EE323|2015

Digital Control Systems

COURSE OUTLINE
1. SEMESTER/YEAR OF STUDY: 2/3
2. MODE OF DELIVERY: Face-to-Face
3. PRE-REQUISITES: EE312
4. COURSE CO-ORDINATOR: Dr. Praneel Chand (contact details given below)
5. TEACHING TEAM:

Lecturers: Dr. Praneel Chand (14 weeks)

Dr. Praneel Chand
Course Co-ordinator & Instructor for EE323
Senior Lecturer in Electronics Engineering
Office: Engineering A-Block
Ph. Extn: 32776
email: chand_pc@usp.ac.fj
Consultation Hours:
Tues: 3-4 pm, Wed: 2-3 pm, Fri: 2-3 pm

Lab Demonstrator: Rahul Kumar (Teaching Assistant)

Lab Technician: Binal Raj

6. LECTURE TIMES & VENUE:

3 hours Lectures, 1 hour Tutorial and 3 hours Labs
Lectures

Day

Monday

Time

8am
9am

Tuesday

8am
9am

Venue 014-028

Tutorials

Friday

Monday

Wednesday

8am 12pm 9am-10am

9am
1pm

014-025

014025

014-113

003-002

Labs
Tuesday

Tuesday Tuesday Wednesday

3pm4pm

1pm 4
pm

4pm
7pm

014-113

009-127

009-127

1pm 4pm
009-127

7. EMERGENCY CONTACTS: Dr. Mansour Assaf (mansour.assaf@usp.ac.fj)

8. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course builds on analogue control system analysis and design. It covers the principles of sampled
EE323 Course Outline, 2015

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data systems and the digital implementation of controllers and compensators as well as the
techniques needed to interface a plant or process to a digital computer based controller. Topics to be
covered include fundamentals of digital control, classical control analysis and design, and state space
analysis and design. It establishes a foundation for advanced digital control systems.
9. COURSE CONTENT

TOPIC
Introduction to Digital Control
Functional block diagram of digital control systems
Review of Sampling - signal samplers, sampled signal
spectrum and effects of sampling rates
Review of quantization and quantization errors
Signal reconstruction - zero order hold (ZOH) circuits

Mathematical Modelling (z Transforms)

Time and frequency domain representation of digital
systems
z-transforms and transfer functions
Inverse z-transforms
Difference equations

System Performance & Specifications

s-plane and z-plane relationship
Stability in the z-plane and Jury stability test
Time domain specifications of digital systems and steady
state error analysis
Frequency response of digital systems

Emulation Design - Digital Controller Design Based on

Continuous Controllers
Digital controller design via emulation techniques difference equation approximation, matched pole-zero
method, bilinear transformation, ZOH approximation, and
impulse invariant approximation
Direct Digital Design
Direct digital controller design via frequency response & zplane root locus

Introduction to State-Space Representations

Concept of state variable models
State space modelling of physical systems
Computing transfer function from state space models,
finding eigenvalues

State Space Representation Analysis

State space representation in controllable, observable, and
diagonal canonical forms
Controllability and observability of a system
State-space similarity transformations
State transition matrices

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State-Space Design
State feedback controllers
State estimators (observers)
State compensators: combined state feedback and
estimator

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10.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Develop mathematical models of digital control systems.

Analyse mathematically modelled and physical digital control systems using first principles
of mathematics and engineering sciences and modern tools.
Design and test digital controllers and compensators for modelled and physical systems
using first principles of mathematics and engineering sciences and modern tools.
Function as an individual, and as a member or leader of a team.
Produce written reports and oral presentations of practical work.
Apply project management techniques to the planning and execution of future work.

