ECE 515/ME 540 (Control System Theory and Design) - Fall 2019 - SyllabusCourse descriptionFeedback control systems emphasizing state space techniques. Basic principles, modeling, analysis, stability, structural properties, optimization, and design to meet specifications. The department's course profile for ECE 515 can be found here: https://ece.illinois.edu/academics/courses/profile/ece515 For a more detailed list of topics covered, see the bottom of this syllabus. DiscussionThe class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm to 3:20pm in 3017 ECE Building.
Starting Monday, Sept. 23, we will also begin to hold informal homework parties. If you are learning this material for the first time, or struggling with any concepts, please come to 3020 ECE Building on Mondays from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. The TA will be present for the first 1.5 hours; he will leave at 5pm. However, you are encouraged to stay, chat, and work on homework problems together. Please leave the room in a clean state when you exit. In summary: homework parties from 3:30pm to 6:30pm on Mondays in 3020 ECE Building. GradingThe grades will be broken down as follows.
You may check your grades at any time on Gradescope (https://www.gradescope.com/), which we will be using as the gradebook for the class. HomeworksHomeworks are generally due on Gradescope on Thursdays at 2pm, prior to the start of lecture. Any variations of this due date will be announced on Piazza as well as written on the homework assignment itself. No late homeworks will be accepted. You may drop your lowest homework grade. This dropped homework is meant to account for any personal events or extenuating circumstances that may arise. No exceptions, extensions, or other variations will be given; if something happens that greatly interferes with your ability to complete assignments this semester, grading will be determined by the university's policy on such extenuating circumstances. Allot yourself time to upload a PDF of your homework to the website. Failure to upload a homework assignment due to technical issues will also be absorbed by the one-dropped-homework policy. Students are heavily, heavily encouraged to typeset their homeworks. LaTeX proficiency is an absolute requirement for many, many fields of research, and the homeworks for this course are a good place to begin building these skills. It will also make uploading PDFs of your homework to Gradescope much easier. If you choose to hand-write homeworks instead, you may scan them. I recommend the Adobe Scan app (https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/mobile/scanner-app.html) to do so. Homeworks are required to be legible. This is a comment on both handwriting and scan quality. The definition of legibility is at our discretion, which is another reason typesetting your homework is recommended. A quick guide to setting up LaTeX, as well as sample templates for homework will be provided on Piazza. ExamsMidterm examsThere will be two midterm exams throughout the semester. They will be during normal class hours.
During the first midterm, you will be allowed one reference sheet. During the second midterm, you will be allowed two reference sheets. Reference sheets must be on an 8.5’’-by-11’’ sheet of paper. (This paper size is typically called ‘Letter’ paper.) Both sides may be used, and these reference sheets can be either hand-written or typed. Final examThere will be one final exam.
During the final exam, you will be allowed three reference sheets. Reference sheets must be on an 8.5’’-by-11’’ sheet of paper. (This paper size is typically called ‘Letter’ paper.) Both sides may be used, and these reference sheets can be either hand-written or typed. Course resourcesTextbooks/materialsThe following is required for the course:
It can be purchased from the ECE Supply Center, 1031 ECE Building. I also recommend bringing these lecture notes to class. In addition, these textbooks are optional supplements to the material covered in class:
Further reading for the interested student:
Additional resources:
Course websiteThe central hub for this course will be the course website: https://courses.grainger.illinois.edu/ece515/fa2019/ This webpage will be maintained and is the best resource for up-to-date information about the course. In the unlikely event of conflicting information, the information on this webpage will take precedence. PiazzaThis course also has a Piazza: https://piazza.com/illinois/fall2019/ece515 Official announcements will be done through Piazza. You will be held responsible for content in announcements made on Piazza. MAKE SURE you are: a) enrolled in the course on Piazza, and b) have some method to stay up-to-date with course announcements. To reiterate: you will be held responsible for content in announcements on Piazza. And once more for emphasis, with emphasis: you will be held responsible for content in announcements on Piazza. GradescopeGrading will be done on Gradescope. The course's entry code is 92DP2W. Course expectationsI expect all students to contribute to a supportive learning environment and a cooperative community. We are all here to learn, and, I'd like to emphasize this: help each other learn. Students are expected to be civil and respectful. Throughout the course, you may freely ask questions at any time. There are no stupid questions, and everyone should feel comfortable asking anything during the class. However, I may request that discussions related to such questions be shifted to either office hours or Piazza if there is not enough in-class time to fully resolve any questions. Academic integrityAll students are subject to the university's academic integrity policies. A quick reference guide, as well as links to the official student code, can be found at: https://provost.illinois.edu/policies/policies/academic-integrity/students-quick-reference-guide-to-academic-integrity/ I do not expect academic integrity will be an issue, but it is worth discussing briefly. If you find that you are struggling with the material in the course, do not hesitate at all to reach out to me. Send me an email, drop by my office hours, see me after class, post on Piazza, slip a note under my office door, whatever. One should not feel like they must resort to cheating in my class. Topics
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