Course Data Sheet / Syllabus

Course Name Course No. ECTS

Signals and Systems CO27-300201 5
Course Affiliation (component of module…) Pre-requisites Level
Year 1 ☐Fall ☐Spring
CO27-SigProcess, Signal Processing CH10-300101,
Year 2 Fall ☐Spring
CH10-300102
Year 3 ☐Fall ☐Spring
Jacobs Track
☐Fall ☐Spring
Course Description / Content / Aims
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of signals and systems which is the key knowledge for almost all
electrical engineering tasks. Continuous-time and discrete-time concepts/methods are developed in parallel,
highlighting their similarities and differences. Introductory treatments of the applications of these basic methods
in such areas as filtering, communication, sampling, discrete-time processing of continuous-time signals, and
feedback, will be discussed.
To this end, all the major linear transforms are introduced, like Fourier series, Fourier transform, Laplace trans-
form, unilateral Laplace transform, Discrete Fourier Transform, diagonalization of a convolutional Toeplitz matrix
(eigenvalues/eigenvectors of a Toeplitz matrix), and z-transform. Additionally, Hilbert transform, delay and
group delay, stability and minimum phase are discussed. Furthermore, AM and FM modulation are shortly
introduced.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

Be familiar with all linear transforms, the description of signals and systems using those transforms, the meaning of poles and
zeros, and be aware of the meaning of stability and minimum phase.


Workload / Contact Hours

Type Number of Sessions Duration Total
(Lecture/Seminar/Lab) (per Semester) (minutes) (hours)
Lecture 28 75 35
Private Study - - 70
Exam and Preparation - - 20
- - 125

Methods of Assessment
Element Duration Weighting
Midterm Exam 75 min 40 %
Final Exam 2h 40 %
Homeworks or Quizzes Click here to enter text. 20 %
Re-assessment options are regulated in the Undergraduate Student Policy.

Literature / Reading List

Alan V. Oppenheim, Alan S. Willsky, S. Hamid Nawab, Signals & Systems, Pearson, 2 nd edition.

Course Schedule
Session Topic Literature /
Textbook
Chapter
1 Energy vs. power (non-stationary vs. stationary signals) Section 1.1.2, periodicity 1.2.2, even and Oppenheim
odd 1.2.3, complex exponentials and cos/sin , Euler's formula 1.3.2, discrete time exponentials Willsky
1.3.3, unit impulse and step function discrete and continuous (1.4.1, 1.4.2) Nawab,
section
numbers see

Date of Revision: Sep-19

 Course Data Sheet / Syllabus
left
2 Continuous-time and discrete-time systems 1.5, memory, causality, BIBO stability, time invariance,
linearity 1.6
3 Convolution discrete-time and continuous-time 2.1, 2.2, invertibility (deconvolution) 2.3.5,
Causality, stability, unit step response 2.3.6-2.3.8, differential equation solving of exemplary RL or
RC circuit
4 Fourier series derivation, real and complex form, introducing reponse of LTI system into Fourier
series, reminder of complex amplitude description of single sinusoid, Fourier series as
generalization with many sinusoidal orthogonal functions. Example sound of musical instruments
determined by harmonics (double freq.: octave, triple freq: next quint: 4 x freq: next octave …)
5 Derivation of Fourier series as the approximation of a periodic function with minimum mean
squared error, average power in Fourier series and relation between complex amplitudes.
6 Derivation of Fourier transform by the lim of T to infinity (Chapter 4)
7 Properties of the Fourier Transform, for cascade structure (Section 4.4) excursion to analog filter
design, introducing characteristic impedance for two-ports and some remarks on transmission
lines (Chapter 4)
8 Properties of the Fourier transform contd., cascade structure revisited (Section 4.4), allpass
introduced inverse transform using partial fraction expansion. Function of homogeneous and
particular solution in of differential equation describing a network and its source signals, differential
equation to transfer function. Discussing the function of poles and zeros (related to Section 4.7)
9 Fourier exercises in class: 4.1-4.4, 4.7, 4.16
10 Repeating Fourier properties via Tables in Section 4.6, frequency shift in Section 4.5.1, exercise
4.46, sampling theorem (own slides from DSP slide set)
11 Discrete-time Fourier transform and derivation of the DFT, DFT Vandermonde structure, unitary
transform using the Fourier (DFT) matrix. Proof at home that unitary means that average power is
preserved; 2x2 and 4x4 DFT matrices, hint to FFT based on column or row permutations.
12 Hilbert transform, discrete-time Fourier transform (Section 5.1.1), linking to z-transform and
showing the convolution theorem to result from the product of polynomials.
13 Table of transforms from DSP slide set. Reminding of the derivation steps. Deriving Laplace
transform and then linking to z-transform from there. Convergence of discrete-time Fourier
transform in Section 5.1.3,
14 Fourier transform of periodic signals in Section 5.2 (linking to Sampling theorem), Properties of
discrete-time Fourier transform in Section 5.3.
15 Preparation for midterm exam
16 Midterm exam
17 Midterm exam solution as an exercise session
18 Analog modulation AM, PM, FM, Chapter 8
19 Analog modulation ctnd. and some remarks on multiplexing and intro to Time and Frequency
characterization, especially delay and group delay function Chapter 6.
20 Time and frequency characterization of signals and systems, Chapter 6, 6.0 – 6.5, Laplace
transform, Chapter 9, 9.0 – 9.4.1. In class transform of simple functions, like exp(-at), cos(wt),
trapezoidal fct..
21 RoC for causal and anti-causal signals, stability as exponential decay which means Fourier
transform should exist, meaning imaginary axis should be part of the RoC, meaning poles should
be on the left side.
22 Laplace Transform, Chapter 9, two more examples, exp(-a|t|) and exp(-at)cos(w_0t),
differentiation in time, moving circuit components into Laplace domain, two examples of transfer
functions with some input, leading to two real poles and conjugate poles at the output, solving with
partial fraction expansion, all pass with single pole and single zero, minimum phase property,
Heaviside extension and residue theorem just mentioned (not derived or applied).
23 Transfer function properties, link between gamma of differential equation and poles of transfer
function, initial and final value theorems
24 Unilateral Laplace transform, transfer of circuit elements by including initial conditions. Exercises
25 Exercises in unilateral Laplace transform
26 Exercise for generating initial condition by past signal, transition to Laplace, alternatively, here
solution with time-domain solution formula, introduction to z-transform, especially, RoC, transform
of zeros and poles between Laplace and z planes,
27 Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of convolutional Toeplitz matrix, comparing eigenvalue
decomposition with FTF^{-1} = D, the diagonalization of a Toeplitz matrix by Fourier matrices
28 Rehearsal session to prepare for final exam
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Date of Revision: Sep-19