The following table demonstrates the alignment of the above learning outcomes to appropriate
activities and assessments:
Course Learning Outcome

IPENZ Graduate
Attributes

Associated Activities

Assessment
Technique

(State the appropriate

GAs as per pp 6-13 of
Requirements for
Accreditation or
Recognition of
Engineering Education
Programmes ACC 02)
1. Develop mathematical
models of digital control
systems

WA1, WA2

Lectures, Tutorials, Labs,

Project work

Tests, Tutorial
questions, Labs,
Mini-project,
Examination

2. Analyse mathematically
modelled and physical
digital control systems
using first principles of
mathematics and
engineering sciences and
modern tools

WA1, WA2, WA5

Lectures, Tutorials,
MATLAB exercises, Labs,
Project work

Tests, Tutorial
questions, Labs,
Mini-project,
Examination

3. Design and test digital

controllers and
compensators for
modelled and physical
systems using first
principles of
mathematics and
engineering sciences and
modern tools

WA1, WA2, WA3, WA5

Lectures, Tutorials,
MATLAB exercises, Labs,
Project work

Tests, Tutorial
questions, Labs,
Mini-project,
Examination

4. Function as an individual,
and as a member or
leader of a team

WA9

Labs, Project work

Labs, Mini-project

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5. Produce written reports

and oral presentations of
practical work
6. Apply project
management techniques
to the planning and
execution of future work

WA10

Labs, Project work

Labs, Mini-project

WA11

Project work

Mini-project

11. TEXTBOOK AND COURSE MATERIALS

Prescribed Texts:

1. The core prescribed text is:

C. Phillips, J. Parr, Feedback Control Systems, 5th ed., Pearson, 2011. (ISBN13: 978-0-13-247879-3) (Available at USP Book Centre)

Reference and Supplementary Texts:

Nise, N S. Control Systems Engineering 5th ed., Wiley, 2008. (ISBN-13: 978-0471-79475-2)

1.

* Lectures materials will be available via Moodle for all topics.

12. IMPORTANT DATES
Activity

Week

Date

Time

Room

Test 1

Tue 01/09/2015

8am

014-025

Mini Project Given

Tue 15/09/2015 Wed 16/09/2015

Lab session

009-127

Test 2

13

Tue 20/10/2015

8am

014-025

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Mini Project
Assessment

Tue 27/10/2015 Wed 28/10/2015

14

Lab session

009-127

13. TUTORIALS
Attendance in tutorials is mandatory. Students can choose their tutorial sessions by signing up on the course
shell on Moodle. All tutorials start from the second week.

14. ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO

TYPE OF ASSESSMENT
WEIGHT
14.1 CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT 50%
Short Tests
20%

Lab Experiments

15%

Mini-Project

15%

14.2
Exam

50%

FINAL EXAMINATION

14.3

PASSING THE UNIT

14.4

GRADE DISTRIBUTION

COMMENTS

LEARNING OUTCOME

Two short tests performed under

strict supervision with an allocated
time of approximately 45 minutes.

1,2,3

Laboratory will be assessed in the

lab and reports for the labs that
require it will be assessed and
averaged with the lab output.
There will be MATLAB based
simulation experiments and
hardware labs using the Lab Volt
and Googol Technology
equipment.
Position and/or Speed Control
System.
A summative assessment mostly on
the application of concepts taught
during the semester. The exam will
be three hours and a minimum of
40% is required for an overall pass
in this course.

1,2,3,4,5

1,2,3,4,5,6
1,2,3

In order to be awarded a pass in this unit, students must:

Attend at least 75% of the labs.

Attend at least 60% of TUTORIALS!

Achieve an overall mark of at least 50% in the course.

Achieve at least 40% (20/50) in the continuous assessment.

Achieve at least 40% (20/50) in the final exam.

If you DO NOT comply with these criteria you are automatically deemed to have failed the course
although you will be allowed to attempt all assessments.

A+
85-100

A
78-84

B+
71-77

B
64-70

C+
57-63

C
50-56

D
40-49

E
0-39

15. LABORATORY SESSIONS

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15.1

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

As for any Lab in USP, our Engineering Labs & Workshops have various OHS requirements such as proper
closed footwear, neat unobtrusive clothing, and vigilance is a an utmost due to some HIGH VOLTAGE LIVE
WIRES being present in the labs. You will be required to sign a Lab Safety Rules during the first lab when
you will be briefed by the Occupational, Health & Safety (OHS) officer in the School, Mr. Radesh Lal.
Should you fail to adhere to the rules stipulated in the OHS guidelines, you will be asked to leave the lab
immediately or may be permanently banned from the lab by the Technician in charge.

15.2

LABORATORY WORK and HANDOUTS

Software labs will be conducted using Matlab/Simulink (with Control Systems toolbox). Hardware labs will
be carried out using training modules from LabVolt and Googol Technology. Handouts will be available on
the EE312 Moodle Shell.
16.

