EE 179, Lecture 9, Handout #14

AM Modulators: Review

Multiplier modulator (perhaps using variable gain amplifier)

Nonlinear modulator, using square-law device

Switching modulator effectively multiplies signal by square wave

Multiplying a signal by a sinusoid shifts the frequency band.

Super-heterodyning: mix = c + I .
Sub-heterodyning: mix = c I .
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Lecture 9, Page 1

Demodulation of DSB-SC Signals

Both modulator and demodulator use a multiplier by carrier signal.

Modulator uses bandpass filter

Demodulator uses lowpass filter

The carrier used by the demodulator must be in phase with the transmitter
carrier (taking into account transmission delay).
Such a receiver is called synchronous, coherent, homodyne.
e2(t) = x(t) * sin(2*pi*fc*t)
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e2(t) lowpass filtered

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homo = same, dyne = power (irregular suffix)

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Lecture 9, Page 2

Demodulation of DSB-SC Signals (cont.)

The phase of the carrier in the received signal must be extracted.
Suppose that the signal is not ideal (frequency is shifted):


r(t) = Ac m(t t0 ) cos (c + )(t t0 )


= Ac m(t t0 ) cos (c + )t d
where d = (c + )t0 .
The receiver has a local oscillator that must be adjusted to stay in phase
with the received signal.
A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) that is controlled by a phase-locked
loop (PLL) is commonly used.
If the goal is cheap receivers, then we can eliminate the PLL by
transmitting the carrier signal along with the modulated message.
AM (t) = A cos c t + m(t) cos c t = (A + m(t)) cos c t
The tone A cos c t contains the desired carrier in correct phase.
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Lecture 9, Page 3

AM Modulation
AM modulation is a form of amplitude modulation. For ka > 0,
s(t) = (Ac + m(t)) cos(c t) = Ac (1 + ka m(t)) cos(2fc t)
We need bandwidth of m(t) fc and modulation index ka < 1.
Spectrum of modulated signal:


S(f ) = 12 Ac (f + fc ) + (f fc ) +
1
2 ka Ac

EE 179, April 18, 2014

M (f + fc ) + M (f fc )

Lecture 9, Page 4

DSB-SC vs. AM
DSB-SC modulated signals undergo phase reversal when m(t) changes sign.
It is difficult to extract carrier from received signal.
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Lecture 9, Page 5

DSB-SC vs. AM (cont.)

In AM, the carrier signal is modulated by Ac + m(t) = Ac (1 + ka m(t)).
Examples: ka = 1 and ka = 0.5.
k =1
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Lecture 9, Page 6

AM Signal and Its Envelope

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Lecture 9, Page 7

Envelope Detection of AM Signals

The term detection means extracting signal from received data. In some
cases it means demodulation.
Suppose that a signal x(t) can be written as
x(t) = E(t) cos c t ,
where E(t) varies slowly compared to the carrier cos c t.
Then |E(t)| is called the envelope of x(t).
For envelope detection to work, we need

fc bandwidth of m(t)
Otherwise positive and negative spectral components overlap.

A + m(t) 0
Otherwise phase reversals occur when A + m(t) < 0.

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Lecture 9, Page 8

Message Signal Peak and Offset

The requirement for envelope detection,
A m(t)
is equivalent to
A mmin = min m(t)
Typically m(t) has zero offset, i.e., min m(t) = max m(t) = mp .
The modulation index of the modulated signal is defined by
mp
=
A
Larger modulation index reduces power but makes demodulation harder.
Broadcast AM stations use modulation index close to 1. Input signals are
controlled using automatic gain control (AGC).
Zero offset is not the same as zero DC value.
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Lecture 9, Page 9

Modulation Index Example

For tone modulation,
m(t) = b cos m t
the message peak is b and = b/A.
AM (t) = (A + b cos m t) cos c t = A(1 + cos m t) cos c t

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Lecture 9, Page 10

Modulation and Demodulation of AM Signals

Modulation: use DSB-SC modulator with A cos c t added to signal.

Demodulation: we could use coherent DSB-SC demodulator.

But this approach fails to use the carrier component.

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Lecture 9, Page 11

Envelope Detector for AM

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Lecture 9, Page 12

AM Demodulation: Rectifier + Lowpass Filter

Diodes were the first semiconductor electronic devices. The discovery of crystals rectifying abilities was made by German physicist
Ferdinand Braun in 1874. The first semiconductor diodes, called cats whisker diodes, developed around 1906, were made of
mineral crystals such as galena. Today most diodes are made of silicon, but other semiconductors such as germanium are
sometimes used.
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Lecture 9, Page 13

AM Demodulation Experiment
m(t) = cos 2t , fc = 10 , h(t) =
2

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EE 179, April 18, 2014

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1 t/RC
e
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RC

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Lecture 9, Page 14

Cats Whiskers (Crystal) Radio

This radio was powered only by received radio energy.

The point-contact semiconductor detector was subsequently resurrected around World

War II because of the military requirement for microwave radar detectors.
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Lecture 9, Page 15

Corncob Pipe Radio

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Lecture 9, Page 16

Single Sideband (SSB)

DSB-SC is spectrally inefficient. It uses twice the bandwidth of the
message.

The signal can be reconstructed from either the upper sideband (USB) or
lower sideband.
SSB transmits a bandpass filtered version of the modulated signal.

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Lecture 9, Page 17

Single Sideband (cont.)

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Lecture 9, Page 18

Single Sideband (cont.)

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Lecture 9, Page 19

Single Sideband Modulation and Demodulation

SSB can be transmitted using a DSB-SC modulator with a narrower

bandpass filter. For USB, center frequency is
fc = fc + 12 B
and cutoff frequency is B/2.
The bandfilter must roll off quickly to eliminate unwanted contributions
from the other sideband.
Message frequencies near 0 will be affected by the nonideal filter.

SSB demodulation can use a DSB-SC demodulator with no change.

The input to the lowpass filter is different from that of DSB-SC.

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Lecture 9, Page 20