EET 3351

Communications Systems

Amplitude Modulations
and Demodulations

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 Introduction
Modulation is a process that moves the message signal into
a specific frequency band that is dictated by the physical
channel.
We will study classic analog modulations:
Amplitude modulation and Angle modulation
Communication systems that does not use modulation –
baseband communications
Communication systems that use modulation –
carrier communications

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Baseband vs Carrier Communications
Baseband Communications

The baseband is the frequency band of the original signal.

Example: Telephones: 300–3700 Hz

Baseband signals such as audio and video contain

significant low-frequency content.
They cannot be effectively be transmitted over radio
(wireless) link.
Baseband communication usually requires wire (single,
twisted pair, coax).
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 Baseband vs Carrier Communications
Carrier Communications
oCarrier communication uses modulation to shift spectrum of signal.
oWireless communication requires frequencies higher than
baseband.
oIn carrier communication, the signal modulates a sinusoidal carrier.
oThe signal modifies the amplitude, frequency, or phase of carrier.

s(t) = A(t) cos(ωct +φ (t))

◮ Amplitude modulation: A(t) is proportional to m(t)
◮ Frequency modulation: frequency is proportional to m(t)
◮ Phase modulation: φ(t) is proportional to m(t)
Frequency and phase modulation are called angle modulation.
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 Double Sided Amplitude Modulation
The carrier amplitude is changed in proportional to the message
signal.
At the same time, angular frequency ω c and the phase θc remains
constant ( assume phase θc = 0).
If carrier amplitude A is made directly proportional to the
modulating signal m(t), then modulated signal is:
m(t) cos ω ct (shifts spectrum of m(t) to carrier frequency
If
m( t )  M ( f )
then
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m( t ) cos( 2 f ct )   M ( f  f c )  M ( f  f c ) 
2
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Double Sided Amplitude Modulation

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 Double Sided Amplitude Modulation
• If the bandwidth of m(t) is B Hz, then the modulated signal has a
bandwidth of 2B Hz.
• The modulated signal spectrum centered at ±fc (or ωc rad/s)
consists of two parts:
 a portion that lies outside ±fc and is know as upper sideband (USB)
 A portion that lies inside ±fc is known as Lower Sideband (LSB)
• The modulated signal does not contain a discrete component of the
carrier frequency fc.
• This modulation process does not introduce sinusoid at fc and as a
result, it is called Double-sideband, suppressed-carrier (DSB-SC
modulation).

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 Double Sided Amplitude Modulation
• The relationship of B to fc is of interest:
• From fig c, if fc ≥ B, thus avoiding overlap of modulated spectra
centered at ±fc .
• If fc < B, the two copies of message spectra overlap and the
information of m(t) is distorted during modulation. This will make
it impossible to recover m(t) from m(t)cos ω ct.
Examples:
◮ AM radio: B = 5 KHz,
550 ≤ fc ≤ 1600 KHz
◮ FM: B = 200 KHz,
87.7 ≤ fc ≤ 108.0 MHz
◮ US television: B = 6 MHz,
54 ≤ fc ≤ 862 MHz 8
 DSB-SC Demodulation
• DSB-SC modulation shifts spectrum to right and left by fc.
• To recover original signal m(t) from the modulated signal, it is
necessary to retranslate the spectrum to its original position
(Demodulation)
• If modulated signal spectrum in fig c (previous figure) is shifted to
the left and to the right by fc and multiplied by half, we obtain:

• The figure contains the desired baseband spectrum plus and

unwanted spectrum at ±2fc.
• The unwanted spectrum can be suppressed by a low-pass filter. 9
 DSB-SC Demodulation
• Demodulation consists of multiplication of the incoming
modulated signal m(t)cos ωct by a carrier cosωct followed by a low
pass filter.

• This can be verified in the time domain by observing e(t):

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e( t )  m( t ) cos ct   m( t )  m( t ) cos 2ct 
2

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1 1
E ( f )  M ( f )   M ( f  2f c )  M ( f  2f c ) 
2 4 10
Demodulation E( f ) 
1 1
M ( f )   M ( f  2f c )  M ( f  2f c ) 
2 4

• The spectrum of the second component in E(f), being a signal with

carrier frequency 2fc, is centered at ±2fc.
• This component is suppressed by low-pass filter.
• On the other hand, the desired component (1/2)M(f), being a low-pass
spectrum (centered at f = 0) passes through the filter unharmed, resulting
in (½)m(t).
• You can get rid of the inconvenient fraction ½ in the output by using a
carrier 2cosωct instead of cosωct
• This method of recovering the baseband signal is called synchronous
detection or coherent detection where we use a carrier of exactly the
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same frequency(same phase) as the carrier used for modulation.
 Example
For a baseband signal: m(t) = cos ωmt = cos 2πfmt
Find the DSB-SC signal, and sketch its spectrum. Identify the upper
and lower sidebands (USB and LSB). Verify that the DSB-SC
modulated signal can be demodulated by the demodulator shown
previously (synchronous detection or coherent detection)
[This case is called tone modulation because the modulating signal is a
pure sinusoid or tone, cos ωmt ]

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Example

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Example

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15
 Modulators
Multiplier Modulators
• Modulation is achieved directly by using an analog multiplier
whose output is proportional to the product of two signals m(t)
and cos ωct.
• Typically, the multiplier is obtained from a variable-gain
amplifier in which the gain parameter is controlled by one of
the signals e.g m(t).
• When cos ωct is applied to the input of the amplifier, the output
is proportional to m(t)cos ωct.

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 Modulators
Non-Linear Modulator
Modulation is achieved through nonlinear devices such as a
semiconductor diode or a transistor.
• Let the input-output characteristics of either of the nonlinear
elements be approximated by a power series:
y(t) = a x(t) + b x2(t)
• where x(t) and y(t) are the input and output of the nonlinear element.

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Modulators

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 Modulators
Non-Linear Modulator
• Passing z(t) through a bandpass filter tuned to ω c, the signal
am(t) is suppressed and the desired modulated signal
4bm(t)cosω ct can pass through the system without distortion
• Because the cos ω ct does not appear at the z(t), this setup is
called balanced circuit.
• The nonlinear modulator is an example of a class of modulators
known as balanced modulator.
• Because m(t) appears in z(t), it is called single balance
modulator, however, m(t) is removed through bandpass filter.

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 Frequency Mixer or Converter
• Frequency mixer or converter: is used to change the carrier angular
frequency of a modulated signal m(t)cos ωct from ωc to ωI
• This is achieved by multiplying m(t) cos ωct by 2cos ωmixt, where
ωmix = ωc+ ωI or ωc-ωI and bandpass filtering the product.

• The product x(t) is:-

x ( t )  2m( t ) cos c t cos mix t
 m( t ) cos c  mix  t  cos c  mix  t 
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 Frequency Mixer or Converter
x ( t )  m( t ) cos c  mix  t  cos c  mix  t 
• If ωmix = ωc-ωI then x ( t )  m( t ) cos I t  cos  2c  I  t 

• If ωmix = ωc+ωI then x ( t )  m( t ) cos I t  cos  2c  I  t 

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 Frequency Mixer or Converter
• When a bandpass filter tuned to ωI is applied at the output,
m(t) cos ωIt will be passed and the other spectra will be suppressed.
• As a result, carrier frequency ωc has been translated to ωI from ωC.
• The operation of frequency mixing/conversion is known as
heterodyning.

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Assignment
Write short notes on the following
modulators:
1. Switching Modulator
2. Ring Modulator