9/17/2011

Lecture 1: Introduction to
Communication Systems
Dr. Mohammed Hawa
Electrical Engineering Department
University of Jordan

EE421: Communications I: Lecture 1. For more information read Chapter 1 in your textbook or visit http://wikipedia.org/.

A Communication System
• Purpose of a communication system:
Carry information from one point to
another.
• A typical communication system consists
of three main components:
– Source
– Channel
– Destination

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How to build it?

Three basic blocks:
Generates Reads
information information

Source Channel Destination

m(t)

Simple example:
Channel: Copper Wires

m(t) = 5 V R 5V

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Channel Impairments
Generates Reads
information information

Source Channel Destination

m(t) m’(t) » m(t)

Impairments:
Attenuation, Distortion,
Noise, etc
R’

m(t) = 5 V R 4.9 V

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Channel Impairments
1. Attenuation:

A cos (2pf1 t) 0.9 × A cos (2pf1 t)

t t

m(t) Channel 0.9 × m(t)

t t

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Attenuation
• Attenuation can be problematic for long distance
communications (say cross-country).
1 km 1 km 98 km
m(t)

Channel (Attenuation Level results in 0.9 / km)

t

(0.9)100 × m(t)
0.9 × m(t)
0.9 × 0.9 × m(t)
t
t
t

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Solutions to Attenuation
(a) Use Amplifiers:
100 km
m(t)

0.9 / km G
t Gain = 37649

1 km 1 km 1 km
m(t)

0.9 / km 0.9 / km 0.9 / km

t
Gain = 1.1 Gain = 1.1

(b) Use channels with smaller attenuation levels (e.g., optical

fiber) – such channels are usually more expensive.

(c) Digital signals are less susceptible to attenuation (because

of threshold detection at the receiver).
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Fiber Cables for Long Distance

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Channel Impairments
2. Linear Distortion:

A cos (2pf1 t) 0.9 × A cos (2pf1 t)

t t

Channel 0.9 × A cos (2pf2 t)

A cos (2pf2 t) 0.8 × A cos (2pf2 t)

t t

f2 > f1

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Linear Distortion: Cause

R’

m(t) = 5 V C’ R vo(t)

| H(f) |=Vo(f)/Vi(f)
0.9
0.8
R/(R + R’) » 1.0

0.0 f
0 f1 f2 Bchannel
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Linear Distortion depends on channel

type and channel length

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Linear Distortion (units of dB)

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Linear Distortion: Effects

t

m(t)
t

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Linear Distortion: Effects

|M(w)|

m(t)

Û
t w (rad/s)
0 2pBm(t) = 2pB

|M(w)|

m(t)

Û
t w (rad/s)
0
2pBchannel 2pB
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Linearly-Distorted Signals
m(t) m’(t)

Channel
t t
m’(t)

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To Summarize:
• Channel Bandwidth Bchannel:

• Signal Bandwidth Bm(t) = B:

• Rule of thumb: signal bandwidth should

be less than or equal to channel
bandwidth.

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Solutions to Linear Distortion

(a) the message should fit in the channel bandwidth
|M(w)| |M(w)|

w (rad/s) w (rad/s)
0 0
2pB 2pB
2pBchannel 2pBchannel

(b) Use an Equalizer

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Channel Impairments
3. Non-Linear Distortion:

A cos (2pf2 t) 0.8 × A cos (2pf2 t)

t t

0.8 × 2A cos (2pf2 t)

2 A cos (2pf2 t) Channel 0.6 × 2A cos (2pf2 t)

t t

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Fourier Transform Again!

|M(w)|

w (rad/s)
0

ÐM(w)

w (rad/s)
0

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Non-Linearly-Distorted Signals
m(t) m’(t)

Channel
t t
m’(t)

Attenuation &
Linear Distortion
t
m’(t)
Attenuation &
Linear Distortion &
Nonlinear Distortion t

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Distorted signals are not desired!

• Solutions to Non-Linear Distortion: Use an Equalizer.

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Channel Impairments
4. Noise:

• External Sources: interference from signals

transmitted on nearby channels (crosstalk),
interference generated by contact switches,
automobile ignition radiation, fluorescent lights,
natural noise from lightning, solar radiation, etc.

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Example External Noise: Crosstalk

m1(t) + k m2(t)
m1(t)

m2(t)

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Noise
• Internal Sources: thermal noise (random motion of
electrons in conductors, random diffusion and
recombination of charged carriers in electronic
devices).

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Noisy signals are not desired!

• The effects of external noise can be minimized or eliminated.

• The effects of internal noise can be minimized but never
eliminated.

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Solutions for External Noise

a) Shielding or twisting.
b) A different cable
design.
c) Proper design of the
channel.
d) Using BPF or LPF at
the receiver side.
e) Use digital
transmission.

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Solutions for Internal Noise

a) Cooling.
b) Using BPF or LPF at
the receiver side.
c) Use digital
transmission.

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Impairments ALL Together

Attenuation + Noise:

m(t) 0.1 m(t) + n(t) m(t) + 10 n(t)

Gain = 10

We need new solutions: Regenrators (Digital Transmission)

m(t) 0.1 m(t) + n(t) R m(t) R

R = RX + TX

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Other Channel Impairments

5. Fading:

6. Doppler Shift:

7. Frequency-reuse interference:

8. Chromatic Dispersion:

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Shannon's Limit

𝐶 = 𝐵𝑐ℎ × 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 1 + 𝑆𝑁𝑅

• C: Capacity of the channel in bits/second (bps)

• Bch: Channel bandwidth (units of Hz)
• SNR: Signal-to-Noise Ratio (unitless)

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