BE201 - Digital Communication

Credit Points: 15 credit points

Workload: 48 hours

Prerequisite: BE102 Digital Systems

Co-requisite: N/A

Aims & Objectives

This is a core unit out of a total of 24 units in the Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Telecommunications) BEngTech (Tel). This unit addresses the BEngTech(Tel) course learning outcomes and complements other courses in a related field by developing students’ specialised knowledge in digital communications and by applying critical skills to communication equipment such as Emona ET101 telecom trainer (Biskit). For further course information refer to: http://www.mit.edu.au/study-with-us/programs/bachelor-engineering-technology-telecommunications

Digital communication is now one of the most commonly used modes of communication, where organizations largely rely on this mode for all their business communications. The main aim of this unit is to present the principles and techniques fundamental to the analysis and design of digital communication systems.

Students will gain an understanding of digital communications systems. The unit focuses on the basic building blocks of a digital communication system (channel encoder/decoder, digital modulator/demodulator and channel characteristics). The emphasis is on practical experience in communications systems problem solving and experience in reporting laboratory experiments.

This unit will cover the following topics:

  • Communication System Model
  • Analog Modulation
  • Source Coding
  • Digital Baseband Transmission
  • Digital Modulation and Demodulation
  • Digital Bandpass Transmission
  • Equalisation
  • Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
  • Spread Spectrum Systems
  • Digital Transmission through Wireless Channels
  • Channel Capacity and Coding
  • Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems
  • Multiple User Communications

Learning Outcomes

4.1 Course Learning Outcomes
The Course learning outcomes applicable to this unit are listed on the Melbourne Institute of Technology’s website: www.mit.edu.au 

4.2 Unit Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this unit students are expected to be able to:

a. Demonstrate in depth knowledge of the classification of analog and digital communication systems;
b. Apply the principles used in the generation, transmission and reception of digitally modulated signals;
c. Explain the need for sampling and analogue to digital conversion and source coding;
d. Compare and apply digital modulation and demodulation techniques, channel coding, decoding and their performance;
e. Compare multiple input and multiple output systems in modern digital communication systems;
f. Apply the concept of multiuser communication and resource sharing;
g. Simulate digital communication applications using Matlab and hardware devices.

Weekly Topics

This unit will cover the content below:

Week Topics
1 Communication system model : Elements of communication systems, overview of analog communication including amplitude modulation and angle modulations
2 Source coding: Information sources, Source coding algorithms, Quantization, Waveform coding
3 Baseband digital transmission: Binary signal transmission, Multi amplitude signal transmission, Multidimensional signals
4 Digital transmission through band-limited channels: Power Spectrum of digital PAM, Band limited channels characterization, Design for band limited channels, Linear equalisers
5 Digital transmission via Carrier Modulation: Carrier-Amplitude Modulation, Carrier-Phase Modulation, Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, Carrier-Frequency Modulation
6 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM): OFDM basics, Generation of OFDM signals, Frequency Diversity with OFDM, Peak to Average Power Ratio
7 Spread spectrum communications: Basics of Spread Spectrum, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum, Pseudo Random Noise generation, Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum
8 Digital transmission through wireless channels: Characterization of wireless channels, Time varying channels, Channel models, Performance of binary modulation in wireless channel
9 Channel capacity and coding: Channel Capacity, Channel coding, Linear block codes, Convolutional code
10 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) : Introduction to MIMO, MIMO signal detection, Capacity of MIMO systems, Space-Time codes for MIMO systems
11 Multiple user communications : Introduction to multiuser techniques, Resources allocation methods, Multi user communication in in LTE
12 Review

Assessment

Assessment Task Release Date Due Date A B Learning Outcomes Assessed
Class Participation and Contribution Each week in Lab Each week in Lab 10%   a-g
2. Individual Formative Assignment 1a
Individual Assignment 1b		 Week 1 Week 3 08/04/2022
Week 7 06/05/2022		 4%
6%		   b-e
Assignment 2 (Groups of 2-3 students) Week 6 Week 11 03/06/2022 30%   a,b,e-g
Major Assignment Replacing Final Examination (4 hours)       50% a-g
TOTALS     50% 50%  

Task Type: Type A: unsupervised, Type B: supervised.

Class Participation and Contribution
This unit has class participation and student contribution as an assessment. The assessment task and marking rubric will follow the Guidelines on Assessing Class Participation (https://www.mit.edu.au/about-us/governance/institute-rules-policies-and-plans/policies-procedures-and-guidelines/Guidelines_on_Assessing_Class_Participation). Further details will be provided in the assessment specification on the type of assessment tasks and the marking rubrics.

Presentations (if applicable)
For presentations conducted in class, students are required to wear business attire.

Textbook and Reference Materials

Note: Students are required to purchase the prescribed textbook and have it available each week in class.

Prescribed Text Book:

  • J. G. Proakis, M. Salehi and G. Bauchm, Contemporary Communication Systems Using MATLAB,   3rd ed, Cengage, 2013.

Other recommended references:

  • J. G. Proakis and M. Salehi, Communication Systems Engineering, 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, 2002.
  • J. G. Proakis and M. Salehi, Digital Communications, 5th ed., McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2008.
  • B. Sklar, Digital Communications: Fundamentals and Applications 2nd ed., Prentice Hall, 2006.
  • R. G. Gallager, Principles of Digital Communication , Cambridge University Press, 2008.
  • B. P. Lathi and Z. Ding, Modern Digital and Analog Communication Systems, 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2009.
  • A. Lapidoth,  A Foundation in Digital Communication 1st ed. Cambridge University Press, 2009.
  • U. Madhow, Fundamentals of Digital Communication,  Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Adopted Reference Style: IEEEE (Information can be found in MIT library referencing)

Graduate Attributes

MIT is committed to ensure the course is current, practical and relevant so that graduates are “work ready” and equipped for life-long learning. In order to accomplish this, the MIT Graduate Attributes identify the required knowledge, skills and attributes that prepare students for the industry.
The level to which Graduate Attributes covered in this unit are as follows:

Ability to communicate Independent and Lifelong Learning Ethics Analytical and Problem Solving Cultural and Global Awareness Team work Specialist knowledge of a field of study

Legend

Levels of attainment Extent covered
The attribute is covered by theory and practice, and addressed by assessed activities in which the students always play an active role, e.g. workshops, lab submissions, assignments, demonstrations, tests, examinations.
The attribute is covered by theory or practice, and addressed by assessed activities in which the students mostly play an active role, e.g. discussions, reading, intepreting documents, tests, examinations.
The attribute is discussed in theory or practice; it is addressed by assessed activities in which the students may play an active role, e.g. lectures and discussions, reading, interpretation, workshops, presentations.
The attribute is presented as a side issue in theory or practice; it is not specifically assessed, but it is addressed by activities such as lectures or tutorials.
The attribute is not considered, there is no theory or practice or activities associated with this attribute.