Academic year 2013-14
Principles of Telecommunication
| Degree: | Code: | Type: |
| Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science | 21463 | Optional subject |
| Bachelor's Degree in Telematics Engineering | 21300 | Compulsory subject, 1st year |
| Bachelor's Degree in Audiovisual Systems Engineering | 22649 | Optional subject |
| ECTS credits: | 4 | Workload: | 100 hours | Trimester: | 1st |
| Department: | Dept. of Information and Communication Technologies |
| Coordinator: | Alfonso MartÃnez |
| Teaching staff: | Alfonso Martinez (theory and seminars), Raúl Parada (seminars), Laura Becerra (labs) |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Timetable: | |
| Building: | Communication campus - Poblenou |
The course Principles of Telecommunications (Principis de Telecomunicació, 21300) is taught in the first term of the academic year. It is compulsory for students in the first year of the Degree in Electronic Engineering from the University Pompeu Fabra. It consists of 4 ECTS credits.
This course presents to the student an overview of the different parts of a telecommunication system, introducing vocabulary and concepts that will be used throughout their academic and professional life. In later years, students will study various courses (among others, Signals and Systems, Data Transmission and Coding, Communication Systems, Transmission and Propagation, and Electronic Circuits) which study each of the parts a telecommunications system separately. This is an introductory course, where it is assumed that students have no prior knowledge of these technologies.
The course focus is more descriptive than analytical, as it ranges from the generation of electromagnetic signals and of the data to the various mechanisms that allow for the reliable transmission of data. These concepts will be introduced in the lectures and will be related to specific communication technologies. The course also includes a practical part with seminar classes, where problems related to the concepts discussed in the lectures are solved, and laboratory classes, where simulations will be carried out of some of the theoretical concepts presented in the theory sessions.
This is an introductory course, where students are assumed to be not particularly related to telecommunication technologies. It does assume mathematical knowledge at pre-university level.
| Generic skills | Specific skills |
|---|---|
|
Instrumental (INS) 1. Capacity for analysis and synthesis.2. Ability to apply knowledge to analyze situations and solve problems. 3. Ability to communicate orally and written in Catalan and Spanish, both in front of audiences expert and amateurs. Interpersonal (INT) 4. Ability to work in a team.5. Leadership, coordination and initiative. 6. Critical thinking. General (SIS) 7. Ability to apply knowledge with flexibility and creativity, adapting to new contexts and situations.8. Ability to progress in the process of training and learning independently and continuously. 9. Drive for quality. |
1. Ability to analyze and specify the basic parameters of a communication system. 2. Ability to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various alternative technologies for deployment or implementation of communication systems, from the point of view of the signal space, disturbances and noise, and analog and digital modulation systems. 3. Acquisition of basic terminology of communication systems. 4. Ability to define the main telecommunications services. 5. Have an overview of the main communications technologies. 6. Ability to understand mechanisms for detection and correction of errors. 7. Ability to understand the need for encryption and to know the standard encryption schemes. 8. Ability to recognize the main multiplexing techniques. |
The course will be graded by continous assesment to properly monitor students' progress. Grading consists of several parts:
Theory: At the end of each the course topics we will have multiple-choice exam on the concepts explained in the theory sessions. The test is done through Moodle within the established time schedule. All tests have the same weight. This part (T) represents 25% of the final grade and is partly recoverable.
Exercises: Grading of this part is given by presentation and delivery of individual exercises and problems corresponding to the lists worked at seminar classes. At most, a total of 3 different exercises will be delivered throughout the course; this part represents 15%. Active participation of students in the seminar sessions represents 10% of the final grade. In total, this part (P) represents 25 % of the course grade. While the delivery part is recoverable, participation is not.
Laboratory: Grading of this part is determined by completion and delivery (through Moodle-Aula Global) of the problems sets in the laboratory within the set deadlines. This is done in pairs of students. This part (L) represents 15 % of the grade for the course and is not recoverable.
Final Test : At the end of the quarter, we will have a test where students have to show their skill in applying the concepts acquired in the course. This part (QF) represents 35% of the course grade. All students who opt for continuous assessment must do this exam. However, in order to do the exam a grade higher than 4 is required in each of T, P, and L. Otherwise, students have to take the final exam (EF) described below.
Students who do not follow the continuous assessment, who have not passed it, and whose final average grade is below 5, have to take an exam at the end of the quarter. This exam (EF) includes a theory part (50%) and a problems part (25%), and will be more thorough that the exam in continuous assessment. In any case the student may retake the participation of the laboratories and workshops (total 25%). Students failing this test may retake it in July of the following year.
Continuous assessment
25%T + 25%P +15%L + 35%QF = NF if each of (T,P,L) exceeds 4
Final Exam :
10%P + 15%L + 75%EF = NF
T0 Introduction to telecommunications
T1 Basics communication concepts: signals
T2 Coding and modulation
T3 Error detection and correction
T4 Encryptiono of information
T5 Multiplexing and switching
Each subject (T1-T5) starts with theory sessions so that students acquire the necessary knowledge. This activity is done in groups of 50-70 students in the classroom. To complete this activity, students should carefully read the lecture notes independently. Occasionally, students will read a document that the teacher deems appropriate in order to successfully complete the learning process. The document will be accessible through the Moodle classroom for the course and students can do this activity independently following, if necessary, the teacher's instructions. Once the lectures for a subject are over, students have to take a test (with multiple-choice questions) in the classroom Moodle course.
Once the theoretical concepts have been acquired, students must demonstrate their skill in applying the knowledge in seminar classes. This is done by choosing appropriately the best alternative to resolve a list of problems; this list will be accessible to students in the classroom Moodle course. These sessions are done in small groups of 12-20 students with the support of the teacher. In these one-hour sessions, students have to actively participate by solving problems on the board, explaining the approach chosen to solve the problem to the other students and to the teacher. After the session, students will have solve a set of problems; the teacher may ask for the delivery of some of these exercises (whether or not included in the list) through a task created for this purpose in the classroom Moodle course. These exercises have to be made and delivered individually. These sessions are compulsory for continuous assessment and students must therefore sign an attendance control list. In case of a justifiable cause for not attending the class, students must submit a valid document. At most two no-shows (appropriately justified) will be accepted, except for the case of serious illness. During the year, the teacher may can take advantage of the small form factor of these classes to introduce a new topic related to the theorety covered in class. In this case, the necessary theory will be presented. As in the other seminar classes, the teacher may ask for the delivey of some problems in these sessions.
The course is completed by laboratory sessions where students, using appropriate software for the course, carry out simulations to better assimilate the theoretical concepts presented in lectures and seminars. Each lab session will last two hours and will be under the supervision of a teacher. In groups of two, students will demonstrate their ability to relate theoretical concepts exposed in the course with simulations. The complete resolution of the practice must be submitted within the deadline set by for this purpose of this task in the classroom Moodle course.
Basic bibliography
-- Data and Computer Communications, William Stallings.
-- Data Communications and Networking, Behrouz Forouzan.
Additional bibliography
-- Computer Networks, Andrew Tanenbaum.
-- Signals: the Science of Telecommunications.
Other teaching material
A the course Moodle classroom, students may get the lecture notes for the theory sessions and the corresponending problem sets for the seminars.