Inter symbol Interference

The spreading and smearing of the

signal such that the energy from one
symbol effects the next ones in such a
way that the received signal has
higher probability of being interpreted
incorrectly is called Inter symbol
interference.

Pulse
generator

Transmitt
x(t) ed filter

Channel 1

White
gaussian
noise

Clock
pulses
Decision
device

yi(t
)

y(t)

Sample at
time t=
nTb

Receiving
Filter

Causes of ISI
Imperfections in the overall
frequency response of the system.
When short pulse is transmitted,
frequency components are
differentially attenuated and
differentially delayed by the system.
Pulse appears to be dispersed.

How it actually effects us

now?

Each symbol spread by the

medium

Actual signal seen by the

receiver

What can be done to solve

it?
Simplest thing can be to slow down
the signal.
If delay spread is less than or equal
to symbol time, there will be no ISI.
But slowing down the data rate is
very unacceptable in todays time.

What else can be done?

Pulse shaping.
How it helps?
When timing pulse slices the signal to
determine the value of signal at that
instant, digital demodulator does not
care about shape of the pulse.

We only care about what signal

does at moment of sampling

Using a square pulse

Ts is the symbol time.
Rs is the symbol rate.

Square pulse in frequency

domain

Bandwidth
Bandwidth of the signal is
equal to symbol rate for low
pass signals
twice of the symbol rate for
band pass signals

Disadvantages of Square
pulse
Square pulse is difficult to crate in
time domain because of the rise time
and decay time.
Its frequency response goes on
forever and decays slowly.
Very sensitive to ISI.

 If the square pulse gives sinc function

in frequency domain, then couldnt we
use sinc function in time domain to get
brick wall square pulse in frequency
domain?
Yes we can use sinc function shaped
pulse and have nothing spilling out of
the bandwidth.

Sinc function in time domain

gives square pulse in
frequency domain

One more wonderful part about

using sinc function !
Bandwidth required is half of the
symbol rate.
Nyquist bandwidth.

Problem faced with sinc

function
In time domain, sinc function have
infinite length with tails extending to
infinity, so theoretically energy
continues to add up even after signal
has ended.
The pulse that falls in adjacent
symbols decay at the rate of 1/x so if
there is error in timing, its not
forgiving.

Solution ?
Nyquist offered ways to build realizable
pulses that had a good quality as sinc
pulse and has less disadvantages.
One class of pulse offered was raised
cosine pulses.
Sinc pulse has bandwidth, W= 1/2Ts,
while raised cosine pulses have
adjustable Bandwidth between W to 2W.

 Purpose is to achieve bandwidth as

near to ideal Nyquist bandwidth as
possible.
The factor called roll off factor
relates ideal bandwidth to achieved
bandwidth as

Another way to indicate utilized

bandwidth is

Raised cosine in time

domain

Frequency response of raised

cosine pulse