Course detail

Theory of Communication

FEKT-MTOCAcad. year: 2013/2014

The course deals with principals, methods and characteristics of communication systems. It focuses on modern digital systems and modulation methods in particular. However, student of the course can also intensify his/her knowledge of analog modulations, their parameters and implementations. The theoretical information obtained at lectures are subsequently verified by laboratory measurements with specially designed instruments and also by computer simulations with models built in the MATLAB-SIMULINK environment. During the professional trainings students learn how to compute basic parameters needed for communication system design using practical examples.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Student, who passed the course, is able:
- to distinguish basic types of binary signals, to compute and draw their spectra and describe principles and characteristics of the most widely used line codes,
- to list individual blocks of the digital communication system and explain their functions,
- to describe additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel model, to define bit error rate, to compute probability of error reception in case of both baseband and passband binary signal transmission affected by AWGN,
- to describe principles, to define parameters and to list characteristics of basic and modern modulation methods,
- to explain the cause of intersymbol interferences (ISI) and Nyquist strategy of zero ISI in sampling moments, to draw and describe impulse responses of both raised cosine and Gaussian shaping filters,
- to describe the principle of channel equalization, to explain operations of adaptive equalizer and decision feedback equalizer,
- to explain the principle and importance of synchronization in the communication system, to explain the purpose of scrambling, to design the block diagram of a simple self-synchronizing scrambler,
- to describe principles of the automatic repeat request (ARQ) and the forward error correction (FEC), to explain the principle of interleaving, to describe methods of block and convolutional interleaving,
- to explain the difference between natural and uniform methods of sampling, the cause of aperture distortion and methods of its suppression,
- to describe principles of the pulse width modulation (PWM), the pulse position modulation (PPM) and the pulse density modulation (PDM),
- to explain the difference between uniform and non-uniform methods of quantization, to compute the power of the quantization noise, to draw the graphs of compressor and expander transfer functions,
- to describe principles and to list basic characteristics of pulse coded modulations (PCM, DPCM, DM, SDM),
- to explain principles of basic methods of signal multiplexing and multiple access,
- to describe and design the orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM), to define its basic parameters and to list its typical characteristics and examples of application,
- to describe basic types of intensity modulations of light used in optoelectronics,
- to define and compute basic quantities used in the information theory (self-information, entropy, redundancy, mutual information, channel capacity), to explain the principle of the trellis coded modulation (TCM).

Prerequisites

Student, who enrolls for the course, should know basic definitions and characteristics of signals and systems with both continuous and discrete time, including their mathematical description and representation in the frequency domain, and also know basic types of probability density and distribution functions and have knowledge of the signal sampling and filtration. It is also assumed that student can compute the derivative and integral of a function, modify equations with logarithms, complex numbers and trigonometric functions, solve linear equations and use the MATLAB software. In general, the bachelor level knowledge from the area of mathematics and physics are required. It is also recommended to pass the Signal and Systems Analysis (BASS) course before. In general, knowledge on the Bachelor degree level and general English language competence are required.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

During the lectures, the theory is explained with the aid of MATLAB-SIMULINK models and solution of practical examples. The Moodle e-learning software is used for the final testing of students’ knowledge.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

The final grade depends on the number of correctly answered questions of the final computer quiz prepared using the Moodle e-learning software. Student can obtain from 0 to 100 points in total. The 50 points is the minimum which corresponds with just half of correctly answered questions.

Course curriculum

1) Signals (continuous, discrete) in communication systems. Basic waveform representations of binary digits. Line codes.
2) Digital communication system. Mediums for data transfer.
3) Noise in communication systems. Receiving of noised signal.
4) Amplitude and frequency modulations and keyings.
5) Phase modulation and keying. Problems of BPSK data transfer.
6) Modern digital modulations with harmonic carrier (QPSK, 8PSK, OK-QPSK, MSK, FFSK, GMSK, pi/4-DQPSK, MQAM).
7) Reduction of intersymbol interference (ISI). Equalizers. Synchronization. Scrambling.
8) Synchronization. Scrambling. Methods of error control. Pulse modulations (PAM, PWM, PDM, PPM).
9) Digital representations of analog signals. Quantization. Pulse coded modulations (PCM, DPCM, DM, SDM).
10) Multiplexing and multiple access. Orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM).
11) Modulations in optoelectronics. Effect of the noise in passband.
12) Systems of digital subscriber lines (xDSL).
13) Introduction to the information theory. Coding. Trellis coded modulation (TCM).

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Give basic information about signals, methods, principles and parameters of communication systems, especially the digital systems, and also about negative effects on the bit error rate speed of transmission. To acquaint students with English terminology, lexicon, and specificity of English technical texts in the area of modern communication technologies using the set of lectures focused on the explanation of their principles.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Only the passing of the final computer quiz is compulsory (see the criteria linked to learning outcomes).

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

PROAKIS J. G. Digital Communications. 4th ed., New York (USA) : McGraw-Hill, 2001. 1002 p. ISBN 0-07-232111-3 (EN)
HAYKIN S., MOHER M. Introduction to Analog & Digital Communications. 2nd ed., New Jersey (USA) : John Wiley & Sons, 2007. 515 p. ISBN 0-471-43222-9 (EN)

Recommended reading

SKLAR B. Digital Communications. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River (USA) : Prentice Hall, 2003. 1080 p. ISBN 0-13-084788-7 (EN)
XIONG F. Digital Modulation Techniques. 1st ed. Norwood (USA) : Artech House, 2000. 653 p. ISBN 0-89006-970-0 (EN)
HSU H. P. Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of Analog and Digital Communications. 2nd ed., New York (USA) : McGraw-Hill, 2003. 331 p. ISBN 0-07-140228-4 (EN)
GITLIN R. D., HAYES J. F., WEINSTEIN S. B. Data Communications Principles. New York (USA) : Plenum Press, 1992. 733 p. ISBN 0-306-43777-5 (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-BEI , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-BEI , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-TIT , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-TIT , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge
    branch M-KAM , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-KAM , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-EVM , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-EVM , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge
    branch M1-EST , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-EST , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-MEL , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-MEL , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-SVE , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-SVE , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge
    branch M-EEN , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-EEN , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-BEI , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-BEI , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge
    branch M1-TIT , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-TIT , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-KAM , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-KAM , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge
    branch M-EVM , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-EVM , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-EST , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-EST , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge
    branch M1-MEL , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-MEL , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-SVE , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-SVE , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge
    branch M-EEN , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-M1 Master's

    branch M1-EEN , 2. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

  • Programme EEKR-CZV lifelong learning

    branch ET-CZV , 1. year of study, summer semester, general knowledge

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

Analog and digital communication signals.
Analog and digital communication systems
Modulating techniques - overview.
Modulations with harmonic carrier I. AM.
Modulations with harmonic carrier II. FM, PM.
Shift-keying ASK, FSK.
Shift-keying PSK, MQAM.
Pulse modulations.
Digital reprezentation of analog signals.
Formats of digital data.
PCM. Linear delta modulation. Sigma-delta modulation.
Multiple access.
Problems of digital signal transmission. Matched filter.