The course is taught in English.

The course describes the main features of modern digital telecommunication system, introducing the transmission techniques that are at the basis of today most advanced wireless transmission systems, such as 4G and 5G mobile networks, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.

In the first part, we introduce the theoretical background relevant to digital signal transmission over a real-world communication channel affected by additive Gaussian noise and bandwidth limitations. The program then focuses on the most commonly used modulation formats, such as PSK and QAM. For these modulations, the students will learn how to estimate error probabilities and the power spectral density. Practical examples of wireless transmission systems dimensioning will be introduced, addressing also simplified free-space power transmission equations. Then, we provide an introduction to Information Theory and we present basic definitions and results on entropy, mutual information, and channel capacity. We study Shannon’s capacity formula which tell us which are the fundamental limits of digital communication.

In the second part of the course, we focus on forward-error correcting codes (FEC), which provide an effective way to transmit close to these fundamental limits. We focus on block codes and we study error correction and error detection algorithms and properties. We also study the main characteristics of the different code families, and the reason of their application to different communication systems.

At the end of this course, the students possess:

• Knowledge of mostly commonly used modulation formats such as PSK and QAM.
• Knowledge of Inter-symbol interference causes and effects.
• Ability to calculate error probabilities over the Gaussian additive channel.
• Ability to calculate the power density spectrum of digital signals.
• Knowledge of basic elements of channel equalization.
• Knowledge of basic information theory quantities such as entropy and mutual information.
• Knowledge of channel capacity concept and its consequences for real word systems
• Knowledge of block codes and different code families.
• Knowledge of error correction algorithms and their properties.
• Knowledge of error detection algorithms and their properties.
• Ability to match coding properties to different communication system requirements.

• Probability and random variables (discrete and continuous probability distributions, calculation of expectations, etc.).
• Random process theory (stationary signals, correlation functions, power density spectrum, etc.).
• Signal theory (correlation functions, signal classifications, power and energy spectra, etc.).

Main topics of the course:

PART I
• Introduction to digital communication systems (0.3 ects)
• Geometric representation of signals and noise in signal spaces (0.6 ects)
• Block diagrams of most commonly used modulation formats (PAM, PSK, QAM) (0.4 ects)
• Bit error probability (0.6 ects)
• Spectral occupation and bandwidths (0.6 ects)
• Inter-symbol interference causes and effects (0.3 ects)
• Entropy and mutual information (0.4 ects)
• Channel capacity of discrete and continuous channels (0.4 ects)
• Shannon’s capacity formula (0.4 ects)



PART II
• Introduction to channel coding (0.2 ects)
• Block codes, generating and parity check matrix (0.5 ects)
• Code families (0.3 ects)
• Error correction: algorithms, properties and performance (0.5 ects)
• Error detection: algorithms, properties and performance (0.5 ects)

The first part of the course will consist of approximately 40 hours in classroom, a part of which (approx. 15 hours) will be devoted to the solution of numerical exercises related to all the main topics.
The second part of the course will consist of approximately 20 hours in classroom, a part of which (approx. 10 hours) will be devoted to the solution of numerical exercises.

Teacher’s material, available on the course web portal


Textbook:
• S. Benedetto, E. Biglieri, Principles of Digital Transmission With Wireless Applications, Kluwer Academic Publishers, eISBN: 9780306469619

The book is available in the POLITO library system at the following address http://opac.biblio.polito.it/F/?func=direct&doc_number=000200305&local_base=PTOW

It is also available as an electronic document:
https://login.ezproxy.biblio.polito.it/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/polito/docDetail.action?docID=10053266

The procedure on how to subscribe to the POLITO "Digiproxy" service in order to have access to all digital resources can be found at this page: https://www.biblio.polito.it/contatti/digproxy.asp

Further references:
I part:
• J. Proakis and M. Salehi, Digital Communications 5th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2008 (ISBN-13: 978-0072957167)
• U. Madhow, Fundamentals of Digital Communication, Cambridge, 2008 (ISBN-13: 9780521874144)
• Goldsmith, Wireless Communications. Cambridge University Press.
• U. Madhow, Fundamentals of Digital Communication. Cambridge University Press.
• Molisch, Wireless Communications. Wiley.
• T. Rappaport, Wireless Communications: Principles and Practice (2nd Edition). Prentice-Hall.
• D. Tse and P. Viswanath, Fundamentals of Wireless Communication. Cambridge University Press.
II part:
• Stephen B. Wicker, Error Control Systems for Digital Communication and Storage, Prentice Hall
• Robert H. Morelos-Zaragoza, The Art of Error Correcting Coding, Wiley [with C/C++/Matlab programs]
• David J.C. MacKay, Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms, Cambridge University Press [advanced book]

Written exam on course’s topics (usually two hours, no books, no notes, maximum mark = 30 cum laude).

The assessment is usually made of five/six questions/exercises, half on the first part and half on the second part.