500-Level Courses


ECSE 501 Linear Systems

State equations and input-output descriptions of linear systems: basic properties and solution. Observability and controllability. Matrix Fraction Descriptions. Canonical forms. Feedback synthesis: linear quadratic control problems, pole placement, observers and compensators.


ECSE 502 Control Engineering

Modeling of engineering systems, simulation. Linear systems theory. Performance limitations. Stability of single-input-single-output closed-loop systems. Classical design in the frequency domain. Sampled-data implementation of continuous-time design.


ECSE 503 Linear Stochastic Systems 1

Stochastic processes: stationary processes, the Wold decomposition. The spectral representation theorem. Linear stochastic systems. Estimation Theory: Wiener-Kolmogorov prediction theory, Kalman filtering. Stochastic realization theory. Linear quadratic control theory.


ECSE 504 Computer Control

Sampling and aliasing. Conversion of continuous-time controllers using s-to-z transformations; pre-and post-filtering. Discrete time state representation and z-transfer function of sampled linear, time-invariant systems. Correspondence between system theoretic results for continuous- and discrete-time systems. Sampled-data design, including deadbeat and LQG control. Quantization. Specification of computer system. Study of control system design through case studies.


ECSE 505 Nonlinear Control Systems

Basic ODE formulation of non-linear systems; structural properties; Lyapunov and LaSalle stability theory and nonlinear and multivariable controller design; input-output stability; small gain theorem, conservation, passivity; system linearization, zero and inverse dynamics and regulator design; discontinuous and sliding mode control; applications to deterministic adaptive control.


ECSE 507 Optimization and Optimal Control

General Introduction to optimization methods including steepest descent, conjugate gradient, Newton algorithms. Generalized matrix inverses and the least squared error problem. Introduction to constrained optimality; convexity and duality; interior point methods. Introduction to dynamic optimization; existence theory, relaxed controls, the Pontryagin Maximum Principle. Sufficiency of the Maximum Principle.


ECSE 509 Probability and Random Sig. 2

Multivariate Gaussian distributions; finite-dimensional mean-square estimation (multivariate case); principal components; introduction to random processes; weak stationarity: correlation functions, spectra, linear processing and estimation; Poisson processes and Markov chains: state processes, invariant distributions; stochastic simulation.


ECSE 510 Random Processes

Finite-dimensional functions. Estimation, Orthogonal Projection Theorem. Linear stochastic systems; Kalman filtering. Stationary stochastic processes: spectral Representation Theorem, Wiener filtering, Wold decomposition; ARMA processes. Brownian Motion; Ito integral and stochastic differential equations; forward and backward equations for diffusions. Ergodic theorems. Stochastic dynamic programming. Applications to communication and control systems.


304-511 Intro. to Digital Communications

Amplitude and angle modulation including AM, FM, FDM and television systems; introduction to random processes; sampling and quantization, PCM systems, TDM; digital modulation techniques, Maximum-Likelihood receivers, synchronization issues; elements of information theory including information sources, source coding and channel capacity.


ECSE 512 Digital Signal Processing 1

Review of discrete-time transforms, sampling and quantization, frequency analysis. Structures for IIR and FIR filters, coefficient quantization, roundoff noise. The DFT, its properties, frequency analysis and filtering using DFT methods, the FFT and its implementation. Multirate processing, subsampling and interpolation, oversampling techniques.


ECSE 521 Digital Communications 1

Modulation: orthogonal and biorthogonal signalling, MPSK, QAM, modulation with memory. Detection: coherent, noncoherent and differentially coherent detection, performance issues and channel capacity, synchronization. Coding: block and convolutional codes, fast Hadamard Transform decoding, Viterbi algorithm, turbo-codes. Bandlimited channels: intersymbol interference, spectral shaping, correlative coding, data estimation and channel equalization.


ECSE 522 Asynchronous Circuits and Systems

Specification of asynchronous behaviors. Asynchronous logic components. Hierarchical design and verification. Concurrency issues: deadlock, livelock, starvation, safety. Timing issues. Modern design styles: handshaking, micropipelines. Asynchronous analysis models for protocols and software.


ECSE 523 Speech Communications

Articulatory and acoustic descriptions of speech production, speech production models, speech perception, digital processing of speech signals, vocodors using formant, linear predictive and cepstral techniques, overview of automatic speech recognition systems, speech synthesis systems and speaker verification systems.


ECSE 525 Computer Architecture

Complex and reduced instruction set processors. The design and analysis of memory systems. Interconnection networks. Architecture design. Pipelining, parallel processing, array processors, associative computing. Systolic and wavefront architectures, data flow computers, supercomputing. Fault-tolerant computing. Performance evaluation of computer systems.


