CE702-7-SP : Digital Communications

Module Description:

The module will provide an understanding of the principles and practices of modern digital communication systems. It reviews baseband and band-pass techniques, pulse code modulation, and studies modern methods of transmission, including multiplexing and multiple access. The module introduces wired and wireless transmission techniques including those used in current broadcast and mobile communications systems. Representative transmission systems selected for study include digital radio, television and WiFi and communication satellites. Operation principles, link budgets and design of basic components of transmission systems are described and discussed in detail

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the principles of baseband and band-pass digital transmission.
2. Assess bit error rates of digital communication systems.
3. Discuss physical layer aspects of radio networks.
4. Design and explain antenna principles.
5. Develop an RF link plan for reliable digital transmission and asses failure probability for given system parameters.
6. Describe practices of modern multiplexed transmission systems.
7. Discuss the principles of digital transmission over cable and RF networks, and explain examples of current practices.
8 Explain satellite and terrestrial systems design.

Outline Syllabus

- Digital transmission principles

- Baseband pulse transmission, signal spectrum and bandwidth. Quantization distortion, pulse shaping, ISI and eye diagrams. Digital modulation systems: PSK, QAM and OFDM. Effects of noise. Detection of digital signals, MAP and ML detections, matched filters, decision regions. Performance assessment. Constellation diagrams, MER, error control coding.

-The EM spectrum and management.

-Comparison of wired and wireless transmission systems.

-Physical layer components, radio propagation and antennas, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) links.

-RF link planning for reliable digital transmission and evaluation of failure probability given system parameters, including link budget and Fresnel Zone calculations.

-Communication satellites: geo-stationary/LEO/MEO orbits, frequency allocations, FDMA, TDMA, CDMA OFDMA.

-Transmission Systems: point to point RF, broadcast radio & TV, cellular comms networks, WiFi, DSL, PCM telephony, optical fibre.