Introduction to

Modern
Communication
Systems

Prof. Chintan Panchal

 Introduction
 Communication includes satellite, fiber optic, mobile cellular
phone, microwave systems, and Internet communications; as
well as cable TV, AM and FM radio, VHF, UHF, HDTV,
telephone, fax, voice, TV and computer networking systems.

 Additionally includes spread spectrum systems, such as 3G,

4G and 5G wireless systems.
 Basic Model of Communication

Source Transmitter Channel Receiver Destination

RF Spectrum
RF Spectrum
 What is Modulation
 Modulation 
 Modulation is defined as the
process of superimposing a low-
frequency signal on a high-
frequency carrier signal.
OR
 Process of changing the parameters
of the carrier signal, in accordance
with the instantaneous values of
the modulating signal.
 Modulating Signal:
The signal which contains a message to be transmitted, is called as a message
signal. It is a baseband signal, which has to undergo the process of
modulation, to get transmitted. Hence, it is also called as the modulating
signal.
 Carrier Signal:
The high frequency signal which has a certain phase, frequency, and
amplitude but contains no information, is called a carrier signal. It is an
empty signal. It is just used to carry the signal to the receiver after
modulation.
 Modulated Signal:
The resultant signal after the process of modulation, is called as
the modulated signal. This signal is a combination of the modulating signal
and the carrier signal.
 Need for Modulation:

 The baseband signals are incompatible for direct

transmission.

 For such a signal, to travel longer distances, its strength has

to be increased by modulating with a high frequency carrier
wave, which doesn’t affect the parameters of the modulating
signal.

 The antenna used for transmission, had to be very large, if

modulation was not introduced.

 The range of communication gets limited as the wave cannot

travel to a distance without getting distorted.
 Advantages of Modulation:

 Antenna size gets reduced.

 No signal mixing occurs.

 Communication range increases.

 Multiplexing of signals occur.

 Adjustments in the bandwidth is allowed.

 Reception quality improves.

Amplitude modulation or AM is the method of varying the
instantaneous amplitude of carrier signal accordingly with
instantaneous amplitude of message signal.
FM or Frequency modulation is the process of varying the in
instantaneous frequency of Carrier signal accordingly with
instantaneous amplitude of message signal.
 Pulse code modulation (PCM)
• Pulse code modulation (PCM) is a technique of digitally representing analog
signals.
• It takes samples of the amplitude of the analog signal and changes it to binary data.
• PCM technique is used by codecs in telephone networks to convert analog signals
in local loops to digital signals in the trunks, and reverse conversion at the
receivers’ end.
 Low Pass Filter:
• Eliminates the high frequency components present in the input analog signal
which is greater than the highest frequency of the message signal, to avoid
aliasing of the message signal.
 Sampler:
• Helps to collect the sample data at instantaneous values of message signal, so
as to reconstruct the original signal. The sampling rate must be greater than
twice the highest frequency component.
 Quantizer:
• Process of reducing the excessive bits and confining the data. The sampled
output when given to Quantizer, reduces the redundant bits and compresses
the value.
 Encoder:
• The digitization of analog signal is done by the encoder. It designates each
quantized level by a binary code. The sampling done here is the sample-and-
hold process. Encoding minimizes the bandwidth used.
 Regenerative Repeater:
This section increases the signal strength. The output of the channel also has
one regenerative repeater circuit, to compensate the signal loss and reconstruct
the signal, and also to increase its strength.
 Decoder:
The decoder circuit decodes the pulse coded waveform to reproduce the
original signal. This circuit acts as the demodulator.
 Reconstruction Filter:
After the digital-to-analog conversion is done by the regenerative circuit and
the decoder, a low-pass filter is employed, called as the reconstruction filter to
get back the original signal.

 Pulse Code Modulator circuit digitizes the given analog signal, codes it and
samples it, and then transmits it in an analog form. This whole process is
repeated in a reverse pattern to obtain the original signal.
Optical Fiber Network
 Transmitter:
Converts the input voltage to current value which is used to drive the light source.
Thus it interfaces the input circuit and the light source.
The light source is normally an infrared LED or LASER device which is driven by
the current value from the V to I convertor.
It emits light which is proportional to the drive current. Thus light which is
proportional to the input voltage value is generated and given as input to fiber.
A source to fiber interface is used for coupling the light source to the fiber optic
cable. The light emitted from the source is inserted into the fiber such that
maximum light emitted from it is coupled to the fiber.

