Delta Modulation

Abstract The principal objective of the experiment is to understand Delta Modulation (DM). In order to understand well, we built an integrated circuit. In modulation part of experiment, Flip-flop and sampler output is observed in oscilloscope. So, message signal waveform, sampling waveform and flip-flop output is important indicators for observation in this experiment.

Introduction In this experiment, our purpose was to observe message signal and reconstructed signal to see if they match or dont match. Another goal was to observe the effects of variations on the message frequency and amplitude, sampling frequency at the reconstructed signal. Delta Modulation is a different way of digital modulation. It has a few properties like the correlation coefficient between the Xn and Xn-1 is very important. Because delta modulation takes the difference of them and if they are uncorrelated, sampling noise increases. One more important property for delta modulation is we should choose true stepsize for quantizing. If the variation at the message signal is high, step size should be large enough to catch these variations. Otherwise there will be slope overload noise. If variations are low step size should be smaller to avoid granular noise.

Experimental Procedure Firstly, we built the circuit. We created clock signal 10 V peak to peak and 5 V DC offset at 10 kHz. And we created message signal 1 V peak to peak sine with 0.5 V DC at 200 Hz. After connecting these waves to the circuit we started observing the outputs. We observed the outputs of flip flop and sampler:

After this we made comparison by observing the mr(t) and m(t):

We observed that the step size is fixed and it is equal to 180 mV. But we observed that the step size is not fixed and increases when the input is more dynamic and decrease when it is near flat. So we recorded different step size values. We did not measure but we observed that step size changed.

We changed some parameters and we obtained some results. Variation between 50 Hz and 1 kHz in message frequency: Message frequency is 50 Hz.

Message frequency is 500 Hz.

Message frequency is 1000 Hz.

Variation between 0 V and 2 V peak to peak in message amplitude. Message amplitude is 280 mV.

Message amplitude is 1 V.

Message amplitude is 2 V.

Variation between 400 Hz and 100 KHz in sampling frequency. Sampling frequency is 400 Hz.

Sampling frequency is 50 KHz.

Sampling frequency is 100 KHz.

Results and Discussion Flip flop and sampler outputs are same as our expectations. mr(t) and m(t) were suitable for delta modulation. We calculated different step sizes. If message frequency increases, distortion increases. If message amplitude increases, results get better and step size increases too. If sampling frequency increases, results get better. This is adaptive delta modulation because, we have large step sizes at fast changing points and small step sizes at flat points. In part 3.8, according to our observations when message frequency reaches 500 Hz the phase shift starts to occur. This is suitable since when the frequency increases, sampler cannot catch the message signal. Also when we change the message amplitude from 0 to 2 V peak to peak, we saw that at the low voltage, result was bad and at higher voltages it gets better. It is reasonable since our average step size values changed. Finally when we change the sampling frequency we saw that at higher sampling frequencies we get better results. It is also reasonable because, in delta modulation sampling frequency must be so high.

Conclusion In conclusion, I want to mention shortly about what we have done in this laboratory. Our work consists of two main parts. First part we built the integrated circuits and observed the Delta Modulation. Second part we learnt the effect of frequency and amplitude variation in message signal and sampling frequency variation in Delta Modulation and also observed different step sizes for different dynamics. Then, we can compare original signal and reconstructed signal. The most important benefits of this laboratory experiment are we learned the Delta Modulation techniques. We performed this technique by the help of integrated circuits. This is very useful because we can saw the difference between original signal and reconstructed signal. Thanks to this laboratory I learned Delta Modulation techniques logic.