Lecture 1 Signals, Systems &

Control: Introduction
ELEC3004 | Signals, Systems & Control

23/02/2026

A/Prof Jen Jen Chung

Slides adapted from Dr. Alina Bialkowski, Dr. Surya Singh, Dr. Shekhar Chandra
Acknowledgement of Country
The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges
the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of
the lands on which we meet.

We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their

descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual
connections to Country.

We recognise their valuable contributions to

Australian and global society.

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Course Coordinators and Teaching Staff

A/Prof Jen Jen Chung Dr Alina Bialkowski Dr Lucas Carvahlo de Lima

Course coordinator
Lecturing weeks 1, 7-11, 13 Lecturing weeks 2, 3, 13 Lecturing week 12

Interests: robotics, AI & Interests: machine learning, Interests: robotics,

machine learning computer vision autonomous navigation

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Tutors
• Miguel Valencia
• Sazid Hasan
• Karam Younus
• Ayush Das
• Andy Cui
• Quang Tran
• Fan Zhang
• Sanya Arora
• Owen Poh

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Course Structure
• Signals
- What are signals?
- Why are they important?
- How do we represent/analyse/use them?

• Systems
- How are signals processed to solve particular problems?
- How to model, analyse and design systems?

• Control
- What is a control system?
- How to get a system to do what you want?

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Introduction to Signals, Systems & Control
Learning outcomes:

• Provide a formal definition of a signal and identify some examples

• Provide a formal definition of a system and identify some examples

• Describe how signals, systems and control interrelate

• (Identify the steps you should take to ace ELEC3004)

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What is a Signal?

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Audio Signal Example: Healthy Cough

K. Kosasih, Keegan, U. R. Abeyratne, V. Swarnkar and R. Triasih. “Wavelet augmented cough analysis for rapid childhood pneumonia
diagnosis”. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2015. [Link]
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Audio Signal Example: Asthma Cough

K. Kosasih, Keegan, U. R. Abeyratne, V. Swarnkar and R. Triasih. “Wavelet augmented cough analysis for rapid childhood pneumonia
diagnosis.” IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2015. [Link]
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Visual Signal Example: Video Compression

O. Rippel, S. Nair, C. Lew, S. Branson, A. G. Anderson, and L. Bourdev. “Learned video compression.” In Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF
International Conference on Computer Vision, 2019. [Link]
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Enhance! (2009)

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Enhance! (2016) RAISR Sharp Super-
Resolution

Y. Romano, J. Isidoro and P. Milanfar, “RAISR: Rapid and Accurate Image Super Resolution,” in IEEE Transactions on Computational
Imaging, 2017. [Link]
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Control Systems

Automatic door Robot vacuum cleaner

[Link] [Link]

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Control Systems

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Other Examples of Signals & Systems
• Signals:
- Human perception
• Speech, audio, image, and video
- Additional “senses”
• RF, microwave, sonar, radar, seismic, etc.

• (Control) Systems:
- Digital television & cameras, computer graphics
- Digital audio, mixing, effects, distortion
- Telecommunications, satellites, optics
- Biomedical (CT, MRI, X-RAY etc.),
- Geo-physics, etc.

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(A More) Formal Definition: Signal
• A set of data or information
• Can be a function of time and/or space
Amplitude over time UQ Lakes Image
1

0.5

-0.5

-1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

• Various types: Electrical, mechanical, economics

• Data → “information” is a process of understanding its structure/forms:
sin(𝜔𝑡)

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(A More) Formal Definition: System
• ≡ A process (function) by which information (signals) are modified so as to extract additional
information from them

• Systems modify the signal(s) to yield a new result (also a signal)

• Can be of various forms: electrical, mechanical, etc.

input F(x) output

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Systems Can Be Simpler Than You Think
• Boeing 747
- Level flight
- 40000 ft, 774 ft/sec …

- u, v: horizontal/vertical velocity
- q, 𝜃: orientation & pitch rate
- 𝛿e, 𝛿t : elevator and thrust commands

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Signals & Systems Together
• A signal can be seen as that which goes in and out of a system

F(…) = system

input output
signal F(x) signal

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Signals, Systems & Control Together
• A signal can be seen as that which goes in and out of a system

Filter:
• Signal Processing / “Filters” :
can be seen as an open-loop system
F(x)

Feedback:
• Feedback Control:
can be viewed as the case F(x)
where the output signal
shapes the input signal

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Mandatory Respect
at UQ module
• Commencing students enrolled at UQ in
Semester 1 2026 and students who last
completed the training in Semester 1, 2024 must
complete the module by 5pm on Sunday 15
March 2026.
• Students who do not complete the module by
the deadline will have their access to Blackboard
removed.
• Support and adjustments to the module are
available. You can find a link to the module, along
with information about what's included in the
module and support available at
[Link]/respect-at-uq.

