Module: Communications Theory

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Communications Theory
Module Code	EE450 (ITS) / EEN1042 (Banner)
Faculty	Engineering & Computing	School	Electronic Engineering
Module Co-ordinator	-
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	7.5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Repeat examination
Array

Description

This module will address the problem of transmitting a signal through a noisy channel. It will look at both analog and digital signals. The module audience will be assumed to be familiar with the frequency domain representation of deterministic and stochastic systems.

Learning Outcomes

1. evaluate the impacts of noise and finite bandwidth on communications channels
2. compare the performance of a number of analog and digital modulation schemes for both baseband and passband channels
3. evaluate the trade-offs and performance bounds at each stage of processing when modulating and demodulating signals
4. perform computer simulations to determine the bit error rates, SNR and other performance parameters of a modulator/channel/demodulator chain

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	36	No Description
Lecture	36	No Description
Assignment Completion	44	No Description
Assignment Completion	44	No Description
Independent Study	108	No Description
Independent Study	108	No Description
Total Workload: 376

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Analog signals
Transmission of analog bandpass signals, synchronisation, analog modulation techniques, AM, DSBSC, SSBSC, FM and phase modulation, noise in analog modulation systems, digital representation of analog signals.

Digital Signals
Baseband digital communications: binary bandwidth limited signals and inter-symbol interference, noise and bit errors, adaptive equalisation. Band pass digital systems:binary PSK and FSK, QPSK. Introductory information theory: entropy, discrete memoryless channel, source coding theorem, channel coding.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	0%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total
Course Work Breakdown
Project	Short assignment evaluating a modulation technique	10%
Project	Short assignment evaluating another modulation technique	10%

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category -

Indicative Reading List

Simon Haykin,: 0, Communication Systems 5/E, 5th edition, 0470169966
John G. Proakis, Masoud Salehi: 2008, Digital communications, McGraw-Hill, Boston, 0071263780
Leon W. Couch II: 2001, Digital and analog communication systems, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J., 0130896306
S. Unnikrishna Pillai Athanasios Papoulis,: 0, Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes International Edition, 0071226613

Other Resources

None