Pulse Modulation Techniques

• Pulse modulation and its types,

• PAM, PWM, PPM,

• concepts of
• Time Division Multiplexing,

• Frequency Division Multiplexing.

 Pulse Modulation Techniques
Pulse modulation is a technique in which the signal is transmitted with the information by
pulses. This is divided into Analog Pulse Modulation and Digital Pulse Modulation.
Pulse Amplitude Modulation
• Pulse amplitude modulation is a technique in which the amplitude of each pulse is
controlled by the instantaneous amplitude of the modulating signal.
• It is a modulation system in which the signal is sampled at regular intervals and each sample
is made proportional to the amplitude of the signal at the instant of sampling.
• This technique transmits the data by encoding in the amplitude of a series of signal pulses.
• There are two types of sampling techniques for transmitting a signal using PAM. They are:
• Flat Top PAM
• Natural PAM

Flat Top PAM: The amplitude of each pulse is

directly proportional to modulating signal
amplitude at the time of pulse occurrence.
The amplitude of the signal cannot be changed
with respect to the analog signal to be sampled.
The tops of the amplitude remain flat.

Natural PAM: The amplitude of each pulse is

directly proportional to modulating signal
amplitude at the time of pulse occurrence.
Then follows the amplitude of the pulse for the
rest of the half cycle.
 Pulse Width Modulation
• The Pulse width Modulation– By varying the width of the pulses (the carrier signal) in
proportion to the instantaneous values of the analog signal (the message signal).
• The width of the pulse varies, but the amplitude of
the pulse remains constant.

• Amplitude limiters are used to make the amplitude

constant. These circuits clip-off the amplitude, to a
preferred level and hence the noise is limited.

• There are three types of PWM. They are

• The leading edge of the pulse being constant, the
trailing edge varies according to the message signal.

• The trailing edge of the pulse being constant, the

leading edge varies according to the message signal.

• The center of the pulse being constant, the leading

edge and the trailing edge varies according to the
message signal
Pulse Position Modulation
• By varying the position of the pulses (the
carrier signal) in proportion to the
instantaneous values of the analog signal (the
message signal).

• Pulse position modulation is done in

accordance with the pulse width modulated
signal. Each trailing edge of the pulse width
modulated signal becomes the starting point
for pulses in PPM signal.

• Hence, the position of these pulses is

proportional to the width of the PWM pulses.
But the main disadvantage of the PPM
modulation technique is, the synchronization
between transmitter and receiver must be
needed.
Difference Between PAM, PWM and PPM
Sampling Theorem
Generation of PAM
Assume
Between the integration limits c(t) is A
 Pulse-width modulation
The block diagram can be used for the
generation of PWM as well as PPM
A sawtooth generator generates a signal of
frequency fs
Sawtooth signal in this case is a sampling signal
It is applied to the inverting terminal of a
comparator
Modulating signal x(t) is applied to the non
inverting terminal
Comparator o/p will remain high as long as the
instantaneous amplitude of x(t) is higher than
that of the ramp.
This gives rise to a PWM signal at the comparator
o/p
Here the leading edge of PWM coincide with the
falling edges of the ramp signal
However the occurrence of its trailing edges will
be dependent on the instantaneous amplitude of
x(t)
Pulse-Position modulation
 Time Division Multiplexing & Frequency Division Multiplexing
• What Is Multiplexing
• Multiplexing is a technique in which several message signals are combined
into a composite signal for transmission over a common channel.
• In order to transmit a number of these signals over the same channel, the
signals must be kept apart so that they do not interfere with each other, and
hence they can be separated easily at the receiver end.

• Multiplexing is of two types :

• Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM)
• Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
• Frequency spectrum is divided among multiple
logical channels
• Each user can have access to its own assigned
frequencies or logical channels at all the time that the
individual user is active

• Sends the signal in several distinct frequency ranges

• Each signal is modulated on the different carrier
frequency which are separated by guard bands
• The bandwidth of the transmission medium must
exceed the required bandwidth of all signals
• Used in cable TV to carry multiple video channels on a single cable network

• Broadcast radio and TV and the AMPS cellular phone systems use FDM

• Since it involves analog signaling , it is more susceptible to noise

• This is the oldest technique of multiplexing

 Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM)
• Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM) is a scheme in which
numerous signals are combined for transmission on a single
communications line or channel. It is analog multiplexing
technique. Each signal is assigned a different frequency (sub
channel) within the main channel. It requires channel
synchronization.

