Giovanni Campardo

This book presents a collection of “lessons” on various topics commonly encountered in electronic circuit design, including some basic circuits and some complex electronic circuits, which it uses as vehicles to explain the basic circuits they are composed of. The circuits considered include a linear amplifier, oscillators, counters, a digital clock, power supplies, a heartbeat detector, a sound equalizer, an audio power amplifier and a radio. The theoretical analysis has been deliberately kept to a minimum, in order to dedicate more time to a “learning by doing” approach, which, after a brief review of the theory, readers are encouraged to use directly with a simulator tool to examine the operation of circuits in a “virtual laboratory.” Though the book is not a theory textbook, readers should be familiar with the basic principles of electronic design, and with spice-like simulation tools. To help with the latter aspect, one chapter is dedicated to the basic functions and commands of the OrCad P-spice simulator used for the experiments described in the book.

This book presents a collection of “lessons” on various topics commonly encountered in electronic circuit design, including some basic circuits and some complex electronic circuits, which it uses as vehicles to explain the basic circuits they are composed of. The circuits considered include a linear amplifier, oscillators, counters, a digital clock, power supplies, a heartbeat detector, a sound equalizer, an audio power amplifier and a radio. The theoretical analysis has been deliberately kept to a minimum, in order to dedicate more time to a “learning by doing” approach, which, after a brief review of the theory, readers are encouraged to use directly with a simulator tool to examine the operation of circuits in a “virtual laboratory.” Though the book is not a theory textbook, readers should be familiar with the basic principles of electronic design, and with spice-like simulation tools. To help with the latter aspect, one chapter is dedicated to the basic functions and commands of the OrCad P-spice simulator used for the experiments described in the book.

The electronics and information technology revolution continues, but it is a critical time in the development of technology. Once again, we stand on the brink of a new era where emerging research will yield exciting applications and products destined to transform and enrich our daily lives! The potential is staggering and the ultimate impact is unimaginable, considering the continuing marriage of te- nology with fields such as medicine, communications and entertainment, to name only a few. But who will actually be responsible for transforming these potential new pr- ucts into reality? The answer, of course, is today’s (and tomorrow’s) design en- neers! The design of integrated circuits today remains an essential discipline in s- port of technological progress, and the authors of this book have taken a giant step forward in the development of a practice-oriented treatise for design engineers who are interested in the practical, industry-driven world of integrated circuit - sign.

The electronics and information technology revolution continues, but it is a critical time in the development of technology. Once again, we stand on the brink of a new era where emerging research will yield exciting applications and products destined to transform and enrich our daily lives! The potential is staggering and the ultimate impact is unimaginable, considering the continuing marriage of te- nology with fields such as medicine, communications and entertainment, to name only a few. But who will actually be responsible for transforming these potential new pr- ucts into reality? The answer, of course, is today’s (and tomorrow’s) design en- neers! The design of integrated circuits today remains an essential discipline in s- port of technological progress, and the authors of this book have taken a giant step forward in the development of a practice-oriented treatise for design engineers who are interested in the practical, industry-driven world of integrated circuit - sign.