College of Engineering

Electrical & Computer Engineering Department

Introduction to Communication Systems

(ECEg4101)

Chapter One: Overview of Communication Systems

Prepared by: Welelaw Y.

Overview of Communication Systems

Outline:
• Introduction
• Elements of Communication Systems
• Types of Communication Systems
• Modulation and Multiplexing
• Radio Wave Propagation Modes
• The Electromagnetic Spectrum
• Applications of Communication Systems

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 Introduction

• Communication is the process of exchanging (sending,

receiving and processing) information between two or more
individuals (devices).

• The process of communication is inherent to all human life

and includes verbal, nonverbal (body language), print, and
electronic processes.

• Communication system is a collection of elements which works

together to establish a communication bridge between the
sender (transmitter) and receiver.

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Introduction……

• Two or more people communicating with each other by

transmitting sound signals through electronic devices is
an example of a communication system.

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Elements of Communication Systems

• The basic components of a communication system are

information source, input transducer, transmitter,
communication channel, receiver, output transducer, and
destination.

Fig. A general block diagram of a communication system

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Elements of Communication Systems……

Information Source:

• The information generated by the source may be in the

form of sound (human speech), picture (image source) or
plain text.

Input Transducer

• A transducer is a device which converts one form of energy

or signal into another form of energy or signal.

• The input transducer converts the non-electrical signal

(sound signal or light signal) into an electrical signal.

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Elements of Communication Systems……

• A microphone is a device which converts your voice

signals (sound signals) into electrical signals.

Transmitter:

• The transmitter is a device which converts the signal

produced by the source into a form that is suitable for
transmission over a given channel or medium.

• Transmitters use a technique called modulation to convert

the electrical signal into a form that is suitable for
transmission over a given channel or medium.

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Elements of Communication Systems……

Communication Channel:

• The communication channel is a medium through which

the signal travels.

• Communication channels are divided into two categories:

wired and wireless.

Noise:

• Noise is an unwanted signal that enters the communication

system via the communication channel and interferes with
the transmitted signal.

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Elements of Communication Systems……

Receiver:

• The receiver is a device that receives the electrical signal

from the channel and converts it back to its original form
which is understandable by humans at the destination.

Output Transducer:

• The output transducer converts the electrical signal into a

non-electrical signal (sound signal, light signal,.....)

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Types of Communication Systems

• Electronic communication systems can be classified based

on:

i. direction of communication (whether the system is

unidirectional or bidirectional)

ii. nature of information signal (whether the system uses

analog or digital signals for communication)

iii. technique of transmission (whether the system uses

baseband transmission or uses some kind of modulation)

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Types of Communication Systems……

Fig. Classification of electronic communication system

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Types of Communication Systems……

i. Classification based on direction of communication

• Based on whether the system communicates only in one

direction or otherwise, the communication systems are
classified as:

➢Simplex System
➢Half duplex System
➢Full duplex System

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Types of Communication Systems……

Simplex System:

• In these systems, the information is communicated in only

one direction.
Examples: Radio and TV broadcasting system

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Types of Communication Systems……

Half duplex System:

• These systems are bidirectional (they can transmit as well

as receive) but not simultaneously. At a time, these
systems can either transmit or receive.

Examples: Walkie-talkies and CB (citizens band) radios

Full duplex System:

• These systems allow communication to take place in both

directions simultaneously .
Example: Telephone systems

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Types of Communication Systems……

ii. Classification based on nature of information signal

• Based the nature of information signal, communication

systems are classified into two broad categories as:

➢Analog communication system

➢Digital communication system

Analog Communication System:

• Uses analog signals for communication
• Analog signals are continuous and take continuous values.

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 Types of Communication Systems……

Digital Communication System:

• Uses digital signals for communication

• digital signals have discrete states and take discrete values.

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Types of Communication Systems……

PAM:- Pulse Amlitude Modulation.

PWM:- Pulse Width Modulation.
PPM:- Pulse Position Modulation.
PCM:- Pulse Code Modulation.
DM:- Delta Modulation.
ADM:- Adaptive Delta Modulation.

Fig. Classification based on nature of information signal

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Types of Communication Systems……

Digital Communication System Analog Communication System

Advantages: Disadvantages:
• inexpensive digital circuits
• privacy preserved • expensive analog components
(data encryption) required
• can merge different data • no privacy
(voice, video and data) and • can not merge data from
transmit over a common different sources
digital transmission • no error correction capability
system
• error correction by coding

Disadvantages: Advantages:
• larger bandwidth • smaller bandwidth
• synchronization • synchronization problem is
problem is relatively relatively easier
difficult

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Types of Communication Systems……

iii. Classification based on technique of transmission

• Based on the technique used for the signal transmission,

we can categorize the electronic communication system as
under :
➢Baseband transmission system
➢Bandpass transmission system using modulation
Baseband transmission:
• In baseband transmission systems, the baseband signals
(original information signals) are directly transmitted .

