Logo UAB

Control Systems

Code: 102737 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Electronic Engineering for Telecommunication OB 4

Contact

Name:
Ramon Vilanova Arbos
Email:
ramon.vilanova@uab.cat

Teachers

Ramon Vilanova Arbos

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is recommended to have studied and passed Fundamentals of Signals and Systems as well as knowledge of calculations and differential equations.


Objectives and Contextualisation

Understand the behavior of a linear system and get to design a regulator that allows good behavior both in terms of dynamics (stability) and tracking a slogan (accuracy).

• Knowledge: Analysis, through the methodology of Laplace, of the behavior of a continuous continuous system. In particular, stability and accuracy. Design of drivers, in series with the system, to achieve specific specifications.
• Skills: in this subject it is important to know how to use different graphic techniques that help both analysis and design, and they are: the Bode diagram, the place of roots, and the polar representation in order to be able to apply the criterion of stability MATLAB is also necessary to perform simulations of the behavior of the system.
• Skills: Oral and written communication, Capacity for analysis and synthesis; critical reasoning; ability to solve problems.


Competences

  • Apply electronics as a support technology in other fields and activities, and not only in the field of Information and Communication Technologies
  • Communication
  • Conceive, design, implement and operate electronic instrumentation and control equipment and systems.
  • Develop personal attitude.
  • Develop personal work habits.
  • Develop thinking habits.
  • Learn new methods and technologies, building on basic technological knowledge, to be able to adapt to new situations.
  • Perform measurements, calculations, estimations, valuations, analyses, studies, reports, task-scheduling and other similar work in the field of telecommunication systems
  • Resolve problems with initiative and creativity. Make decisions. Communicate and transmit knowledge, skills and abilities, in awareness of the ethical and professional responsibilities involved in a telecommunications engineer's work.
  • Work in a multidisciplinary group and in a multilingual environment, and communicate, both in writing and orally, knowledge, procedures, results and ideas related with telecommunications and electronics
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply electronic energy transformation control systems, especially to the field of renewable energy.
  2. Apply electronics as a support technology in other fields and activities, and not only in the field of Information and Communication Technologies.
  3. Assume and respect the role of the different members of a team, as well as the different levels of dependency in the team.
  4. Communicate efficiently, orally and in writing, knowledge, results and skills, both professionally and to non-expert audiences.
  5. Design analogue and digital, analogue-digital conversion and digital analogue electronic circuits for telecommunication applications and computing.
  6. Develop critical thinking and reasoning.
  7. Develop independent learning strategies.
  8. Develop the capacity for analysis and synthesis.
  9. Document the specifications, design, implementation and testing of instrumentation and control systems.
  10. Identify problems with electromagnetic interference and compatibility.
  11. Maintain a proactive and dynamic attitude with regard to one's own professional career, personal growth and continuing education. Have the will to overcome difficulties.
  12. Perform the specification, implementation, documentation and fine-tuning of electronic instrumentation and control equipment and systems , considering technical aspects and the relevant regulatory requirements.
  13. Specify and use electronic instrumentation and measurement systems.
  14. Translate the concept of noise to electronic systems and analyse its effects on instrumentation circuits.
  15. Use communication and computer applications to support the development and operation of electronic applications.
  16. Use feedback theory and electronic control systems.
  17. Use IT tools for the development of instrumentation and control systems.
  18. Work autonomously.
  19. Work cooperatively.

Content

The course is structured in the following topics:

Control Engineering: In this first topic we will present Control Engineering as a discipline. The general control framework will be presented based on several examples and its historical interpretation.

Models: The different ways of representing dynamic linear systems and the approaches of classic and modern control will be presented. From the Laplace Transform, the systems will be represented by a block diagram whose algebra will be studied.

Controlled Control Systems: Principles of analysis and operation of control systems based on feedback. Signals involved and analysis relationships.

Linearity: generation of linear models based on non-linear descriptions of the system to be controlled. Concept of point of operation and of incremental and absolute variables.

