EEE 360 Communications Systems I

Lecture Presentation 14
Aykut HOCANIN
Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Eastern Mediterranean University

c Dr. Aykut HOCANIN

Eastern Mediterranean University

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EEE 360 Communication Systems I

 Pulse Time Modulation: PWM and PPM: Section 3.11

Pulse Time Modulation (PTM) is a class of signaling techniques that
encodes the sample values of an analog signal onto the time axis of a digital
signal. There are two main types of PTM:
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
PWM is also called Pulse Duration Modulation (PDM). Sample values of
the analog waveform are used to determine the width of the pulse signal.
Either instantaneous or natural sampling may be used.
Pulse Position Modulation (PPM)
In PPM, the analog sample values determine the position of a narrow
pulse relative to the clocking time. PPM may be obtained from PWM by
using a monostable multivibrator circuit.
The PWM or PPM signals are converted back to the corresponding analog
signal by a receiving system.
The PWM signal is used to start and stop the integration of an integrator;
the integrator is reset to zero and integration is begun when the PWM
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Eastern Mediterranean University

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EEE 360 Communication Systems I

Sampling times

Analog
t

(a) Analog Signal

PWM

t
(b) Corresponding PWM Signal

PPM

t
(c) Corresponding PPM Signal

Figure 1: Pulse time modulation signaling, (Couch, 2001)

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Eastern Mediterranean University

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EEE 360 Communication Systems I

Analog input
signal

Flat-topped
PAM
Instantaneously
sampled PAM
generator


+

Sync

Comparator

Vr = refernce level

Triangle
Clock

PWM
output

Triangle
function
generator

PPM
output

Monostable
multivibrator

PAM
signal
t

Triangle
Clocking

Vr
PAM
plus
triangle

PWM
t
PPM
t

Figure 2: Generation of instantaneously sampled PTM signals, (Couch, 2001)

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Eastern Mediterranean University

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EEE 360 Communication Systems I

Baseband Pulse and Digital Signaling

Analog input
signal

Triangle
function
generator

PWM
output


+

Chap. 3

Comparator

Vr = refernce level
PPM
output

Monostable
multivibrator

Analog
input
signal

Triangle
t

Vr
Analog
plus
triangle
t

PWM
t
PPM
t

Figure 3: Generation of naturally sampled PTM signals, (Couch, 2001)

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Eastern Mediterranean University

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EEE 360 Communication Systems I

Sec. 312

Summary

Vc

217

Integrator
Reset &
start
Stop
(pulse)
(pulse)

PAM

Sample & hold

clock

Low-pass
filter

Analog
output

To A

PWM input

PPM input

Truncated
ramp

Differentiator

From clock
sync circuit

To B

Inverter

Clocking signal

To A
To B

PWM
input

PPM
input
t

V4
Integrator
output
(truncated ramp)

V2

V1

V1
PAM
waveform

V3

V2

V4
V3

Figure 4: Detection of PWM and PPM signals, (Couch, 2001)

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Eastern Mediterranean University

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EEE 360 Communication Systems I

pulse goes from a low level to a high level and the integrator integrates
until the PWM pulse goes low.
The PPM signal is converted to PAM by using the clock pulse to reset the
integrator to zero and start the integration. The PPM pulse is then used
to stop the integration.
Advantages and Disadvantages of PTM
PTM usually requires large bandwidth. The spectra of PTM signals are quite
difficult to evaluate because of the nonlinear nature of the modulation.
The main advantage of PTM signals is that they have great immunity to
additive noise compared to PAM. They are also easier to generate and detect
than PCM which requires analog-to-digital conversion.

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Eastern Mediterranean University

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EEE 360 Communication Systems I