ECSE 526 Artificial Intelligence

Design principles of autonomous agents, agent architectures, machine learning, neural networks, genetic algorithms, and multi-agent collaboration. The course includes a term project that consists of designing and implementing software agents that collaborate and compete in a simulated environment.


ECSE 527 Optical Engineering

A structured introduction to modern optical engineering. Topics covered include the propagation of light through space, refraction, diffraction, polarization, lens systems, ray-tracing, aberrations, computer-aided design and optimization techniques, Gaussian beam analysis, micro-optics and computer generated diffractive optical elements. Systems and applications will be stressed throughout.


ECSE 528 Telecom. Network Architecture

Organization of large, highspeed, multiservice telecommunication networks. Connection hierarchies, protocol stacks, transmission formats. Local-area networking: Token Ring and Ethernet. Multiplexing for wide-area transport: performance modelling and analysis, traffic scheduling and shaping. Routing and flow control. Switch architecture: performance criteria, buffer management, routers versus switches and hybrids.


ECSE 529 Image Processing & Communication

Introduction to vision in man and machine; computer vision systems; biological vision systems; biological signal processing; edge detection; spatial- and frequency-domain processing; color. Low-level visual processing in computer vision, psychophysics, and neurobiology, and their similarities and differences.


ECSE 530 Logic Synthesis

The place of logic synthesis in microelectronics. Representations of Boolean functions: logic covers, binary decision diagrams. Two-level synthesis algorithms, Espresso. Multi-level synthesis to Boolean networks: don't care methods, algebraic optimizations, delay modelling. Sequential synthesis: state-based optimizations, state assignment, network optimizations. Technology mapping: library cell and FPGA mapping.


ECSE 531 Real Time Systems

Real-time engineering applications of computers to on-line control, communication systems and data acquisition. Aspects of hardware, software, interfacing, operating systems, and their integration into a complete system are addressed.


ECSE 532 Computer Graphics

Introduction to computer graphics systems and display devices: raster scan, scan conversion, graphical input and interactive techniques - window environments; display files: graphics languages and data structures: 2D transformations; 3D computer graphics, hidden line removal and shading; graphics system design; applications. Laboratory project involving the preparation and running of graphics programs.


ECSE 533 Physical Basis of Semiconductor Devices

Quantitative analysis of diodes and transistors. Semiconductor fundamentals, equilibrium and non-equilibrium carrier transport, and Fermi levels. PN junction diodes, the ideal diode, and diode switching. Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT), physics of the ideal BJT, the Ebers-Moll model. Field effect transistors, metal-oxide semiconductor structures, static and dynamic behaviour, small-signal models.


ECSE 534 Analog Microelectronics

Design of analog ICs using specialized analog CAD tools such as SPICE. Voltage and current amplifier design which encompasses the study of biasing circuits, current sources and mirrors, input and output stages, and frequency compensation; precision reference sources; analog multipliers; oscillators; waveform generators and shaping circuits, and analog switches.


ECSE 536 RF Microelectronics

Introduction to Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits and wireless transceiver architectures. Modeling of passive/active integrated devices. Design of monolithic bipolar and CMOS LNA's, mixers, filters, broadband amplifiers, RF power amplifiers, VCO's, and frequency synthesizers. Analysis of noise and non-linearity in RFIC's. Project using RFIC simulation/layout CAD tools.


ECSE 543 Numerical Methods in Electrical Eng.

DC resistor networks and sparse matrix methods. Nonlinear electric and magnetic circuits: curve-fitting; the Newton-Raphson method. Finite elements for electrostatics. Transient analysis of circuits: systems of Ordinary differential equations; stiff equations. Transient analysis of induced currents. Solution of algebraic eigenvalue problems. Scattering of electromagnetic waves: the boundary element method; numerical integration.


ECSE 545 Microelectronics Technology

Basic techniques in the fabrication of microelectronic circuits. Four-point probe, alloyed contacts, diffusion processes, ion implantation epitaxy, silicon dioxide, photolithography, selected diffusion and metallization, transistor fabrication, dry etching, monolithic integrated circuits, isolation, mask making, thin and thick film components, MOS gate voltage and integrated circuits.


ECSE 547 Finite Elements in Electrical Engineering

Finite elements for electrostatics. Energy minimization. Semi-conductors. Nonlinear magnetics and Newton-Raphson. Axisymmetric problems. Capacitance, inductance, and resistance through finite elements. Resonance: cavities, waveguides. High order and curvilinear elements.


ECSE 548 Introduction to VLSI Systems

(Limited Enrolment - 20), (Departmental approval required).