Permanent Regime: Analysis of the behavior of the system in stationary regime. Characterization of the error constants that allow us to evaluate the performance of the system with respect to the ability to follow reference entries with zero error.

Stability and Robustness: Methods to evaluate the stability of the closed loop system from the models of the open loop system and the controller to be used. It presents the idea of robustness as tolerance to errors in the model as a representation of the real system to be controlled.

PID controllers: The most used driver at the industrial level, the PID controller, will be presented. The different existing formulations, meaning of their parameters, methods of design and tuning, etc.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Supervised      
Classes de Prąctiques 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 6, 5, 9, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 19, 18, 15, 17, 16
Classes de Problemes 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 6, 5, 9, 13, 10, 12, 14, 19, 18, 15, 17, 16
Classes de Teoria 30 1.2 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 6, 5, 9, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 15, 17, 16
Type: Autonomous      
Estudi i Ressolcuió de problemes 60 2.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 6, 5, 9, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 19, 18, 15, 17, 16

This subject has a marked engineering character.

Theory: It is more of a methodology, so it is considered from a fairly applied point of view.

Practices: Problems related to the direct application of the concepts seen in class are studied with simulation. The completion of the internship is mandatory and the student is evaluated throughout the sessions according to their performance in the sessions. Prior preparation work will also be taken into account.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Prąctiques 30% 7 0.28 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 6, 9, 13, 11, 12, 19, 18, 15, 17, 16
Proves escrites 40% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 6, 5, 9, 13, 10, 11, 14, 19, 18, 17, 16
Treball 30% 20 0.8 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 6, 9, 13, 11, 19, 18, 17, 16

This subject is evaluated based on three grades

 

  • Exam: Written exam to be taken during the subject (individual)
  • Practices: Laboratory practices (in groups of two)
  • Work: control project in which a control problem must be addressed based on the elements seen during the subject. A report must be submitted and a presentation must be made. (in groups of two)

 

The final grade for the subject is calculated based on

 

FINAL_GRADE=0.4*ExamGrade+0.3*PracticeGrade+0.3*WorkGrade

 

Regarding the evaluation of the subject:

 

  • Any indication of plagiarism or irregularity that could be classified as academic fraud in one of the evaluation tests will lead to the failure of the subject.
  • A minimum of 4 must be obtained in each part to make an average
  • When the student has not provided evidence of evaluation in any of the activities, this will be classified as "Not assessable". In the event that any of the three components of the subject is classified as "Not assessable", the subject will also be classified as "Not assessable".
  • The grades for each of the activities of the subject may be reviewed from the day following its publication.
  • This subject does not provide for the single assessment system.

 

Those students who do not pass the subject based on continuous assessment have the option of a second call in which:

 

  • Exam: Written exam to be taken on the day the subject exam is scheduled at the end of the semester
  • Practices: If they have not been passed during the course, a practice exam may be taken on the day of the exam.
  • Work. If it is not completed during the course of the subject, the option will be given to submit the report on the day of the exam, but without making a presentation and opting for a maximum grade of 5 as the maximum grade for the work.

 

Use of AI: “In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed as an integral part of the development of the work, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution by the student in the analysis and personal reflection. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The lack of transparency in the use of AI will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases “


Bibliography

Classic textbooks

  1. Ogata, Katsuhiko.
    Modern Control Engineering. Prentice Hall.
  2. Nise, Norman S.
    Control Systems Engineering. Wiley.
  3. Dorf, Richard C. & Bishop, Robert H.
    Modern Control Systems. Pearson.
Additional references
  1. Franklin, Gene F.; Powell, J.D.; Emami-Naeini, Abbas.
    Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems. Pearson.
  2. Chen, Chi-Tsong.
    Linear System Theory and Design. Oxford University Press.

Sources for Control systems using MATLAB

  1. Ogata, Katsuhiko.
    MATLAB for Control Engineers. Pearson.
  2. Palm, William J.
    Introduction to MATLAB for Engineers. McGraw Hill.

Software

MATLAB/Simulink


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 321 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 321 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 322 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 320 Catalan first semester morning-mixed