Outcomes-based concept module development for systems for smart communications

Smart communications technology has seen increased interest in a variety of applications such as smart antennas, satellite communication systems, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and wireless LANs. The current research in this area encompasses many aspects of antenna and receiver design, antenna control designs, high-speed data conversion (digital to analog and analog to digital) and digital signal processing (a system block diagram is shown in Figure 1). Unfortunately, as with many emerging technologies, it is difficult for students to obtain and grasp the fundamental concepts of smart communications since textbooks have yet to be developed, the volume of research work is large and appears in numerous journals, and the technology spans several disciplines of electrical engineering.