Chapter one

• Data Communication Basics

1
 Communication Basics
• The basic concept of data communication is to
transfer data from place to place ( from one
transistor to another, from computer to computer,
and so on)
• Over small distances (in side a computer),
digital data may be transmitted as direct, two-
level electrical signals over simple copper
conductors.
• Transferring data in a longer distance, between
two computer, for example, is more difficult as
electrical signal might be distorted, cable might
be unplugged and so on ….
2
Components

3
 Serial vs. parallel communications
• In serial communications
– A single bit will be transferred at a time using the
communication channel
– Bits will be reassembled at the destination
– Mostly used by computer peripherals like printers,…
• In parallel communications
– Multiple bits (eg. Eight bits) will be transferred at a
time
– Needs multiple (parallel) communication channels

4
• Brainstorming:
for data
communication
in a single
computer,
among its
chassis, is serial
or parallel
communication 5
preferable???
 definitions
• The word data refers to information presented in
whatever form is agreed upon by the parties creating
and using the data.
• Signal: the electrical wave that is used to represent the
data. Can be analog or digital signal
• Data communications (Transmission) are the exchange
of data between two devices via some form of
transmission medium such as a wire cable using
appropriate signal.
• Network is a system in which a number of independent
computers are linked together to share data and
peripherals, such as hard disks and printers (more in the
next chapters)

6
 Data Representation Techniques
• The type of data to be transmitted can be
in the form of text, audio, and video in the
form of electrical signal, radio, laser, or
other radiated energy source

7
 …
• Data can be analog or digital.
• The term analog data refers to
information that is continuous; digital data
refers to information that has discrete
states.
• Example analog clock (with second,
minute and hour hands) and digital clock

8
 Analog and digital signals
• An analog signal has infinitely many levels
of intensity over a period of time. As the
wave moves from value A to value B, it
passes through and includes an infinite
number of values along its path.
• A digital signal, on the other hand, can
have only a limited number of defined
values. Although each value can be any
number, it is often as simple as 1 and 0.

9
…

10
Digital Data Transmission Formats
• In data communication, the fundamental
question is how can we send a digital
signal from point A to point B?

11
 Synchronous and asynchronous
transmission
• An asynchronous connection:- in which each
character is sent at irregular intervals in time
– Starts sending a character using START (bit 1 or bit 0)
– Ends Sending a character using STOP bit (bit 1 or bit 0)
– Eg. 1 0100 0001 0
• synchronous connection:- transmitter and
receiver are paced by the same clock
– The receiver continuously receives (even when no bits
are transmitted) the information at the same rate the
transmitter send it. This is why the transmitter and
receiver are paced at the same speed. In addition,
supplementary information is inserted to guarantee that
there are no errors during transmission.
12
 Modes of data transmission
• There are 3 different transmission modes
characterized according to the direction of
the exchanges:
– A simplex connection is a connection in
which the data flows in only one direction,
from the transmitter to the receiver. This type
of connection is useful if the data do not need
to flow in both directions (for example, from
your computer to the printer or from the
mouse to your computer...).

13
 ….
– A half-duplex connection (sometimes called an
alternating connection or semi-duplex) is a connection
in which the data flows in one direction or the other,
but not both at the same time. With this type of
connection, each end of the connection transmits in
turn. This type of connection makes it possible to have
bidirectional communications using the full capacity of
the line.
– In ahalf-duplex transmission, the entire capacity of a
channel is taken over by whichever of the two devices
is transmitting at the time.
– Walkie-talkies and CB (citizens band) radios are both
half-duplex systems.
– The half-duplex mode is used in cases where there is
no need for communication in both directions at the
same time; the entire capacity of the channel can be
utilized for each direction.
14
 …
• Full-Duplex: In full-duplex mode (also called duplex), both stations can
transmit and receive simultaneously
• The full-duplex mode is like a tow-way street with traffic flowing in both
directions
• at the same time.
• In full-duplex mode, signals going in one direction share the capacity of
the link: with signals going in the other direction.
• This sharing can occur in two ways: Either the link must contain two
physically separate transmission paths, one for sending and the other
for receiving; or the capacity of the channel is divided between signals
traveling in both directions.
• One common example of full-duplex communication is the telephone
network. When two people are communicating by a telephone line, both
can talk and listen at the same time.
• The full-duplex mode is used when communication in both directions is
required all the time.
• The capacity of the channel, however, must be divided between the two
directions.

