Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi from Coursera

Course two of this specialization is all about hardware physical layer and communication between elements of your project, how to troubleshoot high-speed signals when they don't work, and how to design your projects so they do work.

We start with a review of common signal protocols available . Then, to build a deep and intuitive understanding of how circuits send and receive these signals, Module 2 explores the physics of high-frequency signals in an easy-to-follow way.

Module 3 flips your thinking from the time-domain to the frequency-domain to examine the frequency components of signals and understand how unintended filtering in your circuits distorts your digital waveforms. These are "signal integrity" concepts, distilled to what you need for your Raspberry Pi projects.

Now, with our knowledge of signals, Module 4 develops five rules of thumb for designing your circuits so that your high-speed signals work the first time. These five rules of thumb, combined with the experience from earlier modules, help you estimate spectral bandwidth of signals, rise time, and gain insights whether you're troubleshooting a broken design or designing something new.

What's inside

Syllabus

Communications Protocols

In this first module, we will discuss a variety of modern communications protocols and point out features that we will refer back to in later discussions. These are digital signals, but if you think digital communications is all 1's and 0's, I'd like you to change your thinking and start thinking of every signal as an analog waveform. We'll discuss what that means and why it's important when building projects with high-performance communications links. We'll introduce some well-known protocols and also the emergning I3C protocol, the successor to I2C. Lastly, we'll take an in-depth look at a type of circuit called an open-drain driver. This is how an IC communicates on an I2C (and I3C) bus and is a great example circuit for studying all sorts of real-world effects on high-speed signals. We'll use this open-drain configuration as an example throughout the entire course. You may have seen some of this information before but it's worth briefly seeing again as this is the foundation that we'll be referring back to throughout the whole course. And it's worth building a strong foundation now, because Module 4 wraps up everything we've learned into five very useful rules of thumb that you can you in all of your future projects. One more thing. I know I speak slowly, so feel free to use the Coursera video player feature to play the videos at 1.5x or 2x speed.

Real-World Signal Impairements

In Module two, we look into the physics of how high-speed signals are effected by real-world circuits and how that distortion effects our projects. We'll use math at times, but only to help develop an intuitive understanding. This is a critical part of developing the five Rules of Thumb in module 4. These valuable rules will help you troubleshoot and design circuits with high-speed signals in all sorts of future projects.

Designing for High-Speed Signals

Everything we've discussed has considered signals to be voltages that change in time. Picturing signals strictly in the time domain is only half the story, so get ready to shift your mind into the frequency domain. This module introduces frequency-domain concepts and how we can use the frequency domain to deeply understand how real-world circuit effects distort signals and can cause communications errors in our projects. At the end of this module is two extra videos on decibels and filter terminology. Feel free to skip them if you're very familiar with the topic, or feel free to watch them out of order if you need a little more background in those topics to understand the ideas here in module 3.

Five Rules of Thumb

After laying down a strong foundation in modules 1, 2, 3, we've finaly made it to module 4 and it's time to develop our five Rules of Thumb. These concepts were chosen for the rules of thumb in this module becuase they are extremely common trouble spots for new developers (and sometimes experienced developers, too). Each lesson builds on information in the earlier modules and distills a concept to an easy-to-remember rule that you can use on your future projects. Also included in teh resources is a handy one-page PDF summary of the five Rules of Thumb for you keep close by when you're working on your projects in the future.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Suitable for students who wish to strengthen an existing foundation in high-speed communication protocols and electronic design

Suitable for electronics hobbyists and professionals interested in designing Raspberry Pi projects with high-speed data communication links

Suitable for students and professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of high-frequency signal physics and their effects on electronic circuits

Suitable for those looking to develop a strong foundation in signal integrity concepts specifically for Raspberry Pi projects

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi with these activities:

Review Basic Digital Communications Principles

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Review the basics of digital communications to refresh your memory and ensure you have a strong foundation for this course.

Browse courses on Digital Communications

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Read through your notes or study materials from previous courses on digital communications.
Do practice questions or exercises to test your understanding of the concepts.

Compile a Glossary of Key Terms Related to High-Speed Signals

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Create a glossary of key terms related to high-speed signals to enhance your understanding of the course material.

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Identify key terms from the course lectures, readings, and discussions.
Define each term clearly and concisely.
Organize the terms alphabetically or by category for easy reference.

