KE36203, 2013/2014

Communication Systems
C.F. Liau

Lecture 1: An Introduction to Communication Systems


Quote of the Day
Optimist: "The glass is half full."
Pessimist: "The glass is half empty."
Engineer: "That glass is twice as large as it needs
to be."

Outline
Instructor information
Course description and textbook
What you will study from this course
Coverage
Homework, projects, and exams
Background and Preview
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Instructor Information
Office location: Rm 42, Block A
Email: cfliau@gmail.com
Course website:
https://piazza.com/ums.edu.my/spring2014/ke36203/home
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Course Description
This course focuses on the analysis and design of
communication systems, including both analog and digital
systems. We will cover modulation and demodulation
techniques, performance of modulation in noise, and application
of these techniques to current systems, including radio, TV,
satellite, and cellular systems. The analog communication
systems will be studied first. Then the basic theories for the
communications are briefly covered, such as random process,
estimation and detection, information theory, and error correct
coding. With these theories, current digital communication
techniques will be investigated.
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Textbook and Software
Require textbook:
B.P. Lathi, Zhi Ding, Modern Digital and Analog
Communication Systems
Required Software: MATLAB
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Tentative Outline
The Communication Process and the Layered Approach
Fourier Theory and Communication Signals
Amplitude Modulation
Phase and Frequency Modulation
Noise in Analog Modulation
Digital Representation of Analog Signals
Baseband Transmission of Digital Signals
Band-Pass Transmission of Digital Signals
Information and Forward-Error Correction

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Homework, Project, and Exam
Homework
Assignments (15%)
Drill Assignments
Field Work and Field Trip
End-of-class quiz
2 Matlab-Based Assignments (10%)
Project
1 Term Project (10%)
Exams
Two phase tests (20%) [Week 5 and Week 11]
Final exam (40%)
Participation
Piazza (5%)
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The Communication System
A
B
Engineering System
Genetic System
Social System
Reading: Chapter 1
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Communication Systems
Provide for electronic exchange of multimedia data
(information)
Voice, data, video, music, email, web pages, etc.
Communication Systems Today
Radio and TV broadcasting
Public Switched Telephone Network (voice, fax, modem)
Cellular Phones
Computer networks (LANs, WANs, and the Internet)
Satellite systems (pagers, voice/data, movie broadcasts)
Bluetooth
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Future Wireless Networks
Ubiquitous Communication Among People and Devices

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Communication System Components
Source
Coder
Channel
Coder
Modulation
+
Source
decoder
Channel
decoder
demodulation
Distortion and noise
transmitter
channel
receiver
Source
input
Reconstructed
Signal
output
D/A
A/D
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Communication Process
Transmitter converts message signal or bits into format
appropriate for channel transmission (analog/digital signal).
Source coder converts message into message signal or bits. The source coder
tries to pack the information as hard as possible.
Channel coder deliberately adds redundancy to the transmitted information, so
that if the error occurs, the receiver can either detect or correct it. The channel
coder tries to protect the packet information.
Modulation is the process of varying a carrier signal in order to use that signal
to convey information. Carrier signal can transmit far away, but information
cannot.
Channel introduces distortion, noise, and interference.
Receiver decodes received signal back to message signal.
Demodulation is the act of extracting the original information-bearing signal
from a modulated carrier wave.
If error occurs, the channel decoder can either detect or correct it.
Source decoder decodes message signal back into original message.

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Analog or Digital
Common Misunderstanding: Any transmitted signals are ANALOG.
NO DIGITAL SIGNAL CAN BE TRANSMITTED
Compare at three levels:
1. Data - continuous (audio) vs. discrete (text)
2. Signaling - continuously varying electromagnetic wave vs. sequence of
voltage pulses.
3. Transmission without regard to signal content vs. being concerned
with signal content.
Advantages of digital communications:
Data integrity. (Digital system more robust)
Easier to multiplex large channel capacities with digital
Easy to apply encryption to digital data
Better integration if all signals are in one form. Can integrate voice, video
and digital data.