15
16
 Signal Encoding techniques
• Digital data:- information that has discrete states
• Analog Data:- information that is continuous
• Digital Signal:- can have only a limited number of
defined values.
– Although each value can be any number, it is often as
simple as 1 and 0.
• Analog signal:- has infinitely many levels of
intensity over a period of time.
– As the wave moves from value A to value B, it passes
through and includes an infinite number of values along
its path.
17
 Reasons for Choosing Encoding
Techniques
• Digital data, digital signal
• Equipment less complex and expensive than
digital-to-analog modulation equipment
• Analog data, digital signal
• Permits use of modern digital transmission and
switching equipment

18
 …
– Digital data, analog signal
– Some transmission media will only propagate
analog signals
– E.g., optical fiber and unguided media
– Analog data, analog signal
– Analog data in electrical form can be
transmitted easily and cheaply
– Done with voice transmission over voice-
grade lines
19
 Terms
• If the signal elements all have the same
algebraic sign, that is, all positive or negative,
then the signal is unipolar
• In polar signaling, one logic state is represented
by a positive voltage level, and the other by a
negative voltage level
• The data signaling rate, or just data rate, of a
signal is the rate, in bits per second, that data
are transmitted.
• The duration or length of a bit is the amount of
time it takes for the transmitter to emit the bit; for
a data rate R, the bit duration is 1/R
20
 …
• The modulation rate, in contrast, is the rate at
which signal level is changed; this will depend
on the nature of the digital encoding.
• The modulation rate is expressed in bauds,
which means signal elements per second.
• Finally, the terms mark and space, for historical
reasons, refer to the binary digits 1 and 0,
respectively.

21
22
Digital Data, Digital Signal

23
24
25
Exercise: encode 01001101 using
Manchester encoding scheme

26
 Assignment 1
• Write short description of the above
encoding schemes, cons and pros of each
encoding scheme.
• Submit your work before next week’s class
• Group yourself to 5 members (no more, no
less)

27
 DIGITAL DATA, ANALOG SIGNALS

• The most familiar use of this transformation is for

transmitting digital data through the public
telephone network.
• The telephone network was designed to receive,
switch, and transmit analog signals in the voice-
frequency range of about 300 to 3400 Hz.
• digital devices are attached to the network via a
modem (modulator-demodulator), which
converts digital data to analog signals, and vice
versa.

28
 Encoding Techniques
• modulation involves operation on one or more of
the three characteristics of a carrier signal:
amplitude, frequency, and phase.
• Accordingly, there are three basic encoding or
modulation techniques for transforming digital
data into analog signals
– Amplitude-shift keying (ASK)
– Frequency-shift keying (FSK)
– Phase-shift keying (PSK)

29
• In ASK, the two binary values are represented by
two different amplitudes of the carrier frequency.
• Commonly, one of the amplitudes is zero; that is,
one binary digit is represented by the presence, at
constant amplitude, of the carrier, the other by the
absence of the carrier.
• The ASK technique is used to transmit digital data
over optical fiber.
• For LED transmitters, one signal element is
represented by a light pulse while the other signal
element is represented by the absence of light.
• Laser transmitters normally have a fixed "bias"
current that causes the device to emit a low light
level.
• This low level represents one signal element, while
a higher-amplitude lightwave represents another.
30
• In FSK, the two binary values are represented
by two different frequencies near the carrier
frequency.
• In PSK, the phase of the carrier signal is shifted
to represent data. In this system, a binary 0
might be represented by sending a signal burst
of the same phase as the previous signal burst.
A binary 1 also might be represented by sending
a signal burst of opposite phase to the preceding
one
31
32
 ANALOG DATA, DIGITAL SIGNALS
• It is the process of transforming analog data into
digital signals.
• Strictly speaking, it might be more correct to refer to
this as a process of converting analog data into
digital data, a process known as digitization.
• Once analog data have been converted into digital
data, a number of things can happen; the three most
common are
1. The digital data can be transmitted using NRZ-L. In this
case, we have gone directly from analog data to a digital
signal.
2. The digital data can be encoded as a digital signal using a
code other than NRZ-L. Thus, an extra step is required.
3. The digital data can be converted into an analog signal,
using one of the modulation techniques
33
• Lets illustrate the third one, when voice
data that are digitized and then converted
to an analog ASK signal.
• The voice data, because it has been
digitized, can be treated as digital data
• The device used for converting analog
data into digital form for transmission, and
subsequently recovering the original
analog data from the digital, is known, as a
codec (coder-decoder).

34
35
 Analog data, Analog Signal

• The main idea behind modulating the already

analog data to a different analog signal are:
– A higher frequency may be needed for effective
transmission. For unguided transmission, it is virtually
impossible to transmit baseband signals; the required
antennas would be many kilometers in diameter.
– Modulation permits frequency-division multiplexing.

36
• the principal techniques for modulation
using analog data are:
– amplitude modulation (AM),
– frequency modulation (FM), and
– Phase modulation (PM)

37
38
39