Create a Mind Map of Signal Integrity Concepts

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Create a mind map to visualize and organize your understanding of signal integrity concepts.

Browse courses on Signal Integrity

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Start with a central concept, such as 'signal integrity'.
Draw branches for different aspects or subtopics of signal integrity, such as 'noise', 'crosstalk', or 'impedance'.
Use different colors or shapes to differentiate between different levels of detail.

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Attend an Industry Event Related to High-Speed Signal Design

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Attend an industry event to connect with professionals and learn about the latest trends in high-speed signal design.

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Research upcoming industry events or conferences related to high-speed signal design.
Register for the event and plan your attendance.
Attend sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities to connect with experts and potential employers.

Career center

Learners who complete Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

High-Speed Digital Designer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course delves into the physics of high-speed signals in an easy-to-follow way. Through hands-on labs and real-world examples, you will learn how to troubleshoot and design circuits with high-speed signals. These skills and concepts are essential for a High-Speed Digital Designer, who is responsible for designing, testing, and troubleshooting high-speed digital circuits and systems. By taking this course, you will gain a deep understanding of the concepts of high-speed signals found in many current technologies, which will help you excel in this in-demand career field.

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Embedded Systems Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course teaches the physics of high-frequency signals, signal integrity concepts, and how to design circuits for high-speed signals. An Embedded Systems Engineer designs, develops, and tests embedded systems, which are computer systems designed to perform specific tasks within a larger system. Embedded Systems Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course will help you build a strong foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Circuit Designer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course provides a deep dive into the physics of high-frequency signals, signal integrity concepts, and how to design circuits for high-speed signals. Circuit Designers design, develop, and test electronic circuits and systems. Circuit Designers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course will help you build a strong foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Hardware Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course introduces the physics of high-frequency signals, signal integrity concepts, and how to design circuits for high-speed signals. A Hardware Engineer designs, develops, and tests electronic circuits and systems. Hardware Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course will help you build a strong foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Analog Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course introduces the physics of high-frequency signals and signal integrity concepts. Analog Engineers design, develop, and test analog circuits and systems. Analog Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course will help you build a strong foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Radio Frequency Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course provides a deep dive into the physics of high-frequency signals, signal integrity concepts, and how to design circuits for high-speed signals. Radio Frequency Engineers design, develop, and test radio frequency circuits and systems. Radio Frequency Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course will help you build a strong foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Digital Signal Processing Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course covers the physics of high-frequency signals in an easy-to-follow way. Digital Signal Processing Engineers design, develop, and test digital signal processing systems. Digital Signal Processing Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course will help you build a strong foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Systems Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course provides a broad overview of communications protocols, signal integrity concepts, and circuit design techniques. Systems Engineers design, develop, and test complex systems that include electronic, mechanical, and software components. Systems Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course may be useful for building a foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course introduces the physics of high-frequency signals and signal integrity concepts. Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineers design, develop, and test electronic circuits and systems to ensure they meet electromagnetic compatibility standards. Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course will help you build a strong foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Quality Assurance Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course introduces the physics of high-frequency signals and signal integrity concepts. Quality Assurance Engineers design, develop, and implement quality assurance processes for electronic circuits and systems. Quality Assurance Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course may be useful for building a foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Test Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course provides a deep dive into the physics of high-frequency signals, signal integrity concepts, and how to design circuits for high-speed signals. Test Engineers design, develop, and implement test procedures for electronic circuits and systems. Test Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course may be useful for building a foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Product Development Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course introduces the physics of high-frequency signals and signal integrity concepts. Product Development Engineers design, develop, and test new products. Product Development Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course may be useful for building a foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Electrical Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course provides a broad overview of communications protocols, signal integrity concepts, and circuit design techniques. Electrical Engineers design, develop, and test electrical circuits and systems. Electrical Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course may be useful for building a foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Design Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course introduces the physics of high-frequency signals and signal integrity concepts. Design Engineers design, develop, and test electronic circuits and systems. Design Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course may be useful for building a foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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Project Engineer

The Communications and High-Speed Signals with Raspberry Pi course provides a broad overview of communications protocols, signal integrity concepts, and circuit design techniques. Project Engineers design, develop, and implement projects. Project Engineers often work with high-speed signals, so taking this course may be useful for building a foundation in the concepts and techniques needed for success in this field.

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