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Course Information
Course Aims
• See the course ECP, but includes the following:
- Sampling & reconstruction
- Convolution and correlation
- Filter properties & design
- Time domain analysis
Difference equations
Impulse response
- Transform analysis
Fourier transform
Laplace transform
Z-transform
- Systems analysis
- Introduction to discrete digital control
- Applications

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Prescribed Textbooks

OR OR

Lathi, B. (1998). Lathi, B. (2010). Hespanha, J. (2009).

Signal processing and linear systems. Signal processing and linear systems Linear systems theory.
Carmichael, Calif.: Berkeley (International ed., Oxford series in Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Cambridge Press. electrical and computer engineering). eBook
New York: Oxford University Press.

These are prescribed texts. Lectures slides are a summary of material only. They do not contain enough
detail on their own.
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Recommended Textbooks: Signals & Systems

Hsu, H. (2011). Schaums outlines : Signals Sundararajan, D. (2015).

and systems (2nd ed., Schaum's outline Discrete wavelet transform : A signal processing
series). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. approach. Singapore: Wiley. eBook.

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 Recommended Textbooks: Control
Analogue (and some digital) Digital (and some analogue)

Franklin, G., Powell, J., & Emami-Naeini, A. Franklin, G., Powell, J., & Workman, M. Ogata, K.
Feedback control of dynamic systems Digital Control of Dynamic Systems Discrete-time Control Systems

Nise N. S. Ogata, K. Veloni, A. & Miridakis,N. Fadali, M.S. & Visioli, A.

Control Systems Engineering Modern Control Engineering Digital Control Systems: Theoretical Digital Control Engineering:
Problems and Simulation Tools Analysis and Design
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Other Online Resources
• MIT Open Courseware – Signals and Systems
- Oppenheim’s Course
- Freeman’s Course
• Unpingco, J. (2014). Python for signal processing : Featuring IPython notebooks. Cham ; New York:
Springer. eBook
- eBook GitHub Page
• Popular Maths YouTube Channels
- 3Blue1Brown
- Mathologer
- Barry Van Veen
• The Scientist and Engineer's Guide to Digital Signal Processing
- SW. Smith, 2002
- [Link]

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Learning Activities
• Lectures:
- 63-348 Physiology Building Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

• Monday: 4PM – 6PM 08:00

P04
09:00
• Wednesday: 2PM – 4PM 10:00
P10
P07
- ~1.5hrs per lecture 11:00
12:00
13:00
• Practicals: 14:00
P08 L02 P01 P11
15:00
- Axon Building (47) – Room 401
16:00
L01 P09 P05 P12 P06
- Begin from week 2 17:00
- 4x labs, 8x tuts throughout semester 18:00
P03 P02
19:00

- See Allocate+ for timetable information

[Link]

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Getting Help
• Ed discussion board:
- [Link]

• In lectures and practical sessions

• If it is a private matter or related to a personal issue:

elec3004@[Link]

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Assumed Background
• Pre-requisites
- ELEC2004 Circuits, Signals & Systems
- STAT2201/STAT2202 Analysis of Engineering & Scientific Data or Probability Models for Engineering
& Science
- MATH2000/MATH2001: Calculus & Linear Algebra II or Advanced Calculus & Linear Algebra II

• Assume students have

- Understanding of linear algebra
- Familiarity with programming in MATLAB
- Basic C/C++ programming (Arduino) concepts for some of the pracs

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Practicals
• Tutorial exercises will prepare you for the types of questions that will be in the problem sets (and the
exam!)

• Attempt questions before practicals to get the most out of the class time

• Not directly assessed, but helps with practical understanding

• You will receive feedback in class from teaching staff

• Please complete the necessary OH&S online form

- Ensure proper shoes and no food or drink in labs
- Room: 47-401 Enter via the foot bridge from Hawken level 3 and NOT via the stairs in Axon, exit via
stairs in Axon

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Assessment
• All assessments are listed on the ECP
- Problem Set 1 – due Thursday 2 April – Week 6 (20%)
- Problem Set 2 – due Friday 1 May – Week 9 (20%)
- Problem Set 3 – due Friday 29 May – Week 13 (20%)

• Final examination: during exam period (40%)

- 3hrs, closed-book, invigilated, multiple choice, short-answer & calculations
- See ECP for requirements to pass the course

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Problem Sets
• Weighting:
- Problem Set 1: 20%
- Problem Set 2: 20%
- Problem Set 3: 20%

• To be submitted by the due dates via Blackboard (Gradescope link)

• No hand-written solutions. Submitted solutions must be typed or will receive a mark of 0.

