SC 202 – SIGNALS AND FEEDBACK SYSTEMS

Course offered in:

2014-15, Autumn Semester

Instructors:

Prof. Ankur Kulkarni and Prof. Leena Vachhani

Course Content:

  • Signals and systems and their interconnections
  • convolution, differential and difference equations
  • state variable models
  • Fourier, Laplace and z-transforms
  • regions of convergence
  • transfer function
  • linear feedback systems
  • stability problem, the Routh-Hurwitz and root locus method.

Prerequisites:

SC 201

Feedback on Lectures:

This course is taken by two Professors in two different halves and are starkly different. First half deals with Fourier,Laplace transforms and may seem like a recap of MA205 (Complex Analysis). It will require a bit of practice,the same way expected of a MA Course. No slides are provided and it is a good idea to take notes as they contain many rigorous mathematical proofs.

Second half introduces you to Control systems and their analysis. Lectures are of normal pace and the instructor focuses on mostly getting an intuitive feel of how systems behave in closed and open loop, e.g. pole location, stability etc.

Feedback on Tutorials, Assignments and Exams:

Since this course requires a lot of mathematics, each instructor gives 2 assignments each. Assignments are usually easy to do if you have been going to the classes regularly and contribute to the overall understanding of the course.

Exams are of normal length and if you have a good understanding of the theory and can solve the assignment questions, you are good to go.

Each half of course has a weightage of 50 marks. For each half, 20 marks are for tutorials and rest 30 are for the half semester examination.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Grading Statistics:

AA 6
AB 6
BB 10
BC 8
CC 8
CD 6
DD 4
FR 1

Study Material and References:

  • Control Systems Engineering by Norman and Nise
  • Modern Control Engineering by Katsuhiko Ogata.

Takeaways from the course:

Advanced Courses and Applications for the future:

  • EE 640: Multivariable Control Systems
  • SC 627 – Motion Planning and Coordination of Autonomous Vehicles

These courses should only be taken after completing SC 201, SC 202, SC 301 (in that order) as they help you build a foundation and understand the fundamentals of control and systems engineering.

SC 202 is most basic course in making you familiar to control theory which finds applications in automobile anti-lock braking systems, aircraft flight controllers, robotic manufacturing assembly lines, rate-adaptive pacemakers etc. Basically, you study and implement the integration of all component systems making system and control a multi-disciplinary field.

Review by – Yash Sanghvi sanghviyash95@gmail.com