project/thesis proposal endorsed by the students graduate committee and submitted to the ECE Graduate Program Director.
Masters Graduate Thesis
Prerequisite: Submission of a formal proposal endorsed by the students Graduate Committee
Investigations of a fundamental and/or applied nature, intended to develop design techniques, research techniques, initiative, and self-reliance. A written thesis must be completed in accordance with the rules of the Graduate School and the College of Engineering. Admission to the course is based on a formal proposal endorsed by the students graduate committee and submitted to the ECE Graduate Program Director.
Pre-Dissertation Research
Research for and preparation of doctoral dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal must provide a thorough survey of the research activities in the research topic area and it must present original and innovative research ideas and preliminary results as well as a defined research scope and directions. Ph.D. students must have passed this course before registering for doctoral dissertation research credits. Graded P/F
Doctoral Continuous Enrollment
Prerequisite: ECE Ph.D. students with approval of faculty advisor
Ph.D. students who have completed course credit requirement but not yet passed qualifying exam may take the course with approval of faculty advisor.
Distributed Computing Architecture
Co-requisite: ECE 562
3 hours lecture
An in depth exploration of the architecture and systems of state-of-the-art distributed computers. Students will develop an understanding of the requirements and design issues associated with high performance computing using networks of commodity computers, including the underlying networking technologies and issues and techniques associated with process scheduling and load balancing. Representative systems will be examined.
Distributed Computing Programming
Co-requisite: ECE 562
3 hours lecture
An in depth exploration of the issues and methodology in programming distributed computers. Students will develop an understanding of the programming languages and supporting programming environments associated with high performance computing on networks of commodity computers. Representative algorithms and applications will be examined.
Current Topics in Distributed Computing
Co-requisite: ECE 562
3 hours lecture
A survey of issues and methodology in programming distributed computers. Students will develop an understanding of the hardware and software used in high performance computing based upon networks of commodity computers. Representative systems, algorithms and applications will be examined.
Database Systems II
Prerequisite: ECE 541
3 hours lecture
An in depth view of database management systems architecture and operations. The focus is on architectural and operational aspects of transactions and transaction processing. Topics include properties of data in a database, database management systems architecture, transaction properties, transaction processing, transaction and database recovery, concurrency control, locking protocols, storage management and the application of concepts within various database systems. The course includes a design project derived from topics covered.
Advances in Database Systems
Prerequisite: ECE 541
3 hours lecture
An in depth exploration of the theory, architecture, implementation and design of state-of-the-art specialized data base systems. Students will develop an understanding of the requirements and design issues associated with emerging technologies applied to specialized database systems. Database systems to be studied will be selected based on present research interest of course faculty and students.
Wavelets
Prerequisites: ECE 574 and graduate standing
3 hours lecture
Basic theory and applications of wavelets and filter banks. Wavelet theory provides very general techniques that can be applied to many tasks in signal processing, e.g., multi-resolution analysis in computer vision, sub-band coding in speech and image compression, and wavelet series expansions in applied mathematics. The course is designed to enable participants to understand wavelet theory and to acquire a working knowledge of the techniques available in this signal processing area. In particular, a paramount goal is to enable each participant to develop a critical understanding of the advantages and limitations of wavelet analysis.
Advanced Topics in Signal Processing
3 hours lecture
Advanced signal processing topics. Content may vary according to instructors preferences but typically includes selections from: two-dimensional signal processing, higher-order spectral analysis, chaotic signal processing, array signal processing, multirate signal processing, optimal filtering and linear prediction, time-frequency and time-scale signal analysis, smart antennas, and inverse problems (signal reconstruction). Applications are discussed in radar, sonar, acoustics, speech, communications, and image processing.
Adaptive Filtering
3 hours lecture
Basic theory of adaptive filter design and implementation including applications. Topics include optimal filters, adaptive linear combiners, performance measures, adaptive FIR filters, adaptive IIR filters, and nonlinear adaptive filters. Applications in adaptive signal processing include adaptive modeling and system identification, adaptive deconvolution and equalization, and adaptive interference canceling.