 Optical Splice:
For creating long haul communication link, it is necessary to join one fiber to other
fibers permanently. For this purpose, optical splicing techniques are used to join
different fibers.

 Optical Coupler/ Beam splitter:

Optical couplers are used to couple the light output from the fiber end to the device
which can be receiver or regenerator. Beam splitters are used to split the light beam
which can be given to other equipment.
 Regenerator/ Repeater:
After an optical signal is launched in to a fiber, it will become progressively attenuated and
distorted with increasing distance because of scattering, absorption and dispersion
mechanisms in the glass material.
Therefore repeaters are placed in between to reconstruct the original signal and again
retransmit it.
The signal is processed in electronics domain and hence optical to electrical conversion and
electrical to optical conversions are performed in the repeater.
 Optical Amplifier:
After an optical signal has travelled a certain distance along a fiber, it becomes greatly
weakened due to power loss along the fiber.
Therefore, when setting up an optical link, engineers formulate a power loss budget and add
amplifiers or repeaters when the path loss exceeds the available power margin.
The periodically placed amplifiers merely give the optical signal a power boost, whereas a
repeater attempts to restore the signal to its original shape.
 Receiver:
At the destination of an optical fiber transmission line there is a coupling device (connector)
which couples the light signal to the detector.
Inside the receiver is a photodiode that detects the weakened and distorted optical signal
emerging from the end of an optical fiber and converts it to an electrical signal. (Referred to
as photo current).
I to V convertor produce an output voltage proportional to the current generated by the light
detector. Thus, we obtain output value which was given to the system as data input.
Comparative analysis of
3G- 4G-5G wireless
communication system
 G?
• G - Generation

• Generation of wireless phone technology

 1G
• Frequency: 150MHz / 900MHz
• Bandwidth: Analog telecommunication (30KHz)
• Technology: Analog cellular
• Capacity (data rate): 2kbps
• From 1980 to 1990
• Bad voice quality
• Poor battery, cellphones
• Big cellphones

• Better than nothing, at least its wireless and

mobile
 2G
• Frequency: 1.8GHz (900MHz), digital
telecommunication
• Bandwidth: 900MHz (25MHz)
• Characteristic: Digital
• Technology: Digital cellular, GSM
• Capacity (data rate): 64kbps
• From 1991 to 2000
• Allows txt msg service

• 2.5G
– 2G cellular technology with
GPRS
– E-Mails
– Web browsing
– Camera phones
 3G • From 2000 to 2010
• Frequency: 1.6 – 2.0 GHz • Called smartphones
• Bandwidth: 100MHz • Video calls
• Characteristic: Digital broadband, • Fast communication
• Mobil TV
increased speed
• 3G phones rather expensive
• Technology: CDMA, UMTS, EDGE

• Capacity (data rate): 144kbps – 2Mbps

 4G
• Frequency: 2 – 8 GHz • From 2010 to today
• Bandwidth: 100MHz (2020?)
• Characteristic: High speed, all IP
• MAGIC
• Technology: LTE, WiFi
• Capacity (data rate): 100Mbps – 1Gbps
– Mobile multimedia
– Anytime, anywhere
• Why better than 3G? – Global mobile support
– Integrated wireless
solutions
– Customized personal
service
• Good QoS + high
security
• Bigger battery usage
 Comparison
1G 2G 3G 4G 5G

Period 1980 – 1990 1990 – 2000 2000 – 2010 2010 – (2020) (2020 - 2030)

Bandwidth 150/900MHz 900MHz 100MHz 100MHz 1000x BW pr unit

area

Frequency Analog signal (30 1.8GHz 1.6 – 2.0 GHz 2 – 8 GHz 3 – 300 GHz
KHz) (digital)

Data rate 2kbps 64kbps 144kbps – 2Mbps 100Mbps – 1Gbps 1Gbps <

Characteristic First wireless Digital Digital broadband, High speed, all IP

communication increased speed

Technology Analog cellular Digital cellular CDMA, UMTS, LTE, WiFi WWWW
(GSM) EDGE