This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Postgraduate Handbook 2015-2016 (archived)

Module ENGI41030: Design of Wireless Systems

Department: Engineering

ENGI41030: Design of Wireless Systems

Type	Level	Credits	Availability	Module Cap	Location
Tied	4	30	Available in 2015/2016		Durham

Tied To

H1K709: Communications Engineering

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Radio and Digital Communications (ENGI41915); Communications Networks (ENGI42015); Research and Development Project (ENGI41060)

Excluded Combinations

None

Aims

To develop students' understanding of modern design techniques, product development and production processes relevant to the communications industry.
To introduce team-working in the context of communications, necessary to realise communication products of current market complexity.
To apply the theory and knowledge gained in the lecture courses to a real wireless problem.

Content

Introduction to the allocated design problem.
Literature/market search for existing products/techniques.
Identification of requirements for this design.
Generation of possible solutions and identification of 'best' solution.
Production of feasibility report.
Splitting of tasks to each student by group under supervision.
Detailed analysis and design of each component by individual student.
Preparation and delivery of design presentation.
Production of final design report.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge

Understand the stages in the design of current communication equipment.
Understand the importance of information flow within the design group.

Subject-specific Skills

Ability to review current competitors in the market place.
The application of communications theory taught in the first half of the course to product design.

Key Skills

Technical oral presentation skills.
Technical report writing.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

The module will be implemented by selecting a group of students, and setting the group a design task that will use the collective skills of the group, based on past education and the options they selected during the first half of the course.
The group will be supervised by one or more members of staff, and guided through the various stages of design. At appropriate points, work will be divided up to group members under staff monitoring. By this means, each group member will have to contribute work to the final design which is clearly their own.
Assessment will be by submission of a feasibility report, giving a 'design presentation' and submitting a detailed design report.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total Hours
Seminars	8	1 per week	2 hours	16
Other	4	1 per week	1 hour	4
Preparation and Reading				280
Total				300

Summative Assessment

Component	Component Weighting	Element	Element Weighting
Feasibility Report	20%	Feasibility Report	100%
Design Presentation	20%	Design Presentation	100%
Design Report	60%	Design Report	100%

Formative Assessment

Feedback will be given to the group and individual students on a weekly basis as the design project progresses.

Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.