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Transmission Media (Channel)

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Signal Transmission
Much of the attenuation, distortion, interference and noise is encountered at
the channel (transmission medium)
Attenuation can be compensated for by introducing amplifiers or signal repeaters
at intermediate points along the multiple hop link.
Distortion may be compensated by equalisers.
Interference and noise can be minimised by using appropriate predetection signal
processing (e.g. matched filters).
Channel responses to different frequency and different time
Satellite: almost flat over frequency, change slightly over time
Cable or line: response very different over frequency, change slightly over time.
Fiber: perfect
Wireless: worst. Multipath reflection causes fluctuation in frequency response.
Doppler shift causes fluctuation over time
The nature and severity of transmission medium effects is one of the major
influences on the design of transmitters, receivers and repeaters

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Performance Metrics
Analog Communication Systems
Metric is fidelity (SNR, % distortion, MSE)
Want
Digital Communication Systems
Metrics are data rate (R bps) and probability of bit error

Without noise, never make bit errors
With noise, P
E
depends on signal and noise power, data rate, and
channel characteristics.
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Channel Effect, SNR and Capacity
Signal power
Constrained by device, battery, health issue, etc.
Related to quality of transmission: SNR
Channel Capacity and Data Rate
Data rate R limited by signal power, noise power, distortion, and bit error
probability
Without distortion or noise, can have infinite data rate with P
E
=0.
Shannon capacity defines maximum possible data rate for systems with noise and
distortion
Rate achieved with bit error probability close to zero
In white Gaussian noise channels, C = B log
2
(1 + SNR) bit/s
Does not show how to design real systems
Shannon obtained C=32 Kbps for phone channels
Get higher rates with modems/DSL (use more BW)
Nowhere near capacity in wireless systems
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Wired Transmission
Advantages
Path loss is usually modest.
Signal energy is essentially confined and interference is often negligible.
Path characteristics are usually stable and easy to compensate for.
Capacity is unlimited in that bandwidth can always be reused by laying
another line.
Disadvantages
Laying cables in the ground or constructing overhead lines is expensive.
Extensive planning permission may be needed for underground cables
and overhead wires.
Broadcasting requires a physical connection for each subscriber.
Mobile communications services cannot be provided.
Networks cannot easily be added to, subtracted from, or otherwise
reconfigured.
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Wireless Transmission
Advantages:
It is relatively cheap and quick to implement.
Wayleaves and planning permission are often only needed for the
erection of towers to support repeaters and terminal stations.
It has an inherent broadcast and mobile communications potential.
Communications networks can be quickly reconfigured
Disadvantages:
Path loss is generally large due to the tendency of the transmitted signal
energy to spread out. The spreading of signal energy makes interference
between different systems a potentially serious problem.
Capacity in a given locality is limited since bandwidth cannot be reused
easily.
The time varying nature of the channel results in unpredictable
propagation of signals.
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Type of waves


Radio Frequency Bands
Classification Band Initials Frequency Range Characteristics
Extremely low ELF < 300 Hz
Ground wave


Infra low ILF 300 Hz - 3 kHz
Very low VLF 3 kHz - 30 kHz
Low LF 30 kHz - 300 kHz
Medium MF 300 kHz - 3 MHz Ground/Sky wave
High HF 3 MHz - 30 MHz Sky wave
Very high VHF 30 MHz - 300 MHz

Space wave


Ultra high UHF 300 MHz - 3 GHz
Super high SHF 3 GHz - 30 GHz
Extremely high EHF 30 GHz - 300 GHz
Tremendously high THF 300 GHz - 3000 GHz

Scarce Wireless Spectrum
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/allochrt.pdf

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Spectrum
Spectrum Regulation
Spectrum a scarce public resource, hence allocated
Spectral allocation in US controlled by FCC (commercial) or OSM
(defense); in Malaysia controlled by MCMC
Some spectrum set aside for universal use
Worldwide spectrum controlled by ITU-R
Regulation is a necessary evil.
Innovations in regulation being considered worldwide, including
underlays, overlays, and cognitive radios
Spectral Reuse
Due to its scarcity, spectrum is reused
In licensed bands: Cellular, Wimax
In unlicensed bands: Wifi, BT, UWB,
Reuse introduces interference
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Design Challenges
Hardware Design
Precise components
Small, lightweight, low power
Cheap
High frequency operation
System Design
Converting and transferring information
High data rates
Robust to noise and interference
Supports many users
Network Design
Connectivity and high speed
Energy and delay constraints
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Summary
Communication systems send information electronically over communication
channels
The building blocks of a communication system convert information into an
electronic format for transmission, then convert it back to its original format after
reception.
Goal of transmitter and receiver is to mitigate distortion/noise from the channel.
Communication systems modulate analog signals or bits for transmission over
channel.
Digital systems are more robust to noise and interference.
Performance metric for analog systems is fidelity, for digital it is rate and error
probability.
Data rates over channels with noise have a fundamental capacity limit.
Design challenges include hardware, system, and network issues
Focus of this class is design and performance of analog and digital communication
systems
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