I and Q Components in

Communications Signals
and Single Sideband
1

SHARLENE KATZ
DAVID SCHWARTZ
JAMES FLYNN

7/22/2010
 OVERVIEW
2

 Description of I and Q signal representation

 Advantages of using I and Q components
 Using I and Q to demodulate signals
 I and Q signal processing in the USRP
 Single Sideband (SSB)
 Processing I and Q components of a SSB signal in the
USRP

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 Standard Representation of Communications
Signals
3

Modulation Time Domain Frequency Domain

AM
XAM(f)

f
-fc fc

DSB

FM

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 Overview of I and Q Representation
4

 I and Q are the In-phase and Quadrature

components of a signal.
 Complete description of a signal is:

x(t )  I (t )  jQ(t )
 x(t) can therefore be represented as a vector with
magnitude and phase angle.
 Phase angle is not absolute, but relates to some
arbitrary reference.

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 Overview of I and Q Representation
5

 In Digital Signal Processing (DSP), ultimate

reference is local sampling clock.
 DSP relies heavily on I and Q signals for processing.
Use of I and Q allows for processing of signals near
DC or zero frequency.
 If we use “real” signals (cosine) to shift a modulated signal to
baseband we get sum and difference frequencies
 If we use a “complex” sinusoid to shift a modulated signal to
baseband we ONLY get the sum
 This avoids problems with images

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 Overview of I and Q Representation
6

 Nyquist frequency is twice highest frequency, not

twice bandwidth of signal.
For example: common frequency used in analog
signal processing is 455 kHz. To sample in digital
processing, requires 910 kS/s. But if the signal
bandwidth is only 10 kHz. With I & Q, sampling
requires only 20 kS/s.

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 Overview of I and Q Representation
7

 I and Q allows discerning of positive and negative

frequencies.
 If : H ( f )  a  jb

 Then: H ( f )  a  jb

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 Overview of I and Q Representation
8

Representing familiar characteristics of a signal with I

and Q:

• Amplitude: A(t )  I 2 (t )  Q 2 (t )

• Phase:  Q(t ) 
 (t )  tan  1

 I (t ) 
• Frequency:
Q(t ) I (t )
I (t )  Q(t )
 (t ) t t
f (t )  
t I (t )  Q (t )
2 2

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 DEMODULATION
9

 AM: x(t )  i 2 (t )  q 2 (t )

 SSB: x(t )  i (t )

 1  1  i(t )q(t  1)  q(t )i(t  1) 

 FM: x(t )    tan  
 t   i (t )i (t  1)  q (t ) q (t  1) 
 q(t ) 
 PM: x(t )  tan  1

i (t ) 
 

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 Overview of I and Q Representation
10

 The traditional FM equation:

xFM (t )  cos(ct  k  xm (t )dt )

 The analytic equation:

xFM (t )  I (t ) cos(ct )  jQ(t )sin(ct )

 Modulation and Demodulation methods are different
when I and Q representation is used

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 USRP DAUGHTER BOARD
11

LPF ADC I
AMP
cos ωc t

LPF ADC Q

sin ωc t

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 FPGA
12

cos ωf tn
n = sample
number

I complex
decimate I
To USB
multiply
and PC
Q decimate Q

sin ωf tn

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 Complex Multiply
13

cos (ωf tn )
I I

Q Q
cos (ωf tn )

(A + j B) * (C + j D) = AC – BD + j (BC + AD)

cosft +
I+jQ
sinft 7/22/2010
 Sideband Modulation
14

 Where’s the intelligence?

 A signal carries useful information only when it changes.

 Change of ANY carrier parameter produces sidebands.

 The intelligence or information is in the sidebands.

 Why not just send the sidebands or just a sideband?

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 AM Review
15

 AM review:
 Carrier is modulated by varying amplitude linearly
proportional to intelligence (baseband) signal amplitude.
 Block Diagram

x(t) m x + xAM(t)=Ac [1+mx(t)]cos

ct
Accosct

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 AM: Time Domain
16

 AM in the Time Domain

100% modulated
Unmodulated carrier
carrier

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 AM: Frequency Domain
17

 AM in the Frequency Domain

carrier

lower upper
sideband sideband

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 Double Sideband Modulation (DSB)
18
 Let’s just transmit the sidebands

x(t) m x + xDSB(t) = Ac*m*x(t)*cosct

Accosct X

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 DSB: Time Domain
19

 Double Sideband in the Time Domain

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 DSB: Frequency Domain
20

 Double Sideband in the Frequency Domain

carrier was here

lower upper
sideban sideband
d

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Example of a DSB Signal
21

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 DSB Spectrum
22

 Note: the upper and lower sidebands are the same

 Do we need both of them?
carrier was here

lower upper
sideband sideband

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 SSB Signals
23

 A sideband signal is obtained by adding a sideband

filter to capture the upper or lower sideband.
Low Pass Filter

f f
f
Lower
x(t) x Sideband
Filter
Accosct
f

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Example of a USB Signal
24

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 Comparison of DSB and SSB
25

 Power: SSB requires half of the power of DSB

 Bandwidth: SSB requires half of the bandwidth of
DSB
 Complexity: SSB modulators/demodulators are
more complex

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 SSB Example
26

 Start with arbitrary waveform in baseband:

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 SSB Example
27

 Modulate as Upper Sideband Signal:

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 SSB Example

LPF ADC I
AMP
cos ωc t

LPF ADC Q

sin ωc t

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 SSB Example
29

LPF ADC I
AMP
cos ωc t

LPF AD Q
C

sin ωc t

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 SSB Example

LPF ADC I
AMP
cos ωc t

LPF ADC Q

sin ωc t

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 SSB Example

LPF ADC I
AMP
cos ωc t

LPF AD Q
C

sin ωc t

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 SSB Example

LPF ADC I
AMP
cos ωc t

LPF ADC Q

sin ωc t

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 SSB Example

cos ωf tn
n = sample
number

I complex
decimate I
To USB
multiply
and PC
Q decimate Q

sin ωf tn

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 SSB Example

cos ωf tn
n = sample
number

I complex
decimate I
To USB
multiply
and PC
Q decimate Q

sin ωf tn

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 SSB Example

cos ωf tn
n = sample
number

I complex
decimate I
To USB
multiply
and PC
Q decimate Q

sin ωf tn

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 SSB Example

cos ωf tn
n = sample
number

I complex
decimate I
To USB
multiply
and PC
Q decimate Q

sin ωf tn

36 7/22/2010
 Practical SSB Reception
37

 Example above assumed no other signals on the

band and perfectly synchronized oscillators
 Need to isolate (filter) the signal of interest and deal
with oscillators slightly out of sync
 GRC tutorial demonstrates Weaver’s Method of
demodulating SSB that solves these problems

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