Derive BPSK BER – optimum receiver in AWGN channel

Key focus: Derive BPSK BER (bit error rate) for optimum receiver in AWGN channel. Explained intuitively step by step. BPSK modulation is the simplest of all the M-PSK techniques. An insight into the derivation of error rate performance of an optimum BPSK receiver is essential as it serves as a stepping stone to understand the … Read more

Q function and Error functions : demystified

In simple words, The Q-function gives the probability that a random variable from a normal distribution will exceed a certain threshold value. The erf function gives the probability that a normally distributed variable will fall within a certain range. Q function Q functions are often encountered in the theoretical equations for Bit Error Rate (BER) … Read more

Estimation Theory : an introduction

Key focus: Understand the basics of estimation theory with a simple example in communication systems. Know how to assess the performance of an estimator. A simple estimation problem : DSB-AM receiver In Double Side Band – Amplitude Modulation (DSB-AM), the desired message is amplitude modulated over a carrier of frequency f0. The following discussion is … Read more

Derivation of expression for a Gaussian Filter with 3 dB bandwidth

In GMSK modulation (used in GSM and DECT standard), a GMSK signal is generated by shaping the information bits in NRZ format through a Gaussian Filter. The filtered pulses are then frequency modulated to yield the GMSK signal. GMSK modulation is quite insensitive to non-linearities of power amplifier and is robust to fading effects. But … Read more

Sampling Theorem – Bandpass or Intermediate or Under Sampling

Prerequisite: Sampling theorem – baseband sampling Intermediate Sampling or Under-Sampling A signal is a bandpass signal if we can fit all its frequency content inside a bandwidth . Bandwidth is simply the difference between the lowest and the highest frequency present in the signal. “In order for a faithful reproduction and reconstruction of a bandpass … Read more

Sampling Theorem – Baseband Sampling

For Matlab demo of sampling see here. “Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem” is the fundamental base over which all the digital processing techniques are built. Processing a signal in digital domain gives several advantages (like immunity to temperature drift, accuracy, predictability, ease of design, ease of implementation etc..,) over analog domain processing. Analog to Digital conversion: In … Read more

OFDM simulation – performance in AWGN channel

Goal: Simulate discrete-time cyclic-prefixed OFDM communication system. Explain role of IFFT/FFT, cyclic prefix. Simulate M-QPSK / M-QAM based cyclic prefixed OFDM over AWGN channel. Discrete-time implementation of baseband CP-OFDM The schematic diagram of a simplified cyclic-prefixed OFDM (CP-OFDM) data transmission system is shown in Figure 1. The basic parameter to describe an OFDM system is … Read more

Introduction to OFDM – orthogonal Frequency division multiplexing – part 4 – Cyclic Prefix

Consider a non-ideal channel h(t)≠δ(t), that causes delay dispersion. Delay dispersion manifests itself as Inter Symbol Interference (ISI)on each subcarrier channel due to pulse overlapping. It will also cause ICC (Inter Carrier Interference ) due to the non-orthogonality of the received signal. Adding cyclic prefix to each OFDM symbol mitigates the problems of ISI and … Read more

Introduction to OFDM – orthogonal Frequency division multiplexing – part 3

In the previous article, the architecture of an OFDM transmitter was described using sinusoidal components. Generally, an OFDM signal can be represented as \(s(t)\) = symbols mapped to chosen constellation (BPSK/QPSK/QAM etc..,) \(f_n\) = orthogonal frequency This equation can be thought of as an IFFT process ( Inverse Fast Fourier Transform). The Fourier transform breaks a … Read more

Introduction to OFDM – orthogonal Frequency division multiplexing – part 2

Article moved to new pages The article has been consolidated into these following pages. Please refer these links. If you are looking for Matlab code refer this ebook : Simulation of Digital Communication Systems by Mathuranathan Viswanathan (1) Introduction to OFDM – Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (2) An OFDM Communication System – Implementation Details (3) … Read more