From the preface:
Feedback from graduates that what they learned in university is not used in industry
prompted me to ponder what to teach in signals and systems. Typical courses on signals and
systems are intended for sophomores and juniors, and aim to provide the necessary background
in signals and systems for follow-up courses in control, communication, microelectronic circuits, filter design, and digital signal procession. A survey of texts reveals that the important
topics needed in these follow-up courses are as follows:
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Signals: Frequency spectra, which are used for discussing bandwidth, selecting sampling
and carrier frequencies, and specifying systems, especially, filters to be designed.
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Systems: Rational transfer functions, which are used in circuit analysis and in design of
filters and control systems. In filter design, we find transfer functions whose frequency
responses meet specifications based on the frequency spectra of signals to be processed.
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Implementation: State-space (ss) equations, which are most convenient for computer
computation, real-time processing, and op-amp circuit or specialized hardware implementation.
These topics will be the focus of this text.
Dr. Chen's other books are also excellent.