COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

EE-351
TYPES OF MODULATORS
 MODULATORS

Multiplier modulators:
•Modulation is achieved directly by multiplying m(t) by cos wc t
using an analog multiplier.
•The output is proportional to the product of two input signals.
•Difficult to maintain linearity and are expansive.

Better to avoid

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 MODULATORS (CONT…)

Nonlinear modulators:
Modulation is achieved by using nonlinear devices such as
semiconductor diode or a transistor

NL: Two identical

nonlinear elements

Let output characteristics of NL be approximated by the power series as:

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Where x(t) and y(t) are input & output
 MODULATORS (CONT…)

Changing inputs

Gives:
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 MODULATORS (CONT…)

•Spectrum m(t) is centered at the origin, while of m(t)coswct is centered at

+-wc
•The signal is ready for transmission, but we do not need the m(t) part of
z(t)
•Z(t) is passed through a band-pass filter tuned to wc , the signal m(t) is
suppressed while 4bm(t)coswct passed unharmed.

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 MODULATORS (CONT…)

Summary nonlinear modulator:

•Two inputs m(t) and coswct
•The summer output does not contain one of the input coswct
•Circuits which have this characteristic are called balanced circuits.
•The previous circuitry is an example of balanced modulators.

This circuit is balanced to only one input carrier, the other input m(t) still appear at the
filter input, which must reject it…….for that reason it is called a single balanced modulator

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 MODULATORS (CONT…)

Modulation through any periodic signal:

Modulated signal can not only be obtained by a pure sinusoid but by
any periodic signal.of fundamental frequency wc. E.g:

Trigonometric Fourier series

Hence

Spectrum of the modulated signal is the spectrum M(w) shifted to

If we pass this modulated signal through band-pass filter of

bandwidth 2B tuned to wc 8
 SWITCHING MODULATORS

Multiplication operation of modulation can be replaced by switching

operation. If a periodic signal having Fourier series as:

carrier

Modulated signal

Now consider a periodic square pulse train with Fourier series as

1 2 1 1 1 
w(t ) = +  cos w t − cos 3w t + cos 5 wt − cos 7 wt + .... 
2 π 3 5 7 
c c c c

From example 2.8 9

 SWITCHING MODULATORS

The modulated signal m(t)w(t) is given by

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 SWITCHING MODULATORS

Modulated signal m(t)w(t) consists of the component m(t) plus infinite

numbers of modulated signals with carrier frequencies w ,3w ,5w ,.....
c c c

The spectrum of m(t)w(t) consists of M(w) and M(w) shifted to

± w ,±3w ,±5w ,.....
c c c

As we are interested in modulated component m(t ) cos w t only. To

c

separate this component from others we pass m(t)w(t) through a

bandpass filter of bandwidth 2BHz, centered at ± w c

2 m(t ) cos w t
gives the required modulated signal π c

Therefore the multiplication of a signal by a square pulse train is is

reality a switching operation means turning off and on signal m(t)
periodically and can be accomplished by switching element controlled
by w(t) 11
 SWITCHING MODULATORS

Diode bridge modulator: (See book for details)

Consider the following electronic switch circuit driven by A cos w t to produce
c

the switching action

D ,D
1 2
andD 3 , D 4
are matched pairs

When terminal c is positive with respect to d, all the diodes conduct, terminal a
& b are effectively shortened.

During the next half cycle d is positive with respect to c, all the diodes open,
terminal a & b are open.
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 SWITCHING MODULATORS

Therefore the the circuit act as a desired electronic switch, where the terminal a
& b open and close periodically with the carrier frequency f c . When A cos wc t
is applied across the terminal ab
To obtain m(t)w(t) we may place terminal ab in series or in parallel as:

Series-bridge diode modulator Shunt-bridge diode modulator

Switching on and off m(t) for each cycle of the carrier, resulting in the
switched signal m(t)w(t) and passing through bandpass filter gives the
desired signal:
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 SWITCHING MODULATORS

Ring modulator: (Do Yourself)

Consider the following circuit

During the positive half cycle of the carrier D1 & D3

conduct and D2 & D4 are open, hence terminal a is
connected to c & b to d

During the negative half cycle of the carrier D1 & D3 are

open and D2 & D4 conduct, hence terminal a is connected
to d & b to c
Output is proportional to m(t) during positive cycle &
-m(t) during negative cycle 14
 SWITCHING MODULATORS

The Fourier series of bipolar square wave is given by:

Example 2.8 p-52

Gives modulated signal as:

Filtering this signal to bandpass filter tuned to wc gives the

required modulated signal:

In this circuit there are two inputs m(t) and coswct, the input of the final
bandpass filter does not contain either of the inputs……
this circuit is an example of double balanced modulator
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 RECAP (DSB-SC)
Modulation

• This type of modulation shifts the spectrum of m(t) to the carrier

frequency.
If m(t ) ⇔ M ( w)
1
m(t ) cos wc t ⇔ [M ( w + wc ) + M ( w − wc )]
2

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 RECAP (DSB-SC)

Demodulation
• The process of receiving the original signal from the modulated signal is called
demodulation.
• Demodulation is similar to modulation and can be performed by multiplying the
modulated signal again with the carrier signal
e(t ) = m(t ) cos w t = 1 [m(t ) + m(t ) cos(2 w t )]
2

c
2 c

E ( w) = 1 M ( w) + 1 [M ( w + 2 w ) + M ( w − 2 w )]
2 4 c c

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 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)

For DSB-SC a receiver must generate a carrier in frequency and phase synchronism
with the carrier at the transmitter.
Problem:
Transmitter and receiver may be located thousands of miles away, this call for a
sophisticated receiver and could be costly.

