Course detail

Computer Data Processing

FSI-VPG Acad. year: 2027/2028 Winter semester

The course leads the student from the first voltage measurement to a measuring and switching module with a microcontroller that processes the measured data. It covers the whole chain that repeats in automation: power supply, sensor, analog signal conditioning, conversion to a number, digital data processing and load control. Every topic follows the same procedure. A short explanation is followed by a calculation and a simulation as the basis of the task, and then a measurement on a real circuit as confirmation. The student learns to estimate the behavior of a circuit, to verify it by simulation and to measure it with an estimate of uncertainty. The course is taught as a workshop over twelve weeks. Students work in pairs on a common continuous project and at the end of it they design a printed circuit board.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

5

Supervisor

Ing. Jiří Kovář, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Automation and Computer Science

Entry knowledge

Secondary school mathematics and physics (voltage, current, Ohm's law, exponential and trigonometric functions, basics of complex numbers). No previous knowledge of electronics is assumed. The basics of programming (variable, condition, loop) are explained during the semester at the necessary level.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Graded credit, 100 points in total. Mandatory outputs from the topics 36 points (nine outputs of 4 points each). Two checks of 10 points each, 20 minutes long (week 5 and week 10), 20 points in total. Continuous project 44 points (documentation, working measuring chain, printed circuit board, defense). Conditions for the credit are at least 60 points, a submitted and defended project and attendance at no fewer than 20 of 24 sessions or submission of a substitute output. Grading: 90 to 100 points A, 80 to 89 points B, 70 to 79 points C, 65 to 69 points D, 60 to 64 points E, fewer than 60 points failed. Every task can be solved by calculation and simulation. A measurement on a real circuit confirms it, but it is not a condition for the credit.

Aims

After completing the course the student:

  1. describes a circuit using voltage, current, power and energy and estimates the effect of the load and of the measuring instrument,
  2. calculates and measures a transient, the time constant and the impedance of circuits with a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor,
  3. explains and uses a diode, an LED, a bipolar transistor, a MOSFET, a thyristor, a diac and a triac and designs a power supply for a given load,
  4. designs a circuit with an operational amplifier and a filter for sensor signal conditioning,
  5. explains sampling, quantization and aliasing and selects a suitable filter in front of a converter,
  6. uses digital circuits and logic levels including the open collector,
  7. uses a microcontroller to read inputs, measure voltage, control outputs and communicate over the I2C, SPI and UART buses,
  8. documents the solution (schematic, calculation, simulation, measurement and comparison) and prepares the data for a printed circuit board.

Study aids

Study text and presentations with animations for every topic, exercise assignments and worksheets, check tasks, the assignment of the continuous project with a documentation template, simulation models for the LTspice and CircuitJS programs and a sample project for the STM32 NUCLEO-G071RB development board. The materials are made available to students electronically.

The study programmes with the given course

Programme B-STR-P: Engineering, Bachelor's
specialization AIŘ: Applied Computer Science and Control, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Syllabus


  1. Voltage, current, power, reference, voltage divider and loading, power supply, measuring instruments, measurement uncertainty.

  2. Resistor, capacitor and inductor. Transient, time constant, impedance and phase shift.

  3. Diode, LED, rectification, ripple, transformer, power supply design.

  4. Bipolar transistor: operating point, amplifier, switch, open collector.

  5. MOSFET, thyristor, diac and triac, switching of an inductive load. Check 1.

  6. Reserve: completion, make-up, consultations.

  7. Operational amplifier and sensors: follower, amplifier, comparator, NTC.

  8. Filters, sampling, conversion of an analog signal to a number and back, aliasing, quantization, PWM.

  9. Digital circuits: logic levels, gates, flip-flop, inputs and outputs.

  10. Microcontroller: inputs and outputs, analog-to-digital converter, I2C, SPI and UART buses. Check 2.

  11. Printed circuit board design, project integration, defense.

  12. Reserve: completion, retake date of a check.

Computer-assisted exercise

26 hours, compulsory

Syllabus


  1. Measurement of a voltage divider, oscilloscope and probe, laboratory power supply (constant voltage and constant current), measurement uncertainty.

  2. Charging and discharging of a capacitor, time constant, phase shift, inductor.

  3. Diode characteristic, rectification and ripple, power supply design according to the assignment.

  4. Transistor operating point, amplifier, LED switching, open collector.

  5. Load switching with a MOSFET, protection with an inductive load, thyristor and triac from a small isolated voltage and simulation. Check 1.

  6. Completion of measurements, make-up, project consultations.

  7. Follower and amplifier with an operational amplifier, NTC temperature sensor, comparator with hysteresis.

  8. Transfer of an RC filter, aliasing, quantization, PWM with a filter.

  9. Gates and logic levels, push button and Schmitt input, open collector with a pull-up resistor.

  10. Microcontroller: reading an input, measurement with a converter, data logging, reading a sensor over the I2C bus. Check 2.

  11. Printed circuit board design in DipTrace, checks, manufacturing data, project defense.

  12. Completion, retake date of a check.


Every task is first solved by calculation and simulation and then confirmed by a measurement on a breadboard.