An interdisciplinary course for electrical engineering and computer science students. A structured design methodology for managing the complexity of VLSI system design. Sufficient information on integrated devices, circuits, digital subsystems and system architecture is presented to enable students to span the range of abstractions from device physics to VLSI digital systems.


ECSE 549 Expert Systems in Electrical Design

Design processes in electrical engineering. Hierarchical design. Computer aided design. Expert system technology. Device representations, heuristics and structures, algebraic models. Design versus diagnosis, "Shallow" and "Deep" systems, second generation (multi-paradigm) systems. Shells and their uses in design systems. Knowledge acquisition systems.


ECSE 559 Flexible AC Transmission Systems

Operating principles of controllers of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS). Transformer, thyristor and gate- turn- off thyristor (GTO) technologies. Modulation methods: harmonic elimination, pulse width modulation. Applications in: shunt and series advanced static VAr Controllers (ASVC), phase shifters, unified power flow controllers (UPFC).


ECSE 560 Power Systems Analysis 2

Main power system analysis tools for system and component design. Balanced and unbalanced operation of three-phase systems, symmetrical components, fault analysis, transient behaviour due to switching and lightning. Applications for a wide range of typical situations such as line design, circuit breaker rating, protective relaying, and insulation coordination are covered.


ECSE 562 Continuum Electromechanics

Quasi-static electromagnetic field equations. Field transformation in moving co-ordinate systems. Boundary conditions and constitutive relations for moving media. Magnetic diffusion and charge relaxation in moving media. Maxwell's stress tensor for the evaluation of force densities. Electromechanics of elastic solids and Newtonian fluids. Application of theories to magneto-hydrodynamics, electro-hydrodynamics, magnetic pumps, linear induction motor and magnetic levitation.


ECSE 563 Power Systems Operation and Planning

Design and operation of large scale power systems: Temporal, spatial and hierarchical decomposition of tasks. Local vs. distributed control. Load-frequency control. Voltage and speed regulation. Interconnected power systems. Power flow. Security states. Optimal operation of power systems. Power system reliability.


ECSE 565 Introduction to Power Electronics

Semiconductor power switches - thyristors, GTO's, biploar transistors, MOSFET's. Switch mode power amplifiers. Buck and boost principles. Modulation methods - PWM, delta, hysteresis current control. Rectifiers, inverters, choppers.


ECSE 570 Automatic Speech Recognition

Acoustic phonetics and signal representations. Pattern classification, stochastic modeling, language modeling and search algorithms as applied to speech recognition. Techniques for robustness, integration of speech recognition with other user interface modalities, and the role of automatic speech recognition in speech understanding.


ECSE 571 Optoelectronic Devices

Physical basis of optoelectronic devices including Light Emitting Diodes, semiconductor optical amplifiers, semiconductor lasers, quantum well devices, and solid state lasers. Quantitative description of detectors, optical modulation, optical logic devices, optical interconnects, and optomechanical hardware. Throughout the course, photonic systems applications will be addressed.


ECSE 573 Microwave Electronics

Physical basis of modern microwave devices and circuits. Microwave transistors and tunnel diodes, transferred electron devices, transit time devices and infra red devices. Microwave generation and amplification, microwave FET circuits. Noise and power amplification.


ECSE 578 Crystals and Conduction

Crystal lattices, point symmetry operations, Miller indices, important crystal structures, lattice matrix, reciprocal matrix, characteristics of X-rays, diffraction theory, structure factor. Kinetic theory of gases review, free electron theory of metals, mobility, classical theory anomalies, quantum treatment, density of states, Fermi Dirac distribution, Kronig Penney model, Brillouin zones, band filling, thermionic emission.


ECSE 579 Properties of Solids

Physical basis of magnetic, dielectric and photonic devices. Lattice specific heat of solids, vibrational modes of a lattice. Dielectric and magnetic properties of solids. Tensor description of properties, elastic waves, optical properties of materials.


ECSE 593 Antennas and Propagation

Courses Description coming soon...


ECSE 596 Optical Waveguides

Introduction to wave and ray optics, ray equation. Kirchhoff-Huygens diffraction theory, Fourier optics, Gaussian beams, propagation characteristics of optical fibers and dielectric waveguides for wideband optical fiber communication systems, waveguide group velocity and dispersion, thin-film waveguides. Discussion of optical fiber communication systems and guided-wave photonic devices.


ECSE 597 Circuit Simulators

Principles of circuit simulation. Formulation of network equations. Frequency domain analysis. Nonlinear networks. Transient analysis. Sensitivity analysis and optimization. Model order reduction. High-speed interconnect analysis. Complex frequency hopping. Analysis of radio frequency circuits.