Solution:

Transmit a carrier Acoswct along with the modulated signal m(t)coswct so no

need to generate a carrier at the receiver.

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 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)

This type of modulation is called amplitude modulation and denoted by ϕ (t )

AM

and is given by:

It has the Fourier spectrum

The spectrum of ϕ (t ) is the same as m(t)coswct plus two additional impulses at ± wc

AM

•DSB-SC signal m(t)coswct and AM signal are identical with

A+m(t) as modulating signal instead of m(t)
•To sketch ϕ (t ) ,we sketch A+m(t) & -(A+m(t) ) and fill in between the carrier
AM

frequency.

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 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)
As we sketch A+m(t) & -(A+m(t) ):

Consider two cases:

A + m(t ) ≥ 0 and A + m(t ) ≤ 0

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 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)
For simple envelope detection for AM signal is:

A = 0, also satisfies the condition. In this case there is no need to add carrier,
because the envelope of DSB-SC signal m(t)coswct is m(t)
Such a DSB-SC signal can be detected by envelope detection

Assume for all t

Let mp is the peak amplitude (positive or negative) of m(t)
Then
Hence the condition is equivalent to
Thus the minimum carrier amplitude required for the envelope detection is mp
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 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)

We define the modulation index µ as:

A = carrier amplitude
mp = constant of m(t)

As A is the carrier amplitude and there is no

upper bound on A,

This is the condition for the viability of demodulation of Am signal by an

envelope detector

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 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)

Sideband and carrier power:

There is a disadvantage of envelope detection in terms of power waste, as the

carrier term does not contain any information

The carrier power Pc is given by

The sideband power Ps is given by

Hence the power efficiency η is given by:

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 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)

For the special case of tone modulation:

m(t ) = µA cos wmt and

Hence

With condition

Thus under best condition only one third of the transmitted power is used for
carrying message, for practical signals the efficiency is even worst

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 GENERATION OF AM SIGNALS (CASE
STUDY)

• Am signals can be generated by any DSB-SC modulators.

• The input should be A + m(t) instead of just m(t).
• The modulating circuit do not have to be balanced because there is no need to
suppress the carrier

Switching action is provided by a single diode

and controlled by c cos wc t with

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 GENERATION OF AM SIGNALS (CASE
STUDY)

The diode opens and short periodically with infect

multiplying the input signal by w(t).

The voltage across bb / is:

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 DEMODULATION OF AM SIGNALS
(CASE STUDY)
The AM signal can be demodulated coherently by a locally generated carrier. E.g.

[[A + m(t )]cos wct ]cos wct No benefit of sending carrier on the channel

There are two well known methods of demodulation of AM signals:

1) Rectifier detection 2) Envelope detection

Rectifier detector:

AM signal is applied to a diode and resistor circuit, the negative part of the the
AM wave will be suppressed.
The output across the resistor is the half wave rectified version of the AM signal
means multiplying AM with w(t).

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 RECTIFIER DETECTOR (CASE
STUDY)

The rectified output VR

{[
vR = A + m(t ) cos w t w(t )
c
]}
1 2  1 1 
= [A + m(t )]cos w t  +  cos w t − cos 3w t + cos 5w t − ... 
c 2 π  c 3 c 5 c 

1
= [A + m(t )] + otherTerms
π 28
RECTIFIER DETECTOR (CASE
STUDY)

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 ENVELOPE DETECTOR (CASE
STUDY – HOME TASK)
In an envelope detector, the output follows the envelope of the modulated signal.
The following circuit act as an envelope detector:

• During the positive cycle of the input signal, the diode conducts and the
capacitor C charges up to the peak voltage of the input signal.
•When input signal falls below this peak value, the diode is cut off. (because the
diode voltage which is nearly the peak voltage is greater than the input signal
voltage causing the diode to open ).
•At this stage the capacitor discharge at the slew rate (with a time constant RC)
• during the next positive cycle the process repeats. 30
 ENVELOPE DETECTOR (CASE
STUDY)

During each positive cycle the capacitor charges up to the peak voltage of the
input signal and then decays slowly until the next positive cycle.
This behavior of the capacitor makes output voltage Vc(t) follow the envelope of
the input signal.
Capacitor discharges during each positive peaks causes a ripple signal of 31
frequency wc at the output
 ENVELOPE DETECTOR (CASE
STUDY)
The ripple can be reduced by increasing the time constant RC so the capacitor
discharges very little between positive peaks of the input signals

Making RC too large, makes capacitor voltage impossible to follow the envelope.

Conditions:

RC should be large compared to 1/wc, but should be small compared to 1 2πB

Where B is the highest frequency in m(t)

Also requires a condition which is necessary for well defined envelope.

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 ENVELOPE DETECTOR (CASE
STUDY)
The envelope detector output is with a ripple of frequency wc

The DC term A can be blocked by a capacitor or a simple RC high pass filter, and
the ripple may be reduced further by another low-pass RC filter.

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