CPEN - Computer Engineering

This course introduces students to the practice of engineering. It exposes students to the fundamentals of hardware and software systems, and the process of building solutions that meet functional and technical requirements. It gives students an opportunity to hone problem solving skills in the context of a number of team-oriented engineering design activities.

This course introduces students to the computer-based tools used by engineers in the course of their work. Tools include Matlab, Maple, CAD, Excel, SPSS, and C++.

This course provides a modern introduction to logic design and technology. It covers a survey of common combinational circuit components, sequential circuit design and timing analysis and use of modern HDL CAD Tools for digital systems design, synthesis, and simulation. Topics include representation and manipulation of information, combinational and sequential logic fundamentals, digital logic technology, combinational and sequential functions, finite state machines, hardware descriptive language, programmable logic devices, memories, and register transfer logic (RTL) design.

This course introduces students to how electrical circuits function. Topics include DC and AC electrical current and voltage, electrical energy, and electrical power. Circuit components such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors are explained both in terms of their underlying physics and how they influence the behavior of electric circuits. Circuit analysis techniques such as Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's voltage and current laws, Thevenin and Norton transformations, and the superposition theorem are explained and used to solve problems. Basic electrical measurement techniques are demonstrated and applied in a series of laboratory experiments.

This course provides an introduction to concepts and methodology of linear dynamic systems in relation to discrete- and continuous-time signals. Topics include representation of systems and signals; Fourier, Laplace, and Z-transforms; and convolution. Linear systems are described in terms of inputs and outputs and expressed as transfer functions. Systems are analyzed in the time domain and frequency domain. Filtering and processing of signals will be discussed as application of the theory. System response will be modeled and visualized using simulation software.

This course covers the material properties of semiconductors, the physics of semiconductor operation, and the operating principles of diodes, bipolar and field-effect transistors, feedback and operational amplifiers and regulated power supplies. Circuit analysis techniques are applied and industry-standard tools and applications are used to model and understand the characteristics, operation, performance and limitations of fundamental electronic devices. Topics include wave-particle duality, semiconductor energy bands, formation of n and p-type carriers, p-n junctions, I-V characteristics, BJT and FET operating modes, and power regulators.

This study of computer architecture covers the design and operation of basic components of the computer, including the central processor unit, memory unit, and I/0 unit. The course covers fundamental computing concepts such as instruction set architectures, machine mode, memory systems, and I/O interfacing. Programming assignments provide practice working with assembly language techniques, including looping and subroutines, while hardware-focused assignments provide practice with datapath design and implementation.

This course builds on the foundation provided in CPEN 30000 Computer Architecture 1. This course covers various processor performance improvement techniques including pipelining, instruction-level parallelism, branch prediction, memory multi-level caching and virtual memory, with emphasis on the implementation and performance analysis of these techniques. Students use hardware description language and CAD tools for the design input and timing analysis of the processor design. The course also provides a survey of modern and state-of-the-art processor implementations.

This course discusses the operation, design, and analysis of integrated computing systems, considering both the hardware and the software and their impact on each other. The material will be taught from the application perspective of embedded systems. Topics include embedded systems as hardware/software platforms; networks of devices; communication buses; device drivers and interrupts; processes, threads, and tasks; real-time operating systems; embedded software development tools; real-time operating systems; and benchmarking of computer systems.

This course introduces the fundamental principles of wired and wireless digital communications systems, including conversion of information to digital data, encoding and decoding techniques, and the reliable transmission of digital data. Topics include foundational concepts such as bandwidth and power constraints, digital modulation methods, transceiver design principles, and channel coding. The course also introduces the operation and design of digital communication systems including cellular, sensor, wi-fi and satellite networks, as well as wired systems such as cable, phone and optical modems.

This course covers the basic theories and techniques of Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuit design and CMOS technology. Topics include standard CMOS fabrication process, CMOS design and layout rules, simulation and testing, low power VLSI techniques, and various design tools and methodologies. Performance impact of VLSI design choices on speed, power consumption, reliability and cost are also covered.

This course prepares the senior Computer Engineering student for the practical application of engineering principles to the senior design course and professional practice. Various skills that are of vital importance to the professional engineer are covered, including engineering ethics, teamwork, communication skills and problem-solving. The course surveys a range of application areas in which Computer Engineers provide solutions such as industrial automation and healthcare systems, with emphasis on the application of systematic design process, product life cycle management and proficient use of developer tools. This course is the first part of the Capstone sequence where the Capstone project is researched and developed. It must be taken in the semester directly proceeding the semester CPEN 49600 is taken.

Topics central to Artificial Intelligence are covered, including knowledge representation, the predicate calculus, goal-directed and data-directed search techniques, and rule-based expert systems. Two languages for problem solving is presented: LISP and PROLOG.

This course introduces the student to the modeling, identification, and control of robotic systems. The course focuses on the implementation of identification and control algorithms on a two-link robot. Topics include the mathematical modeling of robotic systems and the analysis, simulation, and implementation of both linear and nonlinear representations of such systems. The design and integration of sensors and actuators and algorithms for responding and controlling these devices will be pursued.

This is the culminating experience in the Computer Engineering program. Students will work in teams to implement a computer engineering solution to a realistic problem initially researched and developed in CPEN 40000. Such solutions will consist of both hardware and software components. This course must be taken in the student's final semester in the program.

This course is designed to meet the needs of Computer Engineering majors wishing to study an advanced topic not found in the curriculum.