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Types of Communication Systems……

• The baseband transmission can not be used with certain

mediums e.g., it can not be used for signal transmission
where the medium is free space. This is because the voice
signal can not travel long distance in air. It gets suppressed
after a short distance .

Bandpass transmission system using modulation:

• In the modulation process, some parameter of the carrier

wave (such as amplitude, frequency or phase ) is varied in
accordance with the modulating signal .

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Types of Communication Systems……

• Communication systems can also be classified based on

the media used for information transmission.

• In communication systems, transmission media can be

divided into two broad categories: guided (wired) and
unguided (wireless).

Guided Media:

• A signal traveling along a guided media is directed and

contained by the physical limits of the media.

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Types of Communication Systems……

Unguided Media:

• Unguided (wireless) media transport electromagnetic

waves without using a physical conductor.

• This type of communication is often referred to as wireless

communication.

• Signals are normally broadcast through free space and

thus are available to anyone who has a device capable of
receiving them.

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Types of Communication Systems……

Fig. Classes of transmission media

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Modulation and Multiplexing

• Modulation and multiplexing are electronic techniques for

transmitting information efficiently from one place to
another.

• Modulation makes the information signal more compatible

with the medium, and multiplexing allows more than one
signal to be transmitted concurrently over a single medium.

• Modulation and multiplexing techniques are basic to

electronic communication.

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Modulation and Multiplexing……

• Modulation is the process of transforming a baseband

voice, video, or digital signal into another higher-frequency
signal using the carrier signal.

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Modulation and Multiplexing……

• Multiplexing is the process of allowing two or more signals

to share the same medium or channel.

Fig. Multiplexing at the transmitter

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Modulation and Multiplexing……

• There are three basic types of multiplexing: frequency

division, time division, and code division.

Fig. Demultiplexing at the receiver

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Radio Wave Propagation Modes

• Unguided signals can travel from the source to destination

in several ways: ground wave propagation, sky wave
propagation, and line-of-sight propagation.

Ground Wave Propagation:

• Follows contour of the earth
• Can propagate considerable distances

• Frequencies up to 2 MHz
Example: AM radio

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Radio Wave Propagation Modes……

Sky Wave Propagation:

• Signal reflected from ionized layer of atmosphere and can

travel a number of hops, back and forth.

• Frequencies: 2 to 30 MHz
Example: SW radio

Line-of-Sight Propagation:

• Transmitting and receiving antennas must be within line of

sight with frequencies above 30 MHz.

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Radio Wave Propagation Modes……

Fig. Modes of radio wave propagation

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The Electromagnetic Spectrum

• The range of electromagnetic signals encompassing all

frequencies is referred to as the electromagnetic spectrum.
• All electrical and electronic signals that radiate into free
space fall into the electromagnetic spectrum.

Fig. Main blocks of the electromagnetic spectrum

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The Electromagnetic Spectrum……

Fig. The general electromagnetic spectrum

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The Electromagnetic Spectrum……

Fig. Electromagnetic spectrum bands and some application areas

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Applications of Communication Systems

• The various major applications of electronic communication

systems include:
1. AM and FM radio broadcasting
➢Stations broadcast music, news, weather reports, and
programs for entertainment and information. It includes
digital radio.
2. TV broadcasting
➢Stations broadcast entertainment, informational, and
educational programs. It includes digital television (DTV) and
cable television (CATV).

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Applications of Communication Systems……

3. Telephones

➢One-to-one verbal communication is transmitted over the

vast worldwide telephone networks employing wire, fiber
optics, radio, and satellites. It includes cordless
telephones, cellular phones, VoIP phones and satellite
phones.
4. The Internet
➢Worldwide interconnections mainly via fiber optic networks. It
includes Wide-Area Networks (WANs), Metropolitan-area
Networks (MANs) and Local-area Networks (LANs)

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Applications of Communication Systems……

5. Wireless remote control

➢This category includes a device that controls any remote

item by radio or infrared. Examples are missiles, satellites,
robots, vehicles, remote plants, garage door opener, and the
remote control on your TV set.

6. Internet of Things (IoT).

➢The monitoring or control of remote devices, appliances, and
other items in a home, office or other facility is usually
accomplished by a combination of wireless and Internet
connectivity.

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Applications of Communication Systems……

7. Navigation and direction-finding services

➢Used for identifying exact location, direction and/or distance

from a station. Such systems employ both land-based and
satellite stations. The Global Positioning System (GPS)
which uses 24 satellites is the most widely used.

8. Telemetry
➢Measurements are transmitted over a long distance.

➢Telemetry systems use sensors to determine physical

conditions (temperature, pressure, low rate, voltages,
frequency, etc.) at a remote location.

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Applications of Communication Systems……

9. Radar

➢This special form of communication makes use of reflected

microwave signals for the purpose of detecting ships,
planes, and missiles and for determining their range,
direction, and speed.

10. Sonar
➢In underwater communication, audible baseband signals use
water as the transmission medium. Submarines and ships
use sonar to detect the presence of enemy submarines.

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