ONLINE HELP & e-Learning INFORMATION

16.1

e-Learning

All course materials that will be made available on Moodle, students are encouraged to print out notes
well before time and read through it at least once so that it makes sense once lectures a delivered.
All information and material will be provided on Moodle share for EE323 in the website:
http://elearn.usp.ac.fj. You may login using your SOLS username and password.
Students may either call in personally or seek help via email. Any student seeking help relating to the
course via email should include the following:

16.2

EMAIL HELP

From: <a valid student ID to be used> (Reason: When we send it to outside mail, spammers can get hold
of our address to send us junk mail and it is very time involving to scan through all emails)
Subject: <EE323 xxxxxxx> (This is to ensure that mail filters in my mail client is able to filter it to the
EE323 course folder & I can give priority to your mail. Note we receive almost 20+ USP related emails
apart from student & personal emails!!)
Message Body: write concisely what you need to be clarified. Also include your name at the end. It is a
uncourteous gesture not to include the senders name.

17. ASSESSMENT POLICIES

Rationale
Assessment is an integral part of the learning/teaching process. It is a means by which an individuals progress
is measured.
Purposes
To meet the assessment requirements of the University of the South Pacific
To compare between an individuals performance and be able to use the results to compare between
their past and present achievements
To provide an effective means of formative and summative evaluations
Guidelines
i)

Students should be aware of their assessment requirements each semester. A detailed outline would be
distributed to all students at the beginning of the semester. The outline will have:
The total number of assessments
The proposed dates/deadlines
The nature of the assessments short tests, assignments, etc

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ii)

Majority of assessment tasks are common every semester with incorporation of essential innovations.

iii)

Special equivalent assessment to be carried out only on satisfactory reasons of absence, which may
include:
Major illnesses support by a medical certificate. The validity of the medical certificate may be
required.
Students attendance to an official business
Timetable clashes
If absence is not covered by an acceptable reason, a result of ZERO will be recorded for that
assessment.

iv)

Final examination is moderated by the School moderation committee. Upon publishing the result, the
course coordinator or lecturer are not involved in reassessment (recount) process. It is handled
centrally by the school as per Faculty regulations.
Plagiarism, copying materials from other sources without proper referencing and acknowledge of the
source is a serious offence and will be dealt with severely. In the Regulations Governing Academic
Misconduct section of the USP Handbook & Calendar plagiarism is defined as the copying of another
persons creative work and using it as ones own without explicitly giving credit to the original
creator. Work copied without acknowledgement from a book, from another students work, from the
internet or from any other source. If lecturer is satisfied that plagiarism has occurred they will report
the matter to the Head of School. They can reduce marks appropriately. If the matter is seen as
serious enough it can be taken to the Student Disciplinary Committee by the Head of School.

vii)

viii)

Students may appeal the mark awarded for any piece if work and must do so within a week of
receiving the mark. The changes can only be done by the course co-ordinator.

18. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITES

Students are expected to:

Print and READ the course notes from moodle shell well before the lecture is scheduled to be
delivered.
Attend all lectures, tutorials and laboratory unless hampered by illness.
Carry out assignments individually unless otherwise stipulated within or by the lecturer in the class.
Carry out any research required for laboratory and come prepared in the lab on time with relevant
literature to carry out experiments.
Maintain proper attire for the laboratory, clothing, shoes etc.
Facilitate the course coordinator with any proof that he/she was sick and unable to attend classes or
assessment at the earliest possible time to avoid getting a zero mark for the missed assessment.
Report any damages to the equipment immediately to the technician and laboratory demonstrator.
Be responsible for any damages of USP property due to negligence. (Negligence will be assessed by
the Chief Technician and the Head of School.
Follow all guidelines stipulated in the Schools OHS regulations. (Guidelines will be provided during the
first lab session.

19. EXPECTED STUDENT WORKLOAD

Type

Hours

Comments

Tutorial participation

13.0

13x1 hour tutorials

Tutorial preparation

32.5

2.5 hour per week to complete tutorial problems

Lecture participation

42.0

3x1 hour lectures per week

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Lab participation

21.0

1x3 hour lab for 7 weeks

Lab preparation

7.0

1 hour per week to prepare for labs for 7 weeks

Test participation

1.5

2x 45 minute tests

Test preparation

12.0

6 hours preparation for two tests

Project

42.0

The student is expected to spend about 42 hours on the project ( 3

hours in lab + 3 hours outside lab per week for 7 weeks)

Final exam preparation

30.0

Students expected to spend about 30 hours to prepare for final

exam

Total

201

20.

