Chapter

p 3: Characterization of
Communication Signals and Systems

Graduate Program
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally Modulated Signals

Generally, the available channel bandwidth is limited
In the selection of the modulation methods, we
Need to determine the spectral content of digitally modulated
signals
Helps to take the effect of the BW constraint into account

A digitally modulated signal is a stochastic process since

the information sequences are random
Need
N d tto d
determined
t
i d power spectral
t l density
d
it (PSD) off these
th
processes
From PSD one can find the channel bandwidth required to
transmit the information-bearing signals

Sem. I, 2012/13

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

Considering linearly modulated band-pass signal given by

s(t)
( ) Re v(t)
( ) e j 2 f c t

Where (t) is the equivalent low-pass signal

Autocorrelation function of s(t) is

ss ( ) Re vv ( )e j2f
c

And its Fourier transform yyields the desired expression

p
for
the power density spectrum ss(f) as
ss (f)

1
vv (f f c ) vv ( f f c )
2

Where vv(f) is the power density spectrum of (t)

Sem. I, 2012/13

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

To obtain the spectral characteristics of the bandpass
signal s(t), it suffices to determine the autocorrelation
function and power spectral density of the equivalent lowlow
pass signal (t)
Consider a linear digital modulation method for which (t) is
represented in the general form
v(t)
( )

g(t nT))
g(

Where:
{In} represents the sequence of symbols resulting from mapping kkbit blocks into corresponding points
1/T = R/k symbols/s is the transmission rate

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Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

The autocorrelation function of (t) is
vv(t ,t) Ev(t)v(t )
1
2

1

2 m

E
I
I
g
n m (t nT)g(t mT)

Assuming the sequence of information symbols {In} is widesense stationary with mean i and autocorrelation function
ii (m)

1
E I n I n m
2

Then the autocorrelation of (t) will be

vv (t , t)

(m n) g

n m

((m)) g

Sem. I, 2012/13

ii

ii

(t nT) g(t mT)

((t nT)) g(
g(t nT mT))

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

The 2nd summation is periodic with T
Thus the autocorrelation function is also periodic, i.e.,

vv ( t T , t T ) vv ( t ; t );
Further the mean of (t)

E[v(t)] i g(t nT) is also periodic with period T

(t) is a stochastic process having a periodic mean and
autocorrelation function
Called a cyclostationary
y
y or a pperiodicallyy stationaryy process
To compute the power spectral density of (t+,t), we
must eliminate the dependence on the t variable by
averaging over a single period
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Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

1 T/ 2
vv( ) vv(t ;t) dt
T T/ 2

1 T/ 2
ii (m)
( ) g (t
( nT)
T)g(t
( nT
T mT)
T)dt
d

T/
2
m
n T

1 T/ 2nT
ii (m)
g (t nT)g(t mT)dt

T/
2

nT
m
n T

In the above expression, the integral can be interpreted as

the time autocorrelation of the function g(t)
gg ( )

g (t) g(t ) dt

So that
1
vv ( )
T

Sem. I, 2012/13

ii

(m) gg ( mT)

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

The average power spectral density of (t) is the Fourier
transform of the average of its autocorrelation which may
be expressed as
1
2
vv (f) G(f) ii (f)
T
Where G(f) is the Fourier transform of g(t) and
ii (f)

j 2 fmT
f

(m)
e
ii

Note that the p

power spectral
p
density
y depends
p
on the
spectral characteristic of the pulse g(t) and the information
sequence {In}

Sem. I, 2012/13

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

Or, the spectral characteristics of (t) can be controlled by
the choice of g(t) and the correlation characteristics of the
information sequence
Note also that ii(f) is related to the autocorrelation ii(m) in
the form of an exponential Fourier series with ii(m) as the
Fourier coefficient
ff
such that
ii ( m ) T

1 / 2T

ii ( f ) e

j 2 fmT

df

1 / 2 T

Consider the information symbols in the sequence are real

and mutuallyy uncorrelated such that

i2 i2
ii ( m ) 2
i
Sem. I, 2012/13

(m 0)
(m 0)

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

Where i2 is the variance of the information sequence; then

ii (f) i2 i2

j 2 fmT
e

Which is periodic with period 1/T

The above can be viewed as the exponential Fourier series
of a periodic train of impulses each with an area of 1/T; i.e,
2

ii (f) i2 i
T

(f

m
)
T

And substituting this in the expression for (f)

i2
i2
2
vv (f)
G(f)
T
T
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m
m
G T f T

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

10

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

The first term is a continuous spectrum and its shape
depends on the spectral characteristics of signal pulse g(t)
The second expression contains discrete frequency
components spaced 1/T apart in frequency
Each spectral line has power proportional to G(f)2
evaluated at f=m/T

If the information sequences

q
have zero mean the discrete
frequency components will vanish, i.e., i =0
This propertyy is most desirable for digital
g
modulation and
can be achieved when the information sequences are
equally likely & symmetrically positioned in a complex plane

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Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

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Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

Example 1: Consider g(t) to be a rectangular pulse as
shown in the figure below with Fourier transform G(f)

Rectangular
g
p
pulse and its energy
gy density
y spectrum
p
sin fT
G(f) AT
fT
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and

sin fT

G(f) (AT)
fT
2

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

12

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

It contains zeros at multiples of 1/T in frequency and it also
decays inversely as the square of the frequency variable
As a result
result, all but one of the discrete spectral components
in (f) vanishes
Thus, upon substitution for G(f)from above, we get
2

sin fT
A2 i2 (f)
vv (f) i2 A2T
fT

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Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

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Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

Example 2: Consider the case where g(t) is a raised cosine
pulse

A
2
T
g(t) 1 cos (t )
2
T
2

for 0 t T

Raised cosine pulse and its energy density spectrum

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Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

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Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

Its Fourier transform is given as

AT sin fT
f
jjff
G(f)
e
2 2
2 fT(1 f T )
Note the spectrum has zeros at f = n/T; n= +2,
+2 +3,
+3 +4.
+4
Hence, all the spectral components, except those at zero
and f =+1/T vanish
Compared to that of the rectangular pulse, the spectrum
has a broader main lobe but the tails decay inversely as f6

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Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

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Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

Spectrum can also be shaped by operations performed on
the input information sequence
Example 3: Consider a binary sequence {bn} from which we
form the symbol
In= bn +bnn-11
Where the {bn} are assumed to be uncorrelated random
variables, each having zero mean and unit variance
The
Th autocorrelation
t
l ti off the
th sequence {In} is
i

ii (m) E I n I n m
2

1
0

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((m 0)
(m 1
(Otherwise )

Digital Communications Chapter 3: Communication Signals & Systems

16

Spectral Characteristics of Digitally

The power spectral density of the input sequence is
ii (f) 2(1
( cos 2 fT)
f ) 4 cos 2 fT
f

Then, the corresponding power spectral density of the (lowpass equivalent) modulated signal becomes
vv ( f )

Sem. I, 2012/13

4
2
G ( f ) cos 2 fT
T

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17