- No scanned copies of hand-written solutions
- No hand-written solutions in digital format (e.g. written on iPad)

• Remember that consequences for PLAGIARISM are very serious, see UQ policy

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Student Access Plans (SAP) and
Exam Adjustments (EA)
It is important you arrange your SAP or EA as soon as possible. Aim for the first four weeks of semester.

• Who? • What? • How?

• Students who: • Student Access Plans: • Meet with a Student Adviser
• have a disability • extension to assignments • visit Student Central
• are neurodivergent (i.e. ADHD/Autism) • occasional absences o Building 42 St Lucia
• have a mental health condition • alternative assessment formats o Google: UQ Student Adviser
• have a medical condition • placements, pracs, and lab adjustments • contact Student Services
• have an illness or injury • accessible formatting o [Link]@[Link]
• have caring responsibilities • assistive technology o (07) 3365 1704

• Or: • Exam Adjustments: • Get in touch as soon as possible if you

• are pregnant • additional examination working time need support for your study.
• are experiencing exceptional circumstances • rest breaks
• are an elite athlete • use of a computer or a writer • Support can be provided throughout
• have commitments to religious observance • ergonomic furniture semester.
• are engaged in defence service • food, drink, or medication
• a separate room
• Other adjustments based on your needs
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Approximate Schedule
Week Date Lecture Tutorial Assessment
23-Feb Course Introduction
1 none
25-Feb Signals & Systems Classification
02-Mar Time-domain Analysis of Continuous-time Systems Tut1: Signals & Systems Classification, Time- Problem Set 1 released
2
04-Mar Frequency-domain Analysis of Continuous-time Systems domain Analysis
09-Mar Fourier Transform and Sampling Theory Lab1: Intro to Arduino Due, Sampling &
3
11-Mar Sampling & Reconstruction Reconstruction
16-Mar Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) Tut2: Frequency-domain Analysis, Sampling
4
18-Mar Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) Theory, DFT, FFT
23-Mar Laplace Transform
5 Lab2: Intro to Spectra and Filtering
25-Mar Transfer Functions and Frequency Response
30-Mar Z-Transforms
6 Tut3: FFT, Fourier, Laplace
01-Apr Z-Transforms Part 2 PS1 due 16:00 02/04/2026
Mid-semester break Problem Set 2 released
13-Apr Filtering & Analogue Filters
7 Tut4: Z-Transforms & Analogue Filtering
15-Apr IIR Filters
20-Apr FIR Filters & Windowing
8 Tut5: IIR Filters, FIR Filters & Windowing
22-Apr Introduction to Linear Control
27-Apr Control System Stability Analysis
9 Tut6: Control Basics
29-Apr Transient and Steady-state Response Analysis PS2 due 16:00 01/05/2026
04-May Labour Day Public Holiday Problem Set 3 released
10 Lab3: Levi Lab (Part 1)
06-May Control System Design by Root Locus
11-May Control System Design by Frequency Response Tut7: Root Locus, Frequency Response &
11
13-May Introduction to State-space Representations Compensators
18-May Controllability and Observability
12 Lab4: Levi Lab (Part 2)
20-May Pole Placement and Observer Design
25-May Reviewing and Practice Exam Questions
13 Tut8: State Space Control
27-May Reviewing and Practice Exam Questions PS3 due 16:00 29/05/2026

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Signals, Systems & Control
• Signals will occur in nearly every scientific and engineering scenario or problem.

• We will cover the underlying theory of signals, signal processing and control

• Labs will give you the opportunity to play with signals in order to gain better understanding and taste of
tasks involved from a practical point of view

• We hope you will find the area(s) you’re interested in and that you will know who to approach if you are
interested in research!

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Introduction to Signals, Systems & Control
Learning outcomes:

• Provide a formal definition of a signal and identify some examples

• Provide a formal definition of a system and identify some examples

• Describe how signals, systems and control interrelate

• (Identify the steps you should take to ace ELEC3004)

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Questions
• How do signals, systems and control interrelate?

• What are some examples of signals, signal processing systems and feedback control systems?

• What steps can you take to help you meet the learning outcomes for ELEC3004?

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Next Lecture
• Before we can perform analysis on signals and systems, we must be by able to classify the type of
system and understand the basic mathematical constructs used in signal processing

• Review:
- Complex numbers
- Revise: Linear algebra, Fourier Transforms

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