Types of modulation

Types of modulation

Continuous-wave
Pulse modulation
modulation

Amplitude
Angle modulation Digital modulation Analog modulation
modulation

frequency Pulse code

PAM
modulation modulation

phase modulation Delta modulation PWM

PPM
Analog Pulse Modulation Methods:

The continuous time signal x (t) to be transmitted is sampled at frequency fs

sufficiently above the highest frequency present in x (t). The amplitude of
modulating signal x (t) modulates some parameters of pulse train. These
parameters are amplitude, width (duration) and position as shown below:

1- Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM): In PAM, the amplitudes of regularly

pulses vary with the instantaneous sample values of a continuous message. It is
better to use flat top PAM, because during transmission noise interferes the top of
pulses. This noise can be removed easily if the PAM pulse has flat top. In case of
natural sampling, it is difficult to determine the shape of noisy top of the pulse. The
figure below shows the sampling and hold to introduce flat top PAM. At the
sampling instance, sampling switch is closed for very small period. During this
period the capacitor C voltage becomes equal to voltage of x (t) at the instant of
sampling.

 The width and position are constant in this modulation.

The sampling switch is closed for a short duration by a short pulse applied to the
gate G1 of the transistor. During this period the capacitor C is quickly charged up
to a voltage equal to the instantaneous sample value of the incoming signal x(t) .
Now the sampling switch is opened and the capacitor C holds the charge. The
discharge switch is then closed by a pulse applied to gate G2 of the other transistor.
Due to this the capacitor C is discharged to zero volts. The discharges switch is
then opened and thus capacitor has no voltage.

Hence the output of the sample and hold circuit consists of a sequence of flat top
samples.
• Sampling switch is used to specify the sampling duration Ts.

• The discharge switch provides the path for capacitor to discharge.

• The capacitor is the heart of the sampler.

f(nTs): are the instantaneous sample values of f(t). The resultant impulse samples are
applied to a linear time invariant filter with unit impulse response q(t). If q(t) is
rectangular impulse response the output will be the desired PAM in which the amplitude is
proportional to the sample value f(t).
Transmission BW of PAM signal
 Advantages  Generation and detection is
easy.
 Allows multiplexing.

Disadvantage  Large BW is required for

transmitted signal.
 Interference of noise is
maximum.

Applications of PAM signals

• PAM is used for transmitting signals over short distances baseband channels and
simple communication.

• It is used in A/D convertors for computer Interfacing.

• In microcontroller in order to produce control signals.

• In Ethernet communication systems.

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and Pulse Position Modulation (PPM)

An alternative modulation method is to vary some parameter in the timing of each

pulse to convey the information. One such method uses a constant amplitude
pulses whose width is proportional to the values of x(t) at the sampling instants and
called pulse width modulation (PWM) or called Pulse Duration Modulation
(PDM).

Another type is to keep both the amplitude and width of the pulses constant but
varying its position in proportion to x(t) at the sampling instant called Pulse
Position Modulation PPM as shown below.

The higher the amplitude of the input, the farther to the right the pulse is position
within the prescribed time slot.
Demodulation of PWM and PPM

Detection of PWM signal

The figure below shows the PWM detection circuit that provides the original
message signal from the modulated one.

As we know during signal transmission, some noise gets added to the PWM signal.
So firstly to remove the noise introduced in the transmitted signal, the incoming
signal is fed to a pulse generator. This regenerates the PWM signal.

This regenerated PWM pulse is then given to a reference pulse generator that
generates pulses of constant amplitude along with constant width.

The regenerated pulses are also given to the ramp signal generator, which
generates a ramp signal of constant slope, whose duration is similar to the pulse
duration. Thus we have ramp signal height proportional to the PWM pulse width.

The constant amplitude pulses are then provided to a summation unit in order to
get added with the ramp signal. The added output is then fed to a clipper, these
clips off the signal up to its threshold value thereby generating a PAM signal at its
output.
This PAM signal is then given to an LPF in order to generate the original message
signal from the modulated one.

The figure below will provide you with the waveform representation of the process
of PWM detection.
Another circuit to detect PWM signal is:

An integrator circuit is used for PWM demodulation. The integrator circuit

converts the PWM to PAM and using low-pass filter to recover the original signal
Detection of PPM Signal

First, PPM is converted to PWM by using RS flip-flop. Then using PWM

demodulator to recover the modulating signal

Disadvantages of PPM

The transmitter has to send synchronizing pulses (or simply sync pulses) to keep
the transmitter and receiver in synchronism. These sync pulses help maintain the
position of the pulses. Without them the demodulation won’t be possible to achieve.