ENCE461-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Embedded Systems 2

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

An advanced course on embedded systems with an emphasis on the hardware interfacing aspects of microcontrollers. Practical issues are considered, including multilayer printed circuit board design, CMOS interfacing, signal integrity, power supply decoupling, memory considerations, and peripheral operation and programming. The course is project-based where students have to design, assemble, and program a microcontroller-based system using multilayer printed circuit boards.

So you want to build an embedded system? And you want to make the hardware reliable?
Oh, and you want to be able to meet EMC1 regulations so you can sell it without affecting
someone's pacemaker or an aircraft's fly-by-wire system? Unfortunately, a consequence
of improved integrated circuit technology is that they are much more complicated, switch
much faster, and use many different voltage levels. So it is not just a case of choosing
your microcontroller and then connecting inputs to outputs. We have to worry about the
parasitic components not shown on the schematic. We also need to understand the advanced
peripherals of modern microcontrollers and consider voltage levels, timing requirements, and
how to lay out a printed circuit board to make them work reliably.

The focus of this course is the hardware interfacing aspects of embedded systems. It is based
around the Wacky Racers project where groups of four students build remotely controlled
vehicles using only surface mount technology. The course is structured in two sections: (1)
electrical characteristics of digital devices and signal integrity and (2) advanced microcon-
troller peripherals, hardware and software aspects.

Learning Outcomes

  • At the conclusion of this course you should be able to:

  • LO1: Analyse the electrical and performance characteristics of CMOS devices (WA1, WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5)

  • LO2: Apply signal integrity and electromagnetic compatibility considerations in the design of embedded systems (WA1, WA2, WA3. WA4, WA5)

  • LO3: Program and design interfaces for peripherals used with microcontroller systems (WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5)

  • LO4: Select and configure embedded hardware peripherals from understanding of their operating principles and characteristics (WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5)

  • LO5: Design, build, program, debug and evaluate a microcontroller-based embedded system using multilayer printed circuit boards in individual and team environments (WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5, WA9,WA11, WA12)
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Globally aware

      Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Restrictions

ENEL429

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 12:00 - 13:00 E8 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 12:00 - 13:00 E8 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Lecture C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 15:00 - 16:00 C2 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 13:00 - 15:00 Elec 209 CAE Lab (19/2-2/4, 30/4-28/5)
Elec 204 ESL Lab (19/2-2/4, 30/4-28/5)
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
02 Wednesday 15:00 - 17:00 Elec 209 CAE Lab (19/2-2/4, 30/4-28/5)
Elec 204 ESL Lab (19/2-2/4, 30/4-28/5)
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun

Course Coordinator

Michael Hayes

Lecturer

Le Yang

Tutor

Fredy Youssif

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Assignment 25% Free RTOS Assignment
Group Assignment 25%
Exam 50%

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

Scaling
Although we release raw assessment marks throughout the year to give you some feedback
on how you are doing in the course, the raw marks may be subject to scaling at the end of
the course when your final letter grade is determined.

AI tools
You may use AI tools in the assignment but must acknowledge their use.

Dishonest Practice

Plagiarism, collusion, copying, and ghost writing are unacceptable and dishonest practices.
• Plagiarism is the presentation of any material (test, data, figures or drawings, on any
medium including computer files) from any other source without clear and adequate
acknowledgment of the source.
• Collusion is the presentation of work performed in conjunction with another person
or persons, but submitted as if it has been completed only by the named author(s).
• Copying is the use of material (in any medium, including computer files) produced by
another person(s) with or without their knowledge and approval.
• Ghost writing is the use of another person(s) (with or without payment) to prepare
all or part of an item submitted for assessment.
Do not engage in dishonest practices. The Department reserves the right to refer dishonest
practices to the University Proctor and where appropriate to not mark the work.

Mahi ā-Ākonga | Workload (expected distribution of student hours, note 15 points = 150 hours):

Contact Hours

Lectures: 36 hours
Tutorials: 0 hours
Workshops: 0 hours
Laboratories: 24 hours

Independent Study

Review of lectures: 10 hours
Test and exam preparation: 30 hours
Assignments: 50 hours
Tutorial preparation: 0 hours
Laboratory calculations: 0 hours

Total 150

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,268.00

International fee $6,238.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Electrical and Computer Engineering .

All ENCE461 Occurrences

  • ENCE461-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025