IT&C 327
Digital Communications
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering
Course Description
Ohm's law, power, inductance, capacitance, reactance, impedance, resonance, transformers. Properties of waves and electromagnetic radiation, including light. Communication systems, wired and wireless. Bandwidth, modulation; Shannon's theorem, telecommunications. Network physical and data link layers (ISO/OSI model). Optics/Coax/Twisted pair; RS-232/Ethernet; Signals/Protocols/Packets; digital communication theory fundamentals.
When Taught
Fall
Grade Rule
Grade Rule 8: A, B, C, D, E, I (Standard grade rule)
Min
4
Fixed
4
Fixed
3
Fixed
3
Title
Communications of Digital Information
Learning Outcome
Describe multiple types of digital information and how that information is communicated over wire, wireless, and optical fiber.
Title
Spectrums
Learning Outcome
Describe the significance of the EM spectrum and spectral analysis in digital communications.
Title
Communications Links
Learning Outcome
Describe the data rate limitations of communications links, referencing especially Shannon’s Law.
Title
Signal Modulation
Learning Outcome
List the intrinsic advantages and disadvantages of the three types of signal modulation (amplitude, frequency, phase).
Title
Physical Communication Media
Learning Outcome
Give the physical properties of physical communication media (wire, wireless, optical fiber) and describe how they affect data rate capacity.
Title
Digital Information
Learning Outcome
List the advantages of transmitting information digitally (as compared to older analog methods).
Title
Characterization of Communications Links
Learning Outcome
Describe how communications links are characterized.
Title
Modern Communication Systems
Learning Outcome
Give four characteristics of each of the following communication systems: television, facsimiles, telephone, modems, LANs, WANs, satellite, cell phone and optical systems.
Title
Data Rate Limitations
Learning Outcome
Describe the limitations that resistance, capacitance and inductance impose on data rates over wire.
