Line Coding

A line code is a code used for data transmission of digital signal over a transmission line. This
process of coding is so chosen so as to avoid overlap and distortion of signals such as inter symbol
interference.
Properties:
• Transmission bandwidth- must be as small as possible
• Power Efficiency- for a given bandwidth and specified error detection probability, the
transmitted power for a line code should be small.
• Error detection and correction capability
• Favorable power spectral density-it is desirable to have zero power spectral density (PSD) at
 =0 (i.e. dc). Since ac coupling and transformers are used at the repeaters, significant
power in low frequency components causes dc wander in the pulse stream when ac coupling
is used.
• Adequate timing content-it must be possible to extract timing or clock information from the
signal.
• Transparency- it must be possible to transmit a digital signal correctly regardless of the
patters of 1’s and 0’s i.e. long strings of 1’s and 0’ds is avoided to maintain transparency.
Advantages of line code

• Spectrum Shaping and Relocation without modulation or filtering.

• Bit clock recovery can be simplified.
• DC component can be eliminated; this allows AC (capacitor or transformer) coupling
between stages (as in telephone lines).
• Error detection capabilities.
• Bandwidth usage; the possibility of transmitting at a higher rate than other schemes over the
same bandwidth.

Line coding is divided basically into five categories:

• Unipolar
• Polar
• Bipolar
S.No. Line Code Example
1 Unipolar NRZ scheme
2 Polar NRZ, RZ, and Biphase – Manchester, Quaternary NRZ
3 Bipolar AMI and Pseudoternary
Unipolar scheme –

In this scheme, all the signal levels are either above or below the axis. The waveform has single
polarity and is simple on and off.

• Unipolar return to zero (RZ) – The waveform has zero value when symbol ‘0’ is
transmitted and waveform has ‘A’ volts when symbol ‘1’ is transmitted. In RZ form, the ‘A’ volt
is present for Tb/2 i.e. half interval if symbol ‘1’ is transmitted and for remaining tb/2, waveform
returns to zero value.
For example: Data = 10110100101.

• Unipolar Non return to zero (NRZ) – The waveform has zero value, when symbol ‘0’ is
transmitted and waveform has ‘A’ volts when symbol ‘1’ is transmitted for complete symbol
duration.
For example: Data = 10110100101.

✓ This scheme uses more power as compared to polar scheme to send one bit per unit line
resistance.
✓ Unipolar NRZ pulses needs synchronization in receiver for its detection as there is no separation
between pulses.
✓ NRZ pulse width is more as compared to RZ pulse so the energy of the pulse is more.
✓ Unipolar format has some DC value which does not carry any information.
Polar schemes –
In polar schemes, the voltages are on the both sides of the axis.

• Polar return to zero (RZ): The waveform has positive voltage polarity when symbol ‘1’ is to
be transmitted whereas for symbol ‘0’, the waveform has negative voltage polarity. In RZ
format, the pulse is transmitted only for half duration. Thus,
If symbol ‘1’ is transmitted, then

If symbol ‘0’ is transmitted, then

For example: Data = 10110100101.

• Polar non-return to zero (NRZ): The waveform has positive voltage polarity when symbol
‘1’ is to be transmitted whereas for symbol ‘0’, the waveform has negative voltage polarity. In
NRZ format, these voltage polarities are maintained over the complete pulse duration. Thus,

If symbol ‘1’ is transmitted, then

If symbol ‘0’ is transmitted, then

For example: Data = 10110100101.

 ✓ Since polar RZ and NRZ formats are bipolar, therefore average DC values is minimum in
these waveform
✓ If the probability of occurrence of symbol ‘0’ and ‘1’ are same, then average DC
components of the waveform would be zero.
✓ Main disadvantage of RZ encoding is that it requires greater bandwidth. Another problem is
the complexity as it uses three levels of voltage. As a result of all these deficiencies, this
scheme is not used today. Instead, it has been replaced by the better-performing Manchester
and differential Manchester schemes.

• Split Phase Manchester: In this format, if symbol ‘1’ is to transmitted, then a positive half
interval pulse is followed by a negative half interval pulse. If symbol ‘0’ is to be transmitted, then
negative half interval pulse is followed by a positive half interval pulse.

For example: Data = 10110100101.

✓ The waveform has zero Dc average value irrespective of the probability of occurrence of
symbol ‘0’ and symbol ‘1’ and hence more power is saved.
✓ It requires absolute sense of polarity at the receiver end.

Polar Quaternary NRZ format: This format is derived to reduce the signaling rate ‘r’. The
message bits are grouped in the blocks of two. Therefore, there are four possible combinations
00, 01, 10, 11 and four amplitude levels are assigned. Here for two message bits only one pulse
is transmitted with duration 2Tb.
Ts=2Tb
 𝑟𝑏 1
And signaling rate is given as 𝑟 = = 2𝑇
2 𝑏

Message X(t)
Combination
00 −3𝐴
2
01 −𝐴
2
10 𝐴
2
11 3𝐴
2

Bipolar non-return to zero (NRZ) or Alternate Mark Inversion (AMI): In this format, the
successive ‘1’s are represented by pulses with alternate polarity and ‘0’s are represented by no
pulses.
For example: Data = 10110100101.

✓ For even number of ‘1’s, the DC component of the waveform would be zero.

Pseudoternary – Bit 1 is encoded as a zero voltage and the bit 0 is encoded as alternating positive
and negative voltages i.e., opposite of AMI scheme. Example: Data = 010010.
In this scheme there are three voltage levels positive, negative, and zero. The voltage level for one
data element is at zero, while the voltage level for the other element alternates between positive
and negative.