Unit A72: Construction and Applications of Digital Systems
This unit aims to give learners an understanding of modern digital systems and technology and the skills needed to build and test a range of digital electronic circuits.
Digital electronics play an integral part in modern society. Their wide application, from washing machines and car management systems to street furniture devices (eg turning street lighting on and off), means that there is an increased need for safe, low maintenance, energy-efficient systems. These new systems also frequently use alternative energy sources and have their eventual disposal (e-waste) taken into account from their conception.
This unit will give learners an understanding of recent advances in digital electronics and the new technologies that often replace older electrical and electronic systems (legacy systems). Learners will also develop an understanding of how the components of an electronic system are connected together (interfaced) to enable analogue signals to be transmitted digitally. For example, interface circuit devices such as optocouplers can transfer an electrical signal from one circuit to another while electrically isolating the two.
Learners will also have the opportunity to build and test different digital systems, enabling them to understand circuit life cycles, circuit costs and build and test methods.
Unit content
1 Understand energy efficient use of modern digital electronics technology
Explain how two different types of small energy sources are used to support two different digital electronic systems
Explain how modern technologies can be used to extend the life of an existing electronic system
2 Understand the transmission of analogue data in a digital system
Describe how analogue data is transmitted by a digital electronic circuit
Explain the role and operation of a tri-state device in analogue data transmission
3 Understand the selection and use of interface devices and logic devices for digital circuits
Explain the selection and use of two different types of standard data interfaces within working systems
Identify a logic device family, its current levels of integration and the benefits of using it
4 Be able to build and test digital systems
Build two different digital electronic circuits to be used in different digital systems
Carry out circuit testing of the two constructed circuits to check system performance against specification.