This is a laboratory and experimental course in the field of signal processing and communications (wireless and optical communications). Most of the activity is performed in the laboratories, where students have the opportunity to setup experiments regarding signal analysis on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), wireless transmissions and optical communications. Few introductory lectures are given to introduce the lab experiences.
One of the goals of the course is to foster the communication skills and the ability to work in groups.

The course offers the student the possibility to deepen and put in practice the knowledge on physical layer functions of communication systems as well as the signal and image Processing techniques. The lab sessions will be preceded by lectures to describe the experiments that will be performed and the procedure to implement them.

The course will provide knowledge of:
- the methods for the experimental characterization of optical sources
- the methods for the experimental characterization of active and passive optical devices
- the methods for the experimental characterization of optical communications systems and subsystems
- the architecture of Digital Signal processing (DSP) Systems
- the fundamentals on signal and image compression
- some algorithms of digital signal processing and their implementation methods
- structure of Software Defined Radio (SDR) platforms
- the methods for communication systems software prototyping
- wireless communication standard (WiFi 802.11ac, LTE or DVB)

The student will acquire the ability to:
- characterize optical sources, active and passive optical devices, optical communications systems and subsystems
- setup a laboratory experiment in the optical communication field
- develop appropriate signal-processing algorithms and implement them on a DSP
- implement on suitable hardware or software platforms some of the blocks of the studied wireless communication standards

The ability to apply the gained knowledge will be verified from lab reports, and their discussion.

The course requires a background on digital transmission and signal theory.

Some background on the basic concepts regarding signal processing, wireless transmission and optical communications is also useful, although these concepts will be reviewed during the course.

The course covers three main areas of modern communications systems, and students take classes and laboratories focusing only on two of the three proposed areas:
1. Signal and Image Processing laboratory (3 CFU)
2. Optical Communications laboratory (3 CFU)
3. Wireless transmissions laboratory (3 CFU)
for a total amount of 6 CFU.

Theoretical Lectures:

Optical communications (1 CFU)
• Measures of optical powers, wavelength and corresponding instruments
• Measure of optical spectrum and corresponding instruments
• Methods for high resolution spectral characterization
• Experimental modelling of optical transmission systems and corresponding instrumentation

Signal Processing (1 CFU)
• Introduction to compression
• Decorrelation techniques for signals and images
• Quantization
• Source coding
• DSP architecture and development tools


Wireless communications (1 CFU)
• Overview on the main components of the physical layer of broadband fixed and mobile radio-communication standards
• Structure and main functions of conventional and software defined digital radio transceivers
• Software defined radio (SDR) platforms: overview and classification

Laboratories:

Optical communications (2 CFU)
• Spectral measures of laser sources through the "optical power meter" and the "wavelength meter"
• Experimental procedure for the joint of optical fibers and corresponding measurement of the joint attenuation
• Experimental characterization of passive optical devices
• Realization of an optical amplifier and corresponding experimental characterization
• Spectral characterization of optical sources through optical spectrum analyzers and high resolution methods

Signal Processing (2 CFU):

DSP implementation of a compression algorithm, including:
 Program template and in/out interfaces
 predictor
 quantizer
 lossless source coder
 validation and testing

Wireless communications (2 CFU)
• Implementation on SDR platform (Ettus B210 and National Instruments USRP-2901) of some common transceiver blocks suitable for most wireless communication standards (WiFi, LTE, DVB)
• Test and measurements of the performance of some implemented receiver algorithms

Students take classes and laboratories focusing only on two of the three proposed areas:
1. Signal and Image Processing laboratory (3 CFU)
2. Optical Communications laboratory (3 CFU)
3. Wireless transmissions laboratory (3 CFU)
for a total amount of 6 credits.

Due to the Experimental laboratory course characteristics, the student presence is mandatory for all the foreseen lab sessions.
The laboratory activities are organized at the educational Laboratory of the Electronics and Telecommunications Department (LED) and at the "Laboratorio Informatico di Base" (LAIB).

The teaching material will be made available by the instructors on the course web portal.
Description of the lab experiments will be provided, and reference documentation will be made available to students.

In order to verify the acquired laboratory experimental skills the students have to write reports and to discuss it during the oral examination.

Students are required to write two reports on the laboratory experiences (one for every lab area chosen). The report organization will be described during the lectures. Both reports have to be delivered 1 week before the exam day.

Every lab report will have an independent evaluation (maximum mark 30/30). Each student will be asked to discuss the content of the report during an oral exam. The oral exam is individual, and students will be asked to answer questions about both the practical and the theoretical parts of the course (maximum mark 30/30)

The final grade will be a weighted average between the evaluations of the two laboratory reports and the oral examinations.

The grading criteria are the following:
- appropriate choice and application of the experimental methodology/algorithms
- report clearness and completeness; appropriate use of the technical terms
- completeness of the discussion of the obtained experimental results