MAS160/510/511: Signals, Systems, and Information for Media Technology

Lecture: TR 10:30-12, E14-493; Recitation F 11-12, E14-493

V. Michael Bove, Jr., E15-448, x3-0334, vmb (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu

Rosalind Picard, E14-374g, x3-0611, picard (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu

TA: Jonathan Mei, jonathanmei (at) gmail (dot) com

Textbook Info

7 Feb.: Introduction

• Overview of subjects to be covered. Basic math concepts. Notation.Vocabulary. Representation of systems.
• Reading: MSY 1.1-1.4, A.1-A.6 (A.5 is optional)
• Problem Set 1 handed out.

9 Feb.: Sinusoids

• Complex exponentials.
• Reading: MSY 2.1-2.9

10 Feb.: Recitation 1

• Materials and Notes

14 Feb.: Spectra

• Spectrum plots. AM.
• Reading: MSY 3.1-3.4, C.7.1.3

16 Feb.: Periodic Waveforms

• Fourier series. FM.
• Reading: MSY 3.5-3.6    
• Problem Set 1 due. Problem Set 2 handed out.

17 Feb: Recitation 2

• Handout
• Solutions

21 Feb.: (Monday schedule, no class)

• Problem Set 2

23 Feb.: Basis Functions and Orthogonality

• Definition of orthogonality. Walsh functions and other basis sets. Discrete Fourier basis matrix.
• Reading: Notes on basis functions

24 Feb.: Recitation 3

28 Feb.: Sampling, I

• Sampling theorem. Aliasing.
• Reading: MSY 4.1-4.3
• Problem Set 2 due. Problem Set 3 handed out.

1 Mar.: Sampling, II

• Reconstruction.
• Reading: MSY 4.4-4.6

2 Mar.: Recitation 4

6 Mar.: Psychophysics, Psychoacoustics, and Other Physiological Signals

• Reading: Psychophysics tutorial from IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications
• Reading: Audio perception tutorial from IEEE Signal Processing Magazine

8 Mar.: Communication Theory, I

• Ergodic processes/Markov models. Choice, uncertainty and entropy. Shannon's fundamental theorem for a noiseless channel. Entropy coding.
• Reading: Shannon and Weaver pp. 3-64
• Problem Set 3 due.

9 Mar.: Recitation 5

• Problem Set 4 handed out. Frequency List.

13 Mar.: Communication Theory, II

• Discrete channels with noise. Continuous channels. Error detection and correction.
• Reading: Shannon and Weaver pp. 65-80, handouts

15 Mar.: Practical Communication Systems

• Real-world modulation and demodulation methods. Spread-spectrum.
• Reading: Handouts
• Problem Set 4 due.

16 Mar.: Recitation 6

• Problem Set 1 solutions
• Problem Set 2 solutions
• Problem Set 3 solutions
• Problem Set 4 solutions

20 Mar.: Pre-Quiz Wrap-Up

22 Mar.: QUIZ 1

23 Mar.: Recitation 7

27, 29, 30 Mar.: (Spring Break, no class)

3 Apr.: MAS.510 ends/MAS.511 begins. Discrete-Time Systems, I

• FIR filters. Impulse response. Convolution.
• Reading: MSY 5.1-5.3
• Problem Set 5 handed out.

5 Apr.: Discrete-Time Systems, II

• Implementations of general LTI systems.
• Reading: MSY 5.4-5.9

6 Apr.: Recitation 8

10 Apr.: Frequency Response, I

• Response of FIR systems. Properties.
• Reading: MSY 6.1-6.4
• Problem Set 5 due (solutions). Problem Set 6 handed out.

12 Apr.: Frequency Response, II

• Reading: MSY 6.5-6.9

13 Apr.: Recitation 9

17 Apr.: (Patriots Day vacation, no class)

19 Apr.: Z-Transforms, I

• Definitions. Convolution and the Z-transform. Poles and zeros.
• Reading: MSY 7.1-7.6.2
• Problem Set 6 due. Solutions available. Problem Set 7 handed out.

20 Apr.: Recitation 10

24 Apr.:(Media Lab event, no class)

26 Apr.: IIR Systems

• Definitions. Impulse response and frequency response.
• Reading: MSY 8.1-8.5

27 Apr.: Recitation 11

1 May: Z-Transforms, II

• Inverse Z-transform. Stability. Partial fraction expansion.
• Reading: MSY 8.6-8.9
• Problem Set 7 handed out. Problem Set 8 handed out
• Old but still-great handouts: Z-Transform Notes Part I, Part II, Partial-Fraction Expansion

3 May: Spectrum Analysis

• The DFT. Fast algorithms. The DTFT.
• Reading: MSY 9.1.1, 9.2.2, 9.3.1-9.3.2, 9.3.5-9.3.7, 9.4-9.7

4 May: Recitation 12

8 May: Pre-Quiz Wrap-Up

• Problem set 8 due. Problem set 6 solutions Problem set 7 solutions Problem set 8 solutions

10 May: QUIZ 2

11 May: Recitation 13

15 May: Real-World Filter Design (how one actually does it)

17 May: Sampling-Rate Conversion Demystified

• Old but still-great handout: Sampling, Decimation, and Interpolation

POLICIES AND INFO:

Computer Facilities: The Matlab system will be used throughout the semester. While it is available on various machines in the Media Lab and on Athena, we suggest installing it on your own machine as it's free for MIT students. Click here for information.

Exams: There will be two in-class quizzes. Both are open-book and open-notes, and we suggest bringing along a calculator that knows about trigonometric functions.

Grading: Your grade will be determined as a weighted average: 40% homework, 50% quizzes, 10% class participation.

Obligatory Policy Statement: We think collaboration is a fine thing, and encourage studying in groups and discussing the topics covered in class. However, for homework problems the work you hand in should be done at least 95% by you alone. If you can think of a system that gives a good evaluation of individual performance and is even better at facilitating learning of this material, please suggest it to us. We realize that many of our students lead complicated and demanding lives, and will allow you to hand in up to two problem sets late - without penalty - as long as you get permission from one of the faculty or TA at least a day in advance of the regular due date. The delay is limited, however, and under no circumstances will you receive credit for a problem set after we have made available the solutions.