Bahir Dar University

Institute of Technology
Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering

INTRODUCTION
TO
COMMUNICATION

10/21/2021 Telecommunication Networks by Solomon M. 1

 Chapter One
Overview of Communication
Systems

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 Lecture outlines
Introduction

Overview of Basics

Types of communication systems and their applications

Frequency domain analysis of signal.

Base band transmission techniques

Objectives
To revise signal and systems analysis basics important to study CS.

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 1.1 Overview of Basics
Signals
A signal is a function representing a physical quantity.
Signals are represented mathematically as functions of one or more independent
variables.
Although functions can operate on any type of variable, we will be most
concerned with functions of time
Physically realizable functions
Have finite time duration (finite energy!)
Occupy finite frequency spectrum
Are continuous
Have finite peak value
Are real-valued
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 Overview of Basics…
Classification of Signals

Signals can be categorized according to a few major features

Continuous Time vs. Discrete Time

Analog vs. Digital

Deterministic vs. Probabilistic (Random)

Power vs. Energy

Periodic vs. Aperiodic

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 Overview of Basics . . .
Continuous Time vs. Discrete Time

This classification is determined by whether or not the time axis independent

variable) is discrete (countable) or continuous.

A continuous-time signal are defined for a continuum of values of time

A discrete-time signal is only defined at discrete times.

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 Overview of Basics. . .
Analog vs. Digital

Analog signal can take any value for all t

Digital signal can take only finite number of distinct values

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 Overview of Basics . . .
Deterministic vs. Random
A deterministic signal is a signal in which each value of the signal is fixed and can
be determined by a mathematical expression, rule, or table.
The future values of the signal can be calculated from past values with complete
confidence.

If a signal is known only in terms of probabilistic description such as mean value,

mean squared value, and so on, it is a random signal.
The future values of a random signal cannot be accurately predicted and can
usually only be guessed based on the averages of sets of signals.

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 Overview of Basics . . .
Power vs. Energy
Energy signals have finite energy
Every signal in real life is an energy signal

Power signal have finite and nonzero power.

Power signal is of infinite duration

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1.2 Types of communication systems
and their applications

Basic Elements of Communication system

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 Input Transducer
convert the message to a form suitable for the particular type of communication system.
Eg: Speech waves are converted to voltage variation by a microphone.

 Transmitter
Processes the input signal to produce a transmitted signal that suited the
characteristic of transmission channel.
eg: modulation, coding Other functions performed: Amplification, filtering

 Channel (Transmission medium)

A medium that bridges the distance from source to destination.
eg: Atmosphere (free space), coaxial cable, fiber optic, waveguide
Transmission systems can be evaluated according to five (5) main criteria:
1. Capacity
2. Performance
3. Distance
4. Security
5. Cost which include installation, operation and maintenance
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 Receiver
To extract the desired signal from the output channel and to convert it to
a form suitable for the output transducer.
eg: Demodulation, decoding
 Other functions performed:
Amplification, filtering.
 Output Transducer
Converts the electrical signal at its input into a form desired by the system used.
Eg: Loudspeaker, PC and tape-recorders.

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 Analog vs. Digital Communication Systems

 Analog
 Continuous Variation
- Assumes the total range of frequencies/time
 All information is transmitted.
 Digital
 Takes samples
- non-continuous stream of on/off pulses
 Translates to 1s and 0s

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 1.3 Frequency Domain Analysis of Signal
Fourier Transform (FT)
Is basically used to find frequencies contained by given time domain signal.

𝑥 𝑡 𝐹𝑇 𝑥 𝑓
∞ −𝑗2𝜋𝑓𝑡
Where: 𝑥 𝑓 = −∞
𝑥(𝑡)𝑒 dt
𝑥 𝑡 → 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑙
𝑥 𝑓 → 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦.
The original signal x(t) is said to be in the time domain since its argument
represents time
The Fourier Transform X(f) representation is said to be in the frequency domain
since its argument f represents frequency

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 The Fourier Transform is referred to as an analysis of the signal x(t) since it
extracts the frequency components of x(t) at each value of f
The Inverse Fourier Transform is referred to as synthesis since it recombines the
components X(f) to obtain the original signal x(t)
The physical meaning of X(f) depends on the meaning of x(t). If x(t) has units of
volts, X(f) has units volts/Hz.
Thus it represents how much of the voltage signal is present at each frequency.
Note that no information is lost in the transformation and both are equivalent
representations of a signal
Example: consider a rectangular pulse

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 From this example we can see that rectangular pulse contains entire band of
frequencies i.e - to .
Signal BW = Highest +ve frequency- lowest +ve frequency
And thus
BW of rectangular pulse =  - 0 = 
Properties of Fourier Transform
Time-Frequency Duality
Symmetry
Linearity
Scaling
Time-shifting
Frequency-shifting
Convolution and multiplication and Time-differentiation and Time-
Integration
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 1.4 Baseband Transmission
Baseband Communication
In communication, baseband is used the band of frequencies where the transmitter
and the receiver communicates

telephony – audio band (0 - 3.5 kHz)

television – video band (0 - 4.3 MHz)

In baseband communication, the baseband signals are transmitted without

modulation
short distance communication
coaxial cable, optical fibers, etc
Local telephone, short-haul PCM, long-distance PCM over optical fibers
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 But proper use of the communication channel requires a shift of the range of
baseband frequencies into other frequency ranges suitable for transmission.
For example: radio system must operate with frequencies of 30kHz and above;
whereas the baseband signal usually contains frequencies in the audio frequency
range.
In carrier communication, the baseband signal is shifted to higher frequencies by
modulation and transmitted to long distances.

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 Baseband Transmission Technics
 Uni polar Signalling

 Polar Signalling
 BiPolar Signalling

 Manchester Signalling

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 End

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