CLASSROOM RULES

To maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to optimal learning, please follow these simple rules:

21.

Arrive on time
Turn off your mobile phones (or keep them on silent mode)
Do not chat with your neighbors unnecessarily
Avoid any disruptive behaviour

FSTE STUDENT LEARNING SUPPORT (SLS) SERVICES

FSTE Student Learning Specialists provide you with professional assistance for successful study and help you
develop as an independent active learner. Student Learning Support services are provided at the Hub. The
student support staff will:

respond to your email requests through fstetutorsupport@usp.ac.fj.

help you to adapt to the new environment and expectations of students at the USP.
have one-to-one consultations with you to discuss any challenges that you may be facing in your
studies.
connect you to mentors (study buddies) who will guide you and facilitate group discussions with other
students in your courses.
conduct special workshops to upskill and equip you for your assessments and examinations.( e.g.
Literature Review, Report Writing, Presentation Skills, etc.) NB Check your student webmail for
advertisements.
help you unpack and understand your assignments and tutorial questions.
assist you with English language and mathematics basic skills.
provide specific assistance for students with disability.
assist students who have left school for some years (mature students).
assist students who are not performing up to par.

ALL FSTE SLS SERVICES ARE FREE OF CHARGE

More details about the FSTE Student Learning Support can be found at:
Website: http://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=10950

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Moodle: FSTE Student Learning Support

22. AT-RISK STUDENTS

Extra Help (Remedial) Sessions are compulsory for students who have demonstrated prior weak performance.
Extra Help Sessions must be taken in addition to regular tutorials, and a minimum attendance of 60% in these
sessions is required to past the course. Students who qualify for Extra Help Sessions will be notified by the
Course Coordinator prior to the 3rd week of the semester. The purpose of these sessions is to provide students
who have struggled in the past (C grade or less in prerequisite courses) by providing additional contact with
teaching staff to help them succeed in the course. The type of extra help offered in these sessions is
determined by the Course Coordinator. Qualifying students will be identified by the Faculty. Based on student
marks at mid-semester, the Course Coordinator may require struggling students to attend Extra Help Sessions
during the second half of the semester. These sessions can include extra tutorials, workshops, peer mentoring,
etc.

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23.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Week Academic Topics

Staff
1

P. Chand

Assessment

Course outline
Introduction to Digital Control:

P. Chand

Mathematical Modelling:

Lab: MATLAB 3hrs Introduction to Digital Control

Systems

P. Chand

Mathematical Modelling

Lab: MATLAB 3hrs Introduction to Digital Control

Systems

P. Chand

System Performance and

Specifications:

Lab: Googol Technology Ball and Beam System

Digital Position Control

P. Chand

System Performance and

Specifications:

Lab: Googol Technology Ball and Beam System

Digital Position Control

Emulation Design - Digital Controller

Design Based on Continuous
Controllers:
6

P. Chand

Emulation Design - Digital Controller

Design Based on Continuous
Controllers:

Lab: MATLAB 3hrs Compensator Design

P. Chand

Emulation Design - Digital Controller

Design Based on Continuous
Controllers:

Lab: MATLAB 3hrs Compensator Design

Test 1

Direct Digital Design:

8

P. Chand

Direct Digital Design:

Mini-Project given

P. Chand

Introduction to State-Space
Representations

Lab: work on mini-project

10

P. Chand

Introduction to State-Space
Representations

Lab: work on mini-project

11

P. Chand

State Space Representation Analysis

Lab: work on mini-project

12

P. Chand

State Space Representation Analysis

Lab: work on mini-project

13

P. Chand

State-Space Design

Lab: work on mini-project

Test 2

14

P. Chand

State-Space Design

EE323 Course Outline, 2015

Lab: 3hrs

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Mini-project Assessment

Notes:
1. All labs will be assessed during the lab session unless otherwise specified.

EE323 Course Outline, 2015

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