Accessibility statement

Information Theory & Error Control Coding - ELE00005M

« Back to module search

  • Department: Electronic Engineering
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Alister Burr
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
    • See module specification for other years: 2021-22

Module summary

At the heart of communications is the concept of Information theory. This module gives you an understanding of information theory and the error-control and coding schemes used in modern, mainly wireless, communication systems. It will help you to quantify information and compute entropy, calculate compute mutual information and channel capacity, and understand the limits of source coding and reliable communication.

Related modules

Pre-requisite modules

Co-requisite modules

  • None

Prohibited combinations

  • None

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23

Module aims

Subject content aims:

  • To give an understanding of information theory and the error-control and coding schemes used in modern, mainly wireless, communication systems

Graduate skills aims:

  • To develop critical skills in the selection, adaptation and application of appropriate numeric and algebraic techniques

Module learning outcomes

Subject content learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will:

  • Be able to quantify information and compute entropy
  • Understand and know how to calculate compute mutual information and channel capacity
  • Understand the limits of source coding and reliable communication
  • Be able to encode and decode linear block codes using generator matrices and polynomials
  • Be able to encode and decode convolutional codes using linear algebra and the Viterbi algorithm
  • Be able to calculate decoded BER for FEC codes

Graduate skills learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will:

  • Be able to express advanced technical concepts concisely and accurately and comment on their applications, limitations and implications
  • Be able to select, adapt and apply a range of mathematical techniques to solve advanced problems and explain the implications of the answer

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Information Theory & Error Control Coding Exam		 5 hours 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Information Theory & Error Control Coding Exam		 5 hours 100

Module feedback

'Feedback’ at a university level can be understood as any part of the learning process which is designed to guide your progress through your degree programme. We aim to help you reflect on your own learning and help you feel more clear about your progress through clarifying what is expected of you in both formative and summative assessments.

A comprehensive guide to feedback and to forms of feedback is available in the Guide to Assessment Standards, Marking and Feedback. This can be found at https://www.york.ac.uk/students/studying/assessment-and-examination/guide-to-assessment/

The Department of Electronic Engineering aims to provide some form of feedback on all formative and summative assessments that are carried out during the degree programme. In general, feedback on any written work/assignments undertaken will be sufficient so as to indicate the nature of the changes needed in order to improve the work. Students are provided with their examination results within 20 working days of the end of any given examination period. The Department will also endeavour to return all coursework feedback within 20 working days of the submission deadline. The Department would normally expect to adhere to the times given, however, it is possible that exceptional circumstances may delay feedback. The Department will endeavour to keep such delays to a minimum. Please note that any marks released are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and Senate. Meetings at the start/end of each term provide you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect with your supervisor on your overall performance to date.

Indicative reading

  • T. M. Cover and J. A. Thomas, Elements of Information Theory, 2nd ed. Wiley-Interscience, 2006.
  • J. C. Moreira and P. G. Farrell, Essentials of Error Control Coding, Wiley, 2006.
  • A. G. Burr, Modulation and Coding for Wireless Communications, Prentice-Hall, 2000.
  • S. Lin & D. J. Costello, Error Control Coding, 2nd Edition, Prentice-Hall, 2004.
  • T. D. Moon, Error Correction Coding: Mathematical Methods and Algorithms, Wiley, 2005.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.