Digital Communication

The outputs of PCM and DM( Delta Modulator) are in digital

form.
If digital data is directly transmitted by wired system, then it
is called base band communication.
If modulated signal is transmitted, then it is called pass band
communication. Here a high frequency sinusoidal carrier is
used to modulate the digital data.
There are three types of digital carrier modulation scheme :
a. Amplitude Shift Keying ( ASK)
b. Frequency Shift Keying ( FSK)
c. Phase Shift Keying ( PSK)

Amplitude Shift Keying

Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) or ON-OFF keying(OOK) is the
simplest digital modulation technique.
Let, carrier signal, c(t) = Ac sin ωct
bk = message bits ( binary signa)
vASK = ASK modulated signal.
From the definition of ASK,
vASK = Ac sin ωct for bk=logic 1
=0 for bk=logic 0
vASK = bk Ac sin ωct
ASK Modulator
ASK signal may be generated by simply applying the incoming
data and the sinusoidal carrier to the two inputs of a product
modulator or balanced modulator.
The carrier generator, sends a continuous high-frequency
carrier.
The binary sequence from the message signal makes the input
to be either High or Low.
bk Product
Modulator
VASK

Ac sin ωct
If bk= 1 output vASK = Ac sin ωct
If bk= 0 output vASK = 0
ASK Demodulator: coherent-ASK-detector
Vx Vy Vo
Decision
LPF
Device
ASK Signal

Ac sin ωct

1. coherent-ASK-detection-block-diagram

Input to the circuit is vASK= bk Ac sin ωct

The output of the multiplier Vx= Ac sin ωct. bk Ac sin ωct
= bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄 sin2ωct
𝟏−𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐𝛚𝒄 𝐭
= bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄
𝟐
𝟏 𝟏
= bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄 - bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐𝛚𝒄 𝐭
𝟐 𝟐
𝟏
Output of the Low pass filter, Vy= bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄
𝟐
𝟏 𝟐
If bk =1, Vy= 𝑨𝒄
𝟐
If bk =0, Vy= 0
The threshold voltage (VT ) for decision Device is taken as
𝟏 𝟐
𝑨
𝟒 𝒄
The decision device will produce V0 = 1 if Vy> VT and
= 0 if Vy < VT

Example:
Non coherent-ASK-detector

Envelop Decision
ASK signal BPF
Detector Device
Vy
Vx

Input to the circuit is vASK= bk Ac sin ωct

The Band Pass Filter is tuned to required Pass Band. The
Envelop detector will produce the envelop of the input signal.
Hence, Vy= bk Ac
If bk =1, Vy= Ac
If bk =0, Vy= 0
The threshold voltage (VT ) for decision Device is taken as
𝟏
Ac
𝟐
The decision device will produce V0 = 1 if Vy> VT and
= 0 if Vy < VT
Frequency Shift Keying (FSK)
FSK is the digital modulation technique in which the
frequency of the carrier signal varies according to the digital
modulating signal binary bits.
The following image is the diagrammatic representation of
FSK modulated waveform along with its input.

FSK Modulator

In an FSK system, two sinusoidal carrier waves of the same

amplitude Ac but different frequencies fc1 and fc2 are used to
represent binary symbol 1 and 0 respectively.
Hence, VFSK =Ac sin ωc1t when bk = 1
VFSK =Ac sin ωc2t when bk = 0
Therefore, the above expressions can be represented by a
single expression,
 VFSK = bk Ac sin ωc1t + ̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 Ac sin ωc2t
Where bk and ̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 are complement of each other.

FSK Demodulator
The methods of FSK detection are asynchronous
detector and synchronous detector. The synchronous
detector is a coherent one, while asynchronous detector is a
non-coherent one.
Asynchronous ( Non coherent) FSK Detector
The Asynchronous FSK detector consists of two band pass
filters, two envelope detectors, and a decision circuit.

The FSK signal is passed through the two Band Pass

Filters BPF1 and BPF2 tuned to frequencies fc1 and fc2
respectively. The output from these two BPFs look like ASK
signals.
Output of BPF1= bk Ac sin ωc1t
Output of BPF2= ̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 Ac sin ωc2t
The envelop detector 1 will produce the envelop of the signal
bk Ac sin ωc1t. Therefore its output = bk Ac
The envelop detector 2 will produce the envelop of the signal
̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 Ac sin ωc2t. Therefore its output = ̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 Ac

If bk = 1
output of Envelop detector 1 = Ac
output of Envelop detector 2 = 0
The output Vout= 1 or if
output of Envelop detector 1 > output of Envelop detector 2
Vout= 1

If bk = 0
output of Envelop detector 1 = 0
output of Envelop detector 2 = Ac
The output Vout= 0 or if
output of Envelop detector 1 < output of Envelop detector 2
Vout= 0
Synchronous (Coherent) FSK Detector

The input to the demodulator is

VFSK = bk Ac sin ωc1t + ̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 Ac sin ωc2t
The input FSK signal and a carrier signal Acsinωc1t are the
inputs to the first multiplier.
The input FSK signal and a carrier signal Acsinωc2t are the
inputs to the second multiplier.
Output of multiplier1
= (bk Ac sin ωc1t + ̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 Ac sin ωc2t ). Acsinωc1t
= bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄 sin2ωc1t + ̅̅̅
𝐛𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 sin ωc2t. sinωc1t
𝟏−𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐𝛚𝒄𝟏 𝐭 ̅̅̅̅
𝐛 𝟐
𝒌 𝑨𝒄
= bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄 [ ]+ 2 sin ωc2t. sinωc1t
𝟐 𝟐

𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 𝐛𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄

̅̅̅̅ 𝐛𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
̅̅̅̅
= - cos2ωc1t + cos(ωc1-ωc2)t − cos(ωc1+ ωc2)t
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐

𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
The output of LPF1 is
𝟐

𝐛𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
̅̅̅̅
Similarly, output of LPF2 is
𝟐

𝑨𝟐𝒄
If bk =1 ,output of LPF1 is and output of LPF2=0
𝟐

𝑨𝟐𝒄
If bk =0,output of LPF1 is 0 and output of LPF2=
𝟐

The comparator will produce

𝑨𝟐𝒄
Output=1 if output of LPF1 is and output of LPF2=0
𝟐

i.e. if output of LPF1 is > output of LPF2

𝑨𝟐𝒄
Output=0 if output of LPF1 is 0 and output of LPF2=
𝟐
i.e. if output of LPF1 is < output of LPF2

Phase Shift Keying (PSK)

A level converter converts the binary bits to non-return-to-

zero (NRZ) code. In telecommunication a non-return-to-
zero (NRZ) line code is a binary code in which ones are
represented by one significant condition, usually a positive
voltage, while zeros are represented by some other
significant condition, usually a negative voltage, with no
other neutral or rest condition. Here data input ( bk =1 0r 0) is
converted to bk =1 0r -1
 VPSK = bk Ac sin ωct
If bk = 1 then VPSK = Ac sin ωct
If bk = -1 then VPSK = -Ac sin ωct

PSK Demodulator
PSK uses only coherent detector
coherent detector

PSK LPF Decision

Device

Ac sin ωct

Input to the demodulator,

VPSK = bk Ac sin ωct where bk =1 or -1
The output of the multiplier is = bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄 sin2ωct
 𝟏−𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐𝛚𝒄 𝐭
= bk 𝑨𝟐𝒄 [ ]
𝟐
𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
= - cos2ωct
𝟐 𝟐
𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
The output of the Low Pass Filter Vy=
𝟐
𝑨𝟐𝒄
If bk = 1 output Vy =
𝟐
𝑨𝟐𝒄
If bk = -1 output Vy = -
𝟐
Hence threshold voltage (VT) for decision device is taken
as 0 volts.
The decision device will produce
Vout = 1 if Vy > VT and
Vout = 0 if Vy < VT
 DPSK
In DPSK the phase of the modulated signal is shifted relative
to the previous signal element. The signal phase follows the
high or low state of the previous element.

bk dk=bk-dk-1 Product Output

Modulator DPSK

dk-1 XOR

1 bit Delay

bk dk-1 XOR o/p

0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0
If next data bit is 1 there will be change in polarity in output
of XOR.
If next data bit is 0 there will be no change in polarity in
output of XOR.
The following figure represents the model waveform of DPSK.
The advantage with DPSK system is that it does not require a
synchronous carrier in the demodulator. So no local oscillator is
required at receiver side.
DPSK Demodulator

From the above figure, it is evident that the balance

modulator is given the DPSK signal along with 1-bit delay
input. Then the output is applied to a LPF. Then it is passed to
a shaper circuit, which is a comparator circuit, to recover the
original binary data as the output.
Case I : Let, both received DPSK and delayed signals have
same polarity and they are bk Ac sin ωct and bk Ac sin ωct. Then
the output of the balanced modulator =
bk Ac sin ωct × bk Ac sin ωct or (-bk Ac sin ωct)×(-bk Ac sin ωct)
= 𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 sin2ωct
𝟏−𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐𝛚𝒄 𝐭
= 𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 [ ]
𝟐
𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
= - cos2ωct
𝟐 𝟐
𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
The output of LPF is and final output of the comparator
𝟐
is 1.
Case II : Let, both received and delayed signals are not of
same polarity and they are bk Ac sin ωct and -bk Ac sin ωct.
Then the output of the balanced modulator =
-bk Ac sin ωct × bk Ac sin ωct
= −𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 sin2ωc1t
 𝟏−𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐𝛚𝒄 𝐭
= −𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 [ ]
𝟐
𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄 𝒃𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
=− + cos2ωct
𝟐 𝟐
𝒃𝟐𝒌 𝑨𝟐𝒄
The output of LPF is - and final output of the comparator
𝟐
is 0.

QPSK
QPSK sends two bits of digital information at a time. Instead
of the conversion of digital bits into a series of digital stream,
it converts them into bit pairs.
QPSK Modulator
The QPSK Modulator uses a bit-splitter, two multipliers with
local oscillator, a 2-bit serial to parallel converter, and a
summer circuit. Following is the block diagram for the same.

At the modulator’s input, the message signal’s even bits (i.e.,

2nd bit, 4th bit, 6th bit, etc.) and odd bits (i.e., 1st bit, 3rd bit,
5th bit, etc.) are separated by the bits splitter and they are
multiplied with the same carrier to generate odd PSK (called
as PSKI) and even PSK (called as PSKQ). But the PSKQ carrier
signal is phase shifted before being modulated.
The QPSK waveform for two-bits input is as follows, which
shows the modulated result for different instances of binary
inputs.

QPSK can carry information at a rate which is double of that

of DPSK. It is applied in cable modem, satellite communication
etc. It selects one of the four possible carrier phase shifts:
For bit pairs 00, 01,10,11 phase shifts of 0°, 90°,180°, 270° etc
can be obtained.
QPSK Demodulator
The QPSK Demodulator uses two PSK demodulator circuits
with local oscillator, two low pass filters, two square wave
generators to obtain the digital data and a 2-bit parallel to
serial converter. Following is the diagram for the same.

The two PSK detectors at the input of demodulator

simultaneously perform the demodulation and the pair of
bits are recovered here from the original data. These signals
after processing, are passed to the parallel to serial converter
and from the output the digital signal can be retrieved.

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