Digital Speech Processing
3 hours lecture
Signal processing and statistical techniques used in processing speech signals providing an understanding of how these techniques are used in the coding, synthesis and recognition of speech. Topics typically include the human vocal and auditory systems, characteristics of speech signals, lossless tube model of speech production, time and frequency domain representations of speech, time-frequency speech analysis methods, homomorphic speech processing, speech coding, speech synthesis, speech recognition, pitch detection and processing, and acoustic preprocessing for speech recognition.
Computer Network Management
Prerequisite: ECE 569 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Advanced topics in computer networks. Topics include: network management systems and architectures; network management protocols and standards; management of information bases. Examples are drawn primarily from the Internet (e.g., SNMP).
Information Theory
Fundamental aspects of information theory. Topics covered include discrete and differential entropy, discrete source and channel model, information rate, mutual information and channel capacity, coding theorems for sources and channels, the data processing theorem, encoding and decoding of data for transmission over noisy channels, rate distortion theory, maximum entropy distributions and entropy estimation techniques for unknown sources. Several applications of information theory are included.
Signal Detection Theory
3 hours lecture
Fundamentals of detection theory. Topics include Bayes and Neyman-Pearson tests, composite hypothesis testing, nonparametric test, detection of known signals in Gaussian noise, detection of signals with random parameters in noise, multiple pulse detection of signals, generalized likelihood ratio test, Bayes and maximum likelihood estimators, space-time processing, application to radar and sonar.
Pattern Recognition
Prerequisite: ECE 521
3 hours lecture
An introduction to the theory and applications of pattern recognition. Topics include descriptions of patterns, problem formulation, linear and nonlinear classification theories, representation of patterns, feature selection, supervised and unsupervised training, nonparametric methods in pattern recognition, cluster and mode-seeking techniques, recursive algorithms using stochastic approximation, sequential pattern recognition, design of computer recognition experiments, linguistic approach to pattern recognition.
Time-Frequency Signal Processing
Prerequisites: ECE 574 and graduate standing
3 hours lecture
Time-varying signal processing methods. The course covers many of the prevalent techniques that have been developed over the years for time-frequency signal analysis and addresses the characteristics and properties of time-frequency representations in Cohens fixed kernel class, e.g., the spectrogram and the Wigner distribution. The course covers many time-frequency representations and addresses their performance tradeoffs in applications. Gradually, the student learns about the terms that are pertinent to the field and develops an understanding for the state-of-the-art of this area of signal processing.
Sonar Systems Engineering
3 hours lecture
Principles and design of sonar systems. Topics include: complex array and element apertures (weighting) functions, and beam shaping; linear, planar, and volumetric arrays; directivity and beam-forming; operating and installation of sonar systems; improving signal-to-noise ratios; wave vector spectrum filtering.
Neural Networks
Prerequisites: ECE 521
Theory of neural networks. Topics include learning models, single and multilayer perceptrons, LMS algorithm, back propagation algorithms, radial basis function networks, Hopfield networks and Boltzman machine, self-organizing systems including Hebbian learning, Kohonen feature map algorithm, temporal processing neural networks, biological neural networks, and VLSI implementation.
Digital Image Processing
3 hours lecture
Fundamentals of digital image processing. Topics include human vision models, 2-D sampling and quantization, image transforms, image enhancements, color image processing, image restoration, image and video compression, image segmentation by thresholding and region analysis, texture analysis, boundary descriptions, morphological methods, image processing system architecture.
Geophysical, Radar and Speech Signal Processing
3 hours lecture
Common mathematical frameworks in the processing of geophysical, radar, and speech signals are introduced, followed by a study of individual source mechanisms and transmission media. Specific digital filtering, deconvolution, spectral analysis and interference or clutter rejection techniques are discussed. Case studies for effective processing of seismic, radar and speech signals are also included.
Computer and Robot Vision
Prerequisites: ECE 678 or permission of instructor
3 hours lecture
Conditioning and labeling, the facet model, texture models, image segmentation and arc extraction, 3-D shape representation and shape recovery, surface reflection mechanism, shape from shading, range image analysis, stereo vision, 2-D and 3-D motion analysis, non-rigid body motion analysis, relational matching, 3-D object recognition, fundamentals of robot vision, architecture of computer vision systems.