ETCE TC2K Course Outline – EET 120

EET 120 – Digital Electronics Laboratory

Standard Course Outline (Updated – Fall 2005)

Catalog Description: / 120: Digital Electronics
(1 credit). Laboratory study of solid-state pulse, digital, industrial, and motor control circuits. Prerequisite: EET109. Concurrent EET117.
Goals of the Course: / Digital Electronics Laboratoryis a required course for freshman students in the Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) associate degree program. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an understanding of how to analyze, build, and troubleshoot digital circuits. Student should become proficient in using oscilloscopes, signal analyzers, and similar equipment to test digital circuits. In addition students must learn to write well-organized reports using a word processor. Students must learn to apply PSPICE for Windows (or similar programs) to evaluate the potential performance of these circuits. Students should also learn current technologies in the area of programmable memories.
Relationship to EET Program Outcomes: / EET 120 contributes to the following EET program outcomes:
  • Students should be able to conduct experiments, and then analyze and interpret results. (Outcome 2)
  • Students should be able to communicate effectively orally, visually, and in writing. (Outcome 5)
  • Students should be able to apply creativity through the use of project-based work to the design of circuits, systems or processes. (Outcome 10)

Course Outcomes: / The specific course outcomes supporting the EET program outcomes are:
Outcome 2:
  • Students will demonstrate that theoretical device/circuit operation can be implemented in properly constructed digital circuits.
  • Students will be able to correctly operate standard electronic test equipment such as oscilloscopes, signal analyzers, digital multi-meters, power supplies, frequency meters, and programmable memories programmers to analyze, test, and implement digital circuits.
  • Students will be able to correctly analyze a circuit and compare its theoretical performance to actual performance.
  • Students will be able to apply troubleshooting techniques to test digital circuits.
Outcome 5:
  • Students will be able to prepare and present an organized written engineering report on electronic testing of digital circuits.
Outcome 10:
  • Students will demonstrate proficiency in digital circuits analysis and design methods by designing, implementing, and testing project-based digital circuits.

Suggested Texts: / The following are suitable texts for this course:
  • Michael Wiesner. Digital Electronics. A practical Approach, Prentice Hall.
  • Patrick Kane. Xilinx Laboratory Manual to accompany Cook’s Digital Electronics with PLD Integration, Prentice Hall.
The following are useful reference for this course:
  • Roy W. Goody. OrCAD PSPICE for Windows. 3rd Ed. Prentice Hall

Prerequisites by Topic: / Students are expected to have the following topical knowledge upon entering this course:
  • Understanding of voltage, current, resistance and fundamentals of DC circuits.
  • Basic understanding of algebra.

Course Topics: / The listed below laboratory exercises should be considered as suggested topics to be supplemented or modified by locally developed exercises:
  • Introduction to laboratory and review of lab policies
  • IC families, TTL electrical characteristics
  • DeMorgan’s theorem
  • Logic circuit simplification
  • Design of combinational circuit
  • Introduction to flip-flops
  • Application of flip-flops
  • Memory systems
  • Programmable logic
  • Final project presentations

Computer Use: /
  • Students are expected to use PSPICE for Windows, Electronic Workbench, or equivalent software for the purpose of analysis and design of digital circuits.
  • Students should learn how to implement a design using programmable logic (specific hardware and software tools depend on local availability.)

Required Equipment: / The following is the minimum list of the equipment and devices required to conduct this course:
  • Oscilloscope
  • Digital training board
  • IC Discrete chips
  • Universal Programmer and/or PLD board
  • Window-based PC

Course Grading: / Course grading policies are left to the discretion of the individual instructor. However, the mixture of informal and formal lab reports is recommended. Part of the laboratory work should include a final project accompanied by oral presentation and written report. A suggested grading strategy is:
  • Formal reports – 30%
  • Informal reports – 30%
  • Lab work and participation – 10%
  • Lab project – 30%

Comments & Suggestions: /
  • The same person should teach EET117 and EET120
  • Students should work in teams, preferable two to a team
  • Laboratory exercises in the area of PLDs should be selected based on local hardware/software availability.
  • Information about PLDs: CPLDs, FPGAs, hardware & software, board manufacturers can be accessed from following web sites:

Course Assessment / The following may be useful methods for assessing the success of this course in achieving the intended outcomes listed above:
  • Outcome 2, 5, 10: Student completion and instructor grading of laboratory experiments.
  • Outcome 5, 10: Student design and preparation of the laboratory testing procedures. Team-based assignments, which necessitate effective communication and good time management, can be useful in evaluation of team success.

Course Coordinator: / Andrzej J. Gapinski, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Engineering, Fayette Campus
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Rev 2 1 Aug. 2005