Course Charter

ECE U572 Communication Systems I 4 Credit Hours

Introduces basic concepts of digital communication over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. Reviews frequency domain signal analysis through treatment of noiseless analog communication. Foundations of stochastic processes will be reviewed including stationarity, ergodicity, autocorrelation, power spectrum and filtering. Provides an introduction to lossless and lossy source coding and introduces Huffman and Lempel-Ziv algorithms. Optimal quantization and PCM and DPCM systems are introduced. Examines geometric representation of signals and signal space concepts, principles of optimum receiver design for AWGN channels, correlation and matched filter receivers, and probability of error analysis for binary and M-ary signaling through AWGN channels, and performance of ASK, PSK, FSK, and QAM signaling schemes. If time permits, this course will also cover digital PAM transmission through bandlimited AWGN channels, zero ISI condition, system design in the presence of channel distortion, and equalization techniques.

Prerequisites: ECE U464, ECE U468

Textbooks:

  • Communication Systems Engineering 2nd Edition by J. G. Proakis, and M. Salehi Prentice Hall, 2002.
  • Contemporary Communication Systems Using Matlab and Simulink 2nd Edition, by J. G. Proakis, M. Salehi and G. Bauch, Thomson, 2004.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, a student should:

  1. Understand the basic building blocks in analog and digital communication systems.
  2. Be able to use the knowledge acquired in a linear systems course to the analysis of analog and digital communication systems.
  3. Have an understanding of the sources and characteristics of thermal noise and methods of analysis of the effect of noise on digital communication systems.
  4. Understand the role of data compression in communication systems and the fundamental limits on lossless data compression.
  5. Be able to design source coding schemes based on Huffman coding and the Lempel-Ziv algorithm.
  6. Be able to design minimum probability-of-error receivers for binary and M-ary digital communication systems in the presence of AWGN.
  7. Be able to compute the error probability of various digital modulation systems and make a meaningful comparison between these systems based on their performance and the required physical resources (power and bandwidth).
  8. Understand the role of intersymbol interference in bandlimited channels and methods for compensating its effect on the communication system.

Topics Covered:

  1. Basic block-diagram of a communication system
  1. Definitions of information source, channel, and destination
  2. Role of transmitter and receiver.
  3. Role of source encoder/decoder, channel encoder/decoder, and digital modulator/demodulator. Review of frequency-domain analysis
  1. Review of signal and system analysis in the frequency domain
  2. Fourier transform techniques and properties
  3. Study ofanalog communication systems as applications of Fourier techniques.
  4. Review of stochastic processes
  1. Autocorrelation function and stationarity
  2. Power spectral density and transmission of random processes through filters.
  1. Thermal noise and linear systems
  2. Noise power spectral density and properties of thermal noise
  3. Signal to noise ratio
  4. Noise through linear systems
  5. Information sources
  1. Mathematical model for information sources
  1. Measure of information, entropy, and entropy rate of a source
  2. Lossy and lossless source coding
  3. Typical sequences and lossless source coding theorem
  1. Lossless source coding algorithms
  2. The Huffman coding algorithm
  3. The Lempel-Ziv algorithm
  4. Lossy data compression of analog sources
  1. Quantization, optimal quantizers, and the Lloyd-Max conditions
  2. Signal to quantization noise ratio (SQNR)
  3. Pulse code modulation and its SQNR and transmission bandwidth
  4. Nonuniform PCM and the μ-law companding
  5. DPCM, its performance and applications
  1. Signal space concepts
  1. Representation of signals by vectors and Gram-Schmidt procedure
  2. Constellation of a signal set, binary antipodal and orthogonal signaling, PAM signaling, ASK, PSK, and QAM signaling.
  3. Relation between constellation points and signal energy.
  1. Optimum receiver design in AWGN channels
  1. Relevant and irrelevant noise components
  2. Vector equivalent of a waveform channel
  3. MAP receiver design and optimal decision regions
  4. Correlation and matched filter optimal receivers
  5. Error probability in the binary case, performance of binary antipodal and binary orthogonal signaling, the notion of
  6. The union bound on error probability for general M-ary signaling
  7. Error performance of BPSK, BFSK, QPSK, and QAM signaling
  8. Power efficiency versus bandwidth efficiency of signaling systems
  1. Signal transmission over bandlimited channels (time permitting)
  1. Distortion and ISI
  2. Nyquist conditions for zero ISI
  3. Raised cosine signaling
  4. Controlled ISI, duobinary, and modified duobinary signaling
  5. Equalization techniques for bandlimited channels.

Relationship of course to program objectives:

Program Objective / Assessed
1.1 Formulate and solve ECE problems (specified in course objectives) / HE: Both H and E involve significant emphasis on interpreting verbal descriptions to develop models and solve problems
1.2 Laboratory and computing tools / H: Matlab based homeworks are used to provide concrete realization of the underlying mathematical concepts
1.3 Design/conduct experiments, analyze data / N/A
1.4 Design systems, components, or processes / H: Homework frequently involves problems requesting design of compression algorithms and optimal receiver structures.
1.5. (CE) Design and implement computer programs / H: Matlab used in homeworks
2.1 Understand/apply mathematics
2.1.1 Differential Calculus / HE: Differentiation of functions (signals) is required
2.1.2 Integral Calculus / HE: Convolution, and Fourier transforms require the ability to evaluate integrals
2.1.3 Complex algebra/analysis / HE: Fourier, and Z transform analysis all make extensive use of complex variables
2.1.4 Differential/Difference Equations / HE: Difference equations are used in controlled ISI systems
2.1.5 Linear Algebra / HE: Matrices are used in the analysis of equalizers
2.1.6 Multivariate Calculus / HE: Used in analysis of jointly Gaussian random variables and random processes
2.1.7 Probability/Stochastic Processes / HE: Widely used throughout the course
2.2 Understand/apply physics
2.2.1 Solid-state physics / N/A
2.2.2 Electricity & Magnetism / C: EM radiation as an example of communication channels
2.3 (EE) Apply knowledge of programming
(CE) Solve engineering problems using programming
2.3.1 Flow-charting/program design / H: Matlab assignments use limited program design
2.3.2 Language syntax/debugging / N/A.
2.3.3 Output analysis / N/A.
2.4 Connect ECE subfields / H: Connect signal theory and probability to communication systems
2.5 Information sources/literacy / C: E-mail communication encouraged, course materials may be distributed over the internet, class web page used for supplementary lecture notes, discussion groups through Blackboard site are set up and used
2.6 Connect between theory and application / C: Examples tied to wireless communications and modem design are emphasized
2.7 Connect between classroom and work/co-op / C: Example from industry and co-op covered in class and used for homework and exam problems to the extent possible
3.1 Effective written communication / N/A
3.2 Effective oral communications / N/A
3.3 Analyze information/compare alternatives / N/A
3.4 Multidisciplinary teams / N/A
3.5 (CE) Document engineering work appropriately / N/A
4.1 Professional/ethical issues / N/A
4.2 Lifelong learning / N/A
4.3 Career management / N/A
4.4 (CE) Copyright and privacy standards specific to computer hardware and software / N/A
5.1 Social/cultural context of ECE / N/A
5.2 Historical/contemporary issues of ECE / N/A
5.3 Esthetics in engineering / N/A
5.4 Esthetics in written/oral expression / N/A

Prepared by Masoud Salehi, January 2005