ELG3175 Introduction to

Communication Systems

Lecture 11
Final Topic on AM:
Vestigial Sideband (VSB)
Motivation

• For wideband information signals, SSB is difficult to

implement.
• For frequency discrimination, the filter must have a
sharp cutoff near the frequency fc so as to be able to
eliminate one band without distorting the other.
• When we use phase discrimination, we require Hilbert
transformers which are difficult to implement if the
signal m(t) has a large bandwidth.
VSB Modulation

• When SSB is difficult to implement, we use vestigial

sideband (VSB) modulation.
• VSB is implemented by frequency discrimination but the
filtering process does not completely eliminate the
unwanted band.
• In fact, some of the desired band is also partially
filtered out.
 VSB Modulator
• A VSB modulator and its filter’s frequency response are shown
below.
• The response of the VSB filter is denoted as HVSB(f).
• We notice a transition band around the frequency fc.

m(t) × HVSB(f) sVSB(t)

Accos(2πfct)
HVSB(f)

-fc fc f
fc-x fc+x
Spectrum of a VSB signal
M(f)

-Bm Bm f
SDSB-SC(f)

-fc-Bm –fc -fc+Bm fc-Bm fc fc+Bm f

SVSB(f)

fc-x fc fc+Bm
-fc-Bm –fc-fc+x f
• In the example given, we consider a system which retains the
upper sideband as the principal band and the lower sideband
contributes the vestigial sideband part. However, either
sideband can be used to form the principal band in practice.
• In the example given, the filter has a gain of K for all
frequencies |f|>fc+x (passband).
• For the frequencies fc < |f| < fc+x, which reside in the
principal band, the gain is less than K, so some loss
compared to the passband occurs.
• For the frequencies fc-x < |f| < fc, the filter’s gain is not
0, therefore some of the other sideband’s frequency
components are passed by the filter and sVSB(t) has a
vestigial sideband.
• The bandwidth of sVSB(t) = Bm+x. Generally, since we
are trying to reduce the bandwidth compared to DSB-
SC, x is smaller than Bm.
SVSB(f)
SVSB ( f ) = S DSB − SC ( f ) H VSB ( f )
Ac Ac
= M ( f − f c ) H VSB ( f ) + M ( f + f c ) H VSB ( f )
2 2
Ac A
= M + ( f − f c ) H VSB +
( f ) + c M − ( f − f c ) H VSB+
(f)
4 4
A A
+ c M + ( f + f c ) H VSB −
( f ) + c M − ( f + f c ) H VSB−
(f)
4 4
where

⎧H VSB ( f ) f >0 ⎧ 0 f >0
H +
VSB ( f ) = ⎨ and
H −
VSB ( f ) = ⎨
⎩ 0 f <0 ⎩H VSB ( f ) f <0

− +*
We note that HVSB ( f ) = HVSB (− f ) due to Hermitian

symmetry in the frequency response of real systems.

Demodulation of VSB

• We use the same demodulator as DSB-SC

×
LPF

sVSB(t)
x(t)
z(t) = G m(t)

SVSB(f)
X(f)
Z(f)

Arcos(2πfct)

• If we want z(t) = G m(t), then we need to impose a
constraint on the frequency response of the modulator’s
filter HVSB(f).
 X(f)
Ar A
X( f ) = SVSB ( f − f c ) + r SVSB ( f + f c )
2 2
Ac Ar A A
= M + ( f − 2 f c ) H VSB
+
( f − f c ) + c r M − ( f − 2 f c ) H VSB+
( f − fc )
8 8
Ac Ar Ac Ar
+ M + ( f ) H VSB ( f − f c ) +
−
M − ( f ) H VSB
−
( f − fc )
8 8
A A A A
+ c r M + ( f ) H VSB
+
( f + f c ) + c r M − ( f ) H VSB +
( f + fc )
8 8
A A A A
+ c r M + ( f + 2 f c ) H VSB−
( f + f c ) + c r M − ( f + 2 f c ) H VSB
−
( f + fc )
8 8

Baseband

Z(f)
Ac Ar AA
Z( f ) = −
M + ( f ) H VSB ( f − f c ) + c r M − ( f ) H VSB −
( f − fc )
8 8
AA AA
+ c r M + ( f ) H VSB +
( f + f c ) + c r M − ( f ) H VSB+
( f + fc )
8 8
A A
Z ( f ) = c r M + ( f )(H VSB− +
( f − f c ) + H VSB ( f + f c ))
8
Ac Ar − +
+ M − ( f )(H VSB ( f − f c ) + H VSB ( f + f c ))
8
We want Z(f) = G M(f), where G is a constant. If we ensure that

H VSB
−
( f − f c ) + H VSB
+
( f + fc ) = K
Ac Ar K A A K A A K
Z( f ) = M+( f )+ c r M−( f ) = c r M( f )
8 8 4
• Therefore z(t) = (AcArK/4)m(t).
• Let us replace H VSB
− +*
( f ) by H VSB (− f ) and f by Δf and we
get
+*
H VSB ( f c − Δf ) + H VSB
+
( f c + Δf ) = K
(This criteria only need be true over the frequency range
of the VSB signal).
K

x2

x1

fc

fc+Δf
x1*+x2 = K

fc-Δf

Possible USB filters

• Filters with linear transition bands

• Raised cosine filters

fc-x
fc
fc+x

Example

• The signal m(t) = 2cos(2π10t)+3cos(2π30t). We wish

to transmit this signal using VSB with carrier c(t) = 5cos
(2π500t). The VSB filter’s response is shown below.
Find sVSB(t) as well as its bandwidth.

480 500 520

Solution

• Since VSB uses frequency discrimination, it is probably

best to work in the frequency domain.
• Let us find M(f) and SDSB-SC(f).

M(f)
SDSB-SC(f)

1.5
3.75

1
2.5

-30 -10 10 30
-530 -510 -490 -470
470 490 510 530

 • Next we find SVSB(f) = SDSB-SC(f)HVSB(f).

SDSB-SC(f)HVSB(f)

3.75

2.5

-530 -510 -490 -470

470 490 510 530
SVSB(f)
40

3.75
15/8
15/8
3.75

5/8
5/8

HVSB(470)=0

-530 -510 -490 -470
470 490 510 530

HVSB(490)=1/4

HVSB(510)=3/4

HVSB(530)=1
sVSB(t) = 7.5cos(2π530t)+3.75cos(2π510t)+

1.25cos(2π490t)

Example 2

• Show that we can demodulate sVSB(t) of the previous

example to obtain G m(t).
• sVSB(t)cos(2π500t) = 7.5cos(2π530t) cos(2π500t)
+3.75cos(2π510t)cos(2π500t) + 1.25cos(2π490t)cos
(2π500t) = 3.75cos(2π30t) + 3.75cos(2π1030t) +
1.875cos(2π10t) + 1.875cos(2π1010t) + 0.625cos
(2π10t) + 0.625cos(2π990t) .
• After lowpass filtering z(t) = 3.75cos(2π30t) + 1.875cos
(2π10t) + 0.625cos(2π10t) = 3.75cos(2π30t) + 2.5cos
(2π10t) = 1.25m(t).