• Each signal having different frequency forms a

particular logical channel on the link and follows this
channel only.

• These channels are then separated by the strips of

unused bandwidth called guard bands. These guard
bands prevent the signals from overlapping as shown in
Fig.
 FDM System Transmitter
• In FDM each user is assigned non-overlapping frequency ranges so that multiple signals can be transmitted at
the same time
• Multiple message signals {m1(t), m2(t)…mn(t)} from multiple sources are modulated over different subcarrier
frequencies (f1,f2…fn) and send them to an adder
• Now this composite signal (Adder output) is modulated over carrier frequency (fc) and transmitted over
channel
 FDM System Receiver
• In FDM receiver we first get the transmitted signal which was modulated using carrier frequency (fc) and then
pass this composite signal through suitable band-pass filters

• These band-pass filters have the same frequency as the subcarriers of FDM transmitters

• Now these signals s1,s2…sn are passed through respective demodulators to get the actual message signals
{m1(t), m2(t)…mn(t)}
• In FDM, signals to be transmitted must be analog signals. Thus digital signals need to be converted to analog
form, if they are to use FDM.
• A typical analog Internet connection via a twisted pair telephone line requires approximately three kilohertz
(3 kHz) of bandwidth for accurate and reliable data transfer.
• Twisted-pair lines are common in households and small businesses. But major telephone cables, operating
between large businesses, government agencies, and municipalities, are capable of much larger bandwidths.

Advantages of FDM:
1. A large number of signals (channels) can be transmitted simultaneously.
2. FDM does not need synchronization between its transmitter and receiver for proper operation.
3. Demodulation of FDM is easy.
4. Due to slow narrow band fading only a single channel gets affected.
• Disadvantages of FDM:
1. The communication channel must have a very large bandwidth.

• 2. Intermodulation distortion takes place.

• 3. Large number of modulators and filters are required.

• 4. FDM suffers from the problem of crosstalk.

• 5. All the FDM channels get affected due to wideband fading.

• Applications of FDM
1. FDM is used for FM & AM radio broadcasting. Each AM and FM radio station uses a different carrier frequency. In AM
broadcasting, these frequencies use a special band from 530 to 1700 KHz. All these signals/frequencies are multiplexed and are
transmitted in air. A receiver receives all these signals but tunes only one which is required. Similarly FM broadcasting uses a
bandwidth of 88 to 108 MHz

• 2. FDM is used in television broadcasting.

• 3. First generation cellular telephone also uses FDM.

Example Solution
• Assume that a voice channel occupies a bandwidth Shift (modulate) each of the three voice channels to a
of 4 kHz. We need to combine three voice channels different bandwidth, as shown in Figure 6.6. We use the
into a link with a bandwidth of 12 kHz, from 20 to 20- to 24-kHz bandwidth for the first channel, the 24- to
32 kHz. Show the configuration, using the 28-kHz bandwidth for the second channel, and the 28- to
frequency domain. Assume there are no guard 32-kHz bandwidth for the third one. Then we combine
bands. them as shown in Figure
 Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
• In Time division multiplexing the time is
divided into multiple smaller units called
slots and each user is given a slot to transmit
the signal
• Each user has the entire bandwidth of the
channel for a short interval of time
• Used for digital signals or analog signals
carrying digital data
• Data rate of the transmission medium must
exceed the required data rate of all the
signals
• Clock synchronization is one of the major
issue in TDM systems as a small mismatch in
the timing may ruin the utility of overall
system
Time Division Multiplexing
1. TDM is the digital multiplexing technique.
2. In TDM, the channel/link is not divided on the basis of
frequency but on the basis of time.
3. Total time available in the channel is divided between
several users.
4. Each user is allotted a particular a time interval called time
8. Thus each signal will be transmitted for a very
slot or time slice during which the data is transmitted by that
short time. One cycle or frame is said to be
user.
complete when all the signals are transmitted
5. Thus each sending device takes control of entire bandwidth
once on the transmission channel.
of the channel for fixed amount of time.
9. The TDM system can be used to multiplex
6. In TDM the data rate capacity of the transmission medium
analog or digital signals, however it is more
should be greater than the data rate required by sending or
suitable for the digital signal multiplexing.
receiving devices.
10. The TDM signal in the form of frames is
7. In TDM all the signals to be transmitted are not transmitted
transmitted on the common communication
simultaneously. Instead, they are transmitted one-by-one.
medium.
• Types of TDM

• 1. Synchronous TDM
• 2. Asynchronous TDM
Asynchronous time-division multiplexing