DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS - 2022/3

Module Overview

Expected prior learning: It is helpful, but not essential, to have taken module EEE2040 – Communications Networks  (5-com), or to have equivalent learning.




Module purpose:  This module deals with the three important processing stages of modern digital communication systems which are source coding for signal compression, channel error control coding for robust transmission and modulation for efficient digital interface with the available channel.





 

Module provider

Computer Science and Electronic Eng

Module Leader

QUDDUS Atta (CS & EE)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 58

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes the following.

SOURCE CODING (10 hours) (Atta ul Quddus)

Introduction to source coding - Types of sources (discrete and waveform sources), Why source coding?, Basic definitions (Uncertainty, Information, entropy, and redundancy).

Quantisation - Scalar, Vector.

Pulse code modulation (PCM) and Differential PCM – One and N-tap prediction, Delta modulation

Source coding for digital data – Source Coding Theorem, Lossless data compression, Huffman source coding.

Time and Frequency domain speech coding - LPC coding Principles.

Transform / Entropy coding of image/video.

Standards – JPEG, MPEG I, II, IV,

Future areas - in speech and image/video coding.

ERROR CONTROL CODING (10 hours) (Yi Ma)

Introduction - Purposes of error control coding, Type of error control techniques, ARQ and FEC, Measures to compare performance, Information Theory, Coding Gain, Classification of Codes, Techniques for Bursty Channels - Interleaving, Conclusions for Implementation

Linear Block Codes - Terminology, Linearity, Systematic Form, Encoding through Generator Matrix, Parity Check Matrix, Syndrome, Outline of Decoding Method. Cyclic Block Codes, Generator Polynomial, Encoding by Long Division, Encoding By Shift Registers, Meggitt Decoder. Performance bounds. Other codes: BCH Codes, Reed Solomon Codes and their Applications.

Convolutional Codes - Simple Encoder, Terminology, State Diagram, Free Distance, Trellis Diagram, Decoding Metrics, Viterbi Decoding, Practical issues, Effects of Decoding Error, Performance Calculations. Recursive Systematic Convolutional Codes, Decoding Algorithms, Performance and challenges.

Advanced Codes: Turbo codes, Parallel and serial concatenation, Product codes, Low Density Parity Check Codes, Rate-less Codes and their applications.

MODULATION (10 hours) (Yi Ma)

Introduction to digital modulation: baseband signalling formats, power spectral density, ISI and Nyquist filtering, Noise and Gaussian distribution, general features of digital modulation and demodulation.

Phase shift keying – BPSK representations, demodulation requirements, squaring and Costas loop phase recovery, timing recovery (early-late gate synchronizer), noise performance, spectrum efficiency, QPSK, phase ambiguity and differential encoding.

Bandwidth-efficient modulations - MPSK, QAM, Gray Coding, performance in noise.

Spectrally controlled modulation - OQPSK, Pi/4 PSK, MSK, MSK as OQPSK variant, MSK modulator and demodulator, performance in noise, spectrum efficiency, CPM, trellis representations.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Not applicable: students failing a unit of assessment resit the assessment in its original format.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy for this module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they have achieved all the intended learning outcomes. The written exam will assess their understanding of basic building blocks in digital communication systems, the underlying principles and their basic working. The exam will assess their conceptual understanding and ability to give arguments in favour of specific design choices for the building blocks of digital communication system. This exam will also assess their abilities to design as well as analyse specific components of a digital communication system by including numerical problems and design problems in the examination.

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of the following.

·         Online (Open book) examination at the end of the module teaching during the examination week

 

Formative assessment and feedback

For the module, students will receive formative assessment/feedback in the following ways.

·         During lectures / tutorials, by question and answer sessions

·         During lectures / tutorials, by electronic voting

·         During tutorials / problems / quizzes

          ·         Giving take-home problems that are then marked, with explicit feedback provided

 

Module aims

• The course is a mix of source and channel coding together with various modulation schemes. The aim is to show by argument, mathematical analysis, and block diagrams, how information can be represented and transmitted in a digital domain.  It includes the coverage of current source coding standards, means of protection against noise and modulation / demodulation for radio or satellite transmission.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to provide useful pointers for deeper learning of the topics listed in the module content. This is achieved through a series of lectures and other learning material like slide-sets, notes, online videos, tutorial sheets with model solutions, numerical and design problems with model solutions. Electronic voting system and class discussions are used to identify any difficulties faced by the learners and then provide more learning material using online resources at SurreyLearn system.

 

Learning and teaching methods include the following.

• 
  Captured content (3 hours per week)
  


• 
  Super lectures / tutorials (2 hours per week)
  


• 
  Class discussion/electronic voting
  


• 
  Online videos, notes, tutorials with model solutions and other learning material
  

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: EEE3006

Other information

This module has a capped number and may not be available to ERASMUS and other international exchange students. Please check with the International Engagement Office email: ieo.incoming@surrey.ac.uk

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2022/3 academic year.