Course Introduction

ECE-GY 6023: WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

PROF. SUNDEEP RANGAN

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People and Time
Professor: Sundeep Rangan, [email protected]
◦ Office Hours: Mondays 3-4pm

Course Assitant: TBD

◦ Ask for all questions regarding homeworks and labs

Class time: Tuesdays 11 to 1:30pm, 2 Metrotech Room 811

◦ I will try to also broadcast on Zoom for those unable to attend
◦ Attendance is optional
◦ Lectures and problems

Online lectures from previous year available on YouTube.

◦ YouTube Wireless comm playlist
◦ I may add / modify these, this semester

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What is Wireless Communications?
Any communication of information via electromagnetic radio waves without a conductor

Wireless channel

Transmitter Receiver

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 Wireless Communications Examples
Bluetooth devices

WiFi Access points

Smartphones Cellular base stations

Satellite
communications
Wireless sensors

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 Many New Applications are Coming

Wireless connectivity can provide:

◦ Portability and mobility
◦ High data rates or low delay
◦ Ubiquitous access to cloud services and data

Virtually every electronic device can benefit from wireless connectivity!

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5G and Wireless Evolving Today

Photos from Sam Rutherford,

Wind, Sleet, and Dead Zones: My Quest to Map Chicago's Spotty 5G

Trial results in VZ 5G Chicago network

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 Wireless Continues to Grow

By 2023: >25 billion wirelessly connected devices

–Cisco Annual Internet Report (2018–2023)
By 2026:
◦ 54% of cellular traffic will be 5G
◦ > 200 EtaBytes / month = 106 TB

-Ericcson Mobile Data Traffic Outlook

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 Key Challenges for Wireless

Interference and
multiple users Fading and propagation Power consumption
Limited spectrum
Signals have limited range Limited battery and
Wireless signals radiate in all
Licensed and unlicensed processing
directions
communications
Channel quality fluctuates in
time with motion

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Course Learning Objectives
Mathematically model and simulate wireless propagation
◦ Antennas, EM waves
◦ Multipath channels, statistical models, multi-antenna systems

Simulate and build simple wireless transceivers

◦ Filtering, synchronization, equalization, coding, …
◦ MAC and network layer protocols
◦ Connect it all together for a simple end-to-end system

Analyze and optimize the system

◦ Define and measure key performance metrics
◦ Model impairments in the channel and devices

Describe and analyze commercial wireless systems in use today

◦ 4G, 5G cellular systems, WiFi, many others

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Pre-Requisites
Graduate-level class intended for MS and PhD students in Electrical Engineering
Course may also be of interest to:
◦ Working engineers in the field
◦ Related areas: Robotics or vision

Graduate probability and digital communications

◦ NYU students: ECE-GY 6013 Digital communications
◦ Basics of modeling key components: mixing, synchronization, sampling, equalization, channel coding
◦ Probability: Random variables and random processes
Programming:
◦ Exercises are in MATLAB and Python
◦ Any programming experience is probably suitable

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 Supplementary Texts

Classic text on Encyclopedic

Up-to-date information EM from wireless comm antennas reference for wireless
theoretic perspective perspective.
Great material on high-speed RF

No required text, but there are many good references

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GitHub
All material can be found on GitHub:
https://github.com/sdrangan/wirelesscomm
◦ Lecture slides
◦ Links to lecture videos
◦ In-class MATLAB exercises
◦ Problems and labs

Clone this repository

Pull to get latest material
Solutions to problems and labs:
◦ Given to NYU students enrolled in class

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Digital Communications
Github site for digital communications:
https://github.com/sdrangan/digitalcomm
This class (or equivalent) is a pre-req
Use this material for review if needed
Github site has:
◦ Lecture slides
◦ In-class MATLAB exercises
◦ Problems and labs
◦ But no videos

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 MATLAB
Most labs, demos and in-class exercises will be in MATLAB
◦ Some parts may also use Python
Download the latest MATLAB
NYU students can get this for free:
◦ https://www.mathworks.com/academia/tah-portal/new-york-university-618777.html
◦ Make sure you get R2023B (Latest version)
Communications, Antenna and Phased Array Toolboxes
◦ Very powerful set of tools for simulating wireless systems
◦ Building blocks for all common parts
◦ Antennas, phased arrays
◦ Channels, modulators, demod, coding, decoding, …
◦ Can integrate with Simulink
◦ Can even export to HDL for synthesis

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MATLAB Live Editor
Some course material MATLAB Live Editor
◦ Will be used for in-class exercises, some labs

Similar to Python jupyter notebook

◦ All code and text cells
◦ Rich content and links
◦ But you need to view them in MATLAB IDE
◦ Cannot view in browser

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Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Labs
Based on ADALM-Pluto devices
◦ Simple, but powerful
◦ Low cost
Used in non-real-time mode
◦ TX and RX signals over the air
◦ Analyze offline in MATLAB
Continue labs from digital communications
◦ Measure and analyze fading channels
◦ Equalization
◦ Coding
May add labs additional labs for MIMO
◦ But needs other hardware

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Grading
Grading:
◦ 25% Homework (including MATLAB exercises)
◦ 25% Midterm 1, 25% Midterm 2
◦ 25% Project

Exams: Midterms will be given remotely

◦ Take home. Approximately one day to complete.
◦ May use any material in the class or Internet
◦ Just cannot talk to a friend

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Project
Groups of two
Any topic of your interest in the area of wireless
Example:
◦ 802.11ad, LTE, 5G, …

Does not need to be original research.

◦ Can be a solid implementation of something standard with a comprehensive evaluation.

Should involve some extensive simulation

◦ You need a comprehensive simulation of at least one component
◦ Better yet, some experimental component
◦ Code will be graded for quality

Will give presentation in final lecture

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Project Grading
Formulation
◦ How well did you formulate the problem? Was it clear? What were you trying to achieve?
Approach and Design
◦ Does your approach properly solve your problem? Is the design logical? Is the design robust?
Evaluation and Interpretation
◦ How did you evaluate the approach? Were the metrics correct? What were the test assumptions?
◦ Did you test against alternative approaches?
Implementation
◦ Did the software work? Was it well-structured, commented. How modular is it?
Presentation
◦ Were the ideas clear? Were all the details conveyed. Did you highlight the main points?
◦ You can select a number of formats. Whatever makes sense. A github page
Bonus
◦ Given for particularly hard / novel research

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Many Resources for Your Projects
You will simulate an end-to-end system of your choice
Your project should comprehensively test at least one component
◦ Ex: equalization, effect of phase noise, …

Many great resources:

◦ MATLAB 5G toolbox
◦ MATLAB HDL generator
◦ Orbit testbed in Rutgers
◦ ADAM Pluto

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