Book Reviews
learn the subject area by self-study only. With
the increasing use of DSP techniques in mixed-
signal analogue/digital VLSI ICs it could be a
useful text for refreshing basic knowledge on the
subject, but not one which may be of direct help
in more complex real-life design situations.
M.S. Harris
Digital Protection for Power Systems
A. T.Johns and S.K. Salman, lEE Peter Peregrinus,
U.K., 1995, 204pp., 45.00
Digital signal processing, integrated circuits and
other microelectronic expertise is now a promi-
nent part of the theory and practice of power
systems engineering. No longer can power
engineers plead ignorance of electronics as
something which has no practical significance for
'real' electrical engineering.
This very readable text immediately shows that
digital protection for power systems now
embraces many aspects which are also the
province of electronic and communications
engineers, including Fourier analysis, orthogonal
transforms, travelling waves, sampling theory,
analogue and digital microelectronics, as well as
basic power system protection theory. Its
contents are organized in eleven reasonably self-
contained chapters, including:
the mathematical background requirements
Fourier analysis and Walsh transform tech-
niques
differential equation techniques
travelling-wave protection methods
and
digital differential protection
The coverage is such that a student or reader not
already familiar with the subject area can use this
as a comprehensive learning text: the mathema-
tical developments are clear and concise, and
good Figures illustrate all the main developments.
204
For students and engineers who require to
become familiar with this specialised but very
important area of microelectronics application,
this is a very good and recommended text.
S.L. Hurst
Digital Design from Zero to One
J.D. DanMs, Wiley, New York, 1996, 616pp.,
18.99 hardback
This is an interesting text book for introducing
all the fundamentals of digital logic to students
and those who wish to become educated in the
subject. It assumes no prior knowledge, and
builds up its material in a very informal but lucid
manner, with continuous worked examples and
relevant figures.
The coverage is conventional. Part 1, four chap-
ters, covers combination logic from basic number
theory through to programmable logic devices.
Part 2, three chapters, covers sequential design,
ranging from basic flip-flop and counter circuits
through to ASM charts and other state diagram
structures. The final part, Part 3, consists of four
chapters, covering memory circuits and struc-
tures, digital communication, arithmetic hard-
ware and register transfer logic (R.TL).
Asynchronous logic design, however, is not
covered, nor are binary decision diagrams (BDDs)
which are beginning to feature in the digital logic
design armoury. CAD is briefly introduced in the
context of programmable array logic (PAL) devi-
ces, but not pursued in any depth.
This is a valuable first text for digital logic theory
and practice, and as such may be appreciated by
students. Its price also is very attractive.
However it does not cover, and is not designed
to cover, the more advanced topics which many
students as well as practising engineers, may
require.
S.L. Hurst