ECE 101 An Introduction to Information Technology

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ECE 101 An Introduction to Information Technology

• Introduction to ECE 101

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Course Objectives

• To introduce Information Technology as a key and
  integral part of Electrical Engineering
• To introduce some basic terms and concepts of
  Information technology and Electrical Engineering
• To introduce the different aspects of Electrical
  Engineering
• To introduce societal implications of IT and EE
  including ethics and professionalism
• Along the way, to have fun with our learning

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Electrical Engineering

• Communications (including Telecommunications and
  Networks)
• Signal Processing
• Computer Engineering
• Control Systems
• Electromagnetics and Microwaves
• Electronics and Photonics
• Power Engineering

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Signals and Information

• Signal A physical representation of a process,
  such as electronic impulses, light or sound waves
• Message the Content of the signal, such as am
  or fm modulation, binary words
• Information Knowledge that can be extracted
  from a message

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Information Definition

• Definition
• Quantity needed by a system to complete a task
  (Kuc)
• Knowledge communicated or received concerning a
  particular fact or circumstance (dictionary)
• Reliability of storing and communicating
• Analog vs Digital

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Information Path
Source of Information
Information Destination
Digital Sensor
Information Receiver and Processor
Information Processor Transmitter
Transmission Medium
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Course Content -1

• Information Introduction its generation,
  acquisition, storage, transmission, and reception
  (1)
• Acquiring information by means of sensors (2)
• Processing information for transmission (3) A/D
  (and D/A)
• Manipulation of information (incl. Digital Logic)
  (4)

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Course Content -2

• Computing Systems (5) that perform coding and
  character formation
• Information Theory (probability) (6)
• Measurement of information present in data
• Information Coding (bar codes, information
  compression) (7)
• Code words from symbols
• Detecting and correcting errors
• Maximizing information transmitted
• encryption

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Course Content -3

• Information Transmission (8)
• Channel capacity
• Channel noise
• Cellular telephone
• Data packets and networks
• Internet
• The Future of Information Technology (10)
• Ethics Professionalism (notes)

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The Natural World is AnalogRef Cyganski and
Orr, Info. Technology
Human speech is an example of analog
communication. Speech causes air to vibrate with
varying amplitude (volume) and frequency (pitch).

• This continuous acoustical waveform can be
  detected by a device and converted into an
  analogous electrical waveform for transmission
  over a circuit.

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Digital and Analog Signals

• Analog
• Continuous smooth variables
• Slide rule
• Mercury thermometer
• old records
• VCR
• Analog Computers

• Digital
• Discrete, finite number of variables
• Calculator
• Digital thermometer
• CD
• DVD
• (Digital) Computers

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The Digital World

• Rapid rise of digital information is due largely
  to advances in electronic devices and computer
  hardware software
• Computers routinely process information which is
  represented in digital form as binary digits
  bits, 0s and 1s.

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Digital Information

• Why choose digital information
• Easy to use, manipulate, store, and transmit
• More reliable
• Hence need a conversion, back and forth
• Digital data is processed by logic gates, which
  are formed into logic circuits to perform useful
  functions
• Logic circuits lead to computers

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Information Processing

• Amount of information present in data is measured
  as the entropy
• Information can be coded for error detection and
  correction techniques for robust storage and
  encrypted for security
• Data are transmitted over a variety of channels
• Computers are limited in their capacity to
  manipulate data

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Just a few typical applications

• Bar codes on products
• USPS bar codes on mail
• Credit and debit cards
• CDs and DVDs
• Cellular telephones
• Computers and computing systems
• Networks including internet
• Digital clocks
• Burglar alarms

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A few personal notes
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In our professional life,what is it that we all
want?

• SUCCESS! (among other things!)
• but what is success?
• SUCCESS IS
• IS THE PROGRESSIVE REALIZATION OF A WORTHWHILE
  GOAL.

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What leads to Success at a University?

• Attitude Dedication to Excellence
• Organization of Time and Study Habits
• Perseverance and Patience
• Willingness to Ask Questions and Seek Help
• MORE THAN
• Academic background
• Native Intelligence

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Success at a University - 1

• BE ACTIVE
• Risk failure in order to progress, failure is
  rarely fatal
• Team work - requires respect of people
• Action often requires Change Change is not
  coming - it is here
• Fire in your belly real interest now,
• not instant gratification
• rewards follow later
• Be Balanced

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Success at a University - 2

• Be Active
• Be Balanced
• Be Creative
• what is the French for Engineers?
• ingenieur gt engineer
• most rewarding part of professional life create
  something new - that is appreciated by others
  helping others through teamwork
• Be Dedicated
• to what is right and true, you wont go wrong

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Advice

• Treat school as your primary job,
• Be flexible,
• Listen and appreciate the views of others, be a
  good team worker,
• Dont always keep the focus on yourself,
• Admit to your mistakes, be real!
• Get excited! You are in an exciting, relevant,
  and rewarding field!!

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Welcome to a Great Profession

• Be Dedicated Creative
• Enjoy your work,
• Have fun!
• Rewards will be yours! ,,L,DM,F,,!