Fundamentals of

Communication
Digital Modulation Schemes: DPCM
Differential PCM
• Def: If the difference in the amplitude levels of two successive
samples is transmitted rather than the absolute value of the actual
sample, it is called differential PCM (DPCM).
• The sampling is usually carried out at a rate slightly higher than the
Nyquist rate - For the digitization of analog voice or video information
signal using PCM.
• So, the resulting sampled signal does not change much from one
sample value to the adjacent one - adjacent samples carry same
information with a little difference, resulting in redundant
information
Differential PCM
• DPCM is specifically designed to take advantage of the sample-to-
sample redundancies in typical speech waveforms.
• Since the range of sample differences is typically less than the range
of individual samples, fewer bits are required for DPCM as compared
to that needed for conventional PCM.
• Benefits:
• The number of bits required to transmit one sample will also be reduced.
• Overall bit rate will be decreased.
• Less bandwidth will be needed.
• More efficient encoded signal will be obtained.
Comparison – DPCM and PCM
• In DPCM, fewer levels and hence fewer bits will be required to quantize
and encode the difference between successive samples, as compared to
large number of levels and more number of bits required to quantize and
encode the absolute value of the sample in PCM.
• At the Nyquist rate, DPCM produces more quantization noise in
comparison to PCM.
• Although the quantization noise can be reduced by increasing the sampling
rate considerably above the Nyquist rate, but then the bit rate of DPCM
exceeds that required for PCM.
• PCM is simple, inexpensive and easy to implement whereas DPCM involves
difference amplifier, predictor, accumulator which make it complex and
costly.
DPCM Encoder
Operation of Encoder
• The analog input signal is band limited to one-half of the sample rate.
• It is then compared with the preceding accumulated signal level in the
differentiator.
• It is important to know whether the accumulated signal level in the feedback loop
is larger or smaller than the present input signal and that too by how much
amount.
• The feedback loop (accumulator) comprising of binary adder, digital-to-analog
converter and integrator determines it and applied to the differentiator
(difference amplifier and subtractor) for comparison with input signal.
• Then it is convenient to find whether the next difference signal needs to be
positive or negative and of how much amplitude in order to bring the
accumulated signal level as close as possible to input signal.
Operation of Encoder
• At each sampling time, the difference amplifier compares the input signal level
and accumulated signal level.
• The resultant analog difference signal is held constant by sample and hold circuit
for the duration of the interval between sampling times.
• The quantized differences (output of A/D converter) are converted into a serial
binary bit stream before transmission as DPCM signal.
• Thus, the analog difference signal is PCM encoded and transmitted in the same
way as conventional PCM system, except A/D converter uses fewer bits per
sample.
DPCM Decoder
• Each received sample is converted back to analog signal by D/A
converter after serial to parallel converter, stored, and then summed
with the next sample received.
• This operation is similar to accumulator used in the transmitter.
• The integration is performed on the analog signals, although it could
also be performed digitally.
Predictor Circuit in DPCM
• In DPCM, when the sampling rate is set at the Nyquist rate it
generates unacceptably excessive quantization noise in comparison to
that of in PCM.
• The quantization noise can be reduced by increasing the sampling
rate considerably.
• With increased sampling rate, the difference from sample to sample is
smaller and the rate of producing large quantization errors is reduced.
• But it results into increase in bit rate which is equivalent to number of
bits/sample multiplied by sample rate. Generally it exceeds that
required for PCM.
Predictor Circuit in DPCM
• when the signal is sampled at a rate exceeding the Nyquist rate, there is a
strong correlation between successive samples of the analog input signal
and the difference signal.
• Knowledge of the values of the past sample or at least the difference
between values of the past successive samples enables to predict the range
of the next required increment with reasonable accuracy.
• So a predictor is included in DPCM system to take advantage of this
correlation property.
• It requires provision for memory to store the difference values of past
samples and to implement sophisticated algorithm to predict the next
required increment.
Mathematical Model of Predictor Circuit