Knowlegde of the signal space representation and of the modulations for the additive Gaussian channel Knowledge of the optimum Bayesian receiver and its performance analysis Knowledge of the performance of standard digital modulations Knowledge of information theoretical metrics Knowledge of channel capacity and Shannon’s capacity formula Knowledge of block encoding techniques. Knowledge of convolutional encoding techniques. Knowledge of basic decoding algorithms for block coding. Knowledge of Viterbi algorithm and its application to convolutional decoding. Knowledge of key parameters dominating coding performance and providing coding gain. Knowledge of interleaving techniques for burst channels. Knowledge of most important application of coding to communication systems. Ability to design an optimum receiver over the AWGN channel Ability to evaluate the performance of digital modulations over the AWGN channel Ability to compare different digital modulations with different spectral efficiencies Ability to evaluate the capacity of some classes of discrete channels Ability to interpret the modulation performance in a Shannon diagram Ability to choose the coding parameters for a given communication system. Ability to evaluate a basic block and convolutional coding scheme. Ability to design a basic block coding scheme and a basic block decoding algorithm. Ability to design a convolutional coding scheme and a Viterbi decoding algorithm. Ability to design an interleaver to counter the effect of burst errors. Ability to understand the key properties of codes used in practical applications.

Calculus, linear algebra, probability, and signal theory.

The course program is divided into two parts: 1. Digital modulations for the AWGN channel and basic concepts from Information Theory (4 credits) (prof. Taricco) • Analytic signal representation • Review of basic probability concepts • Introduction to signal spaces • Linear modulations for the AWGN channel • Digital receiver design • Baseband and pass-band modulations • Signal detection • Error probability • Standard digital modulations • Power density spectrum of linear modulations • Comparison of digital modulations: Shannon diagram • Information theory: entropy and mutual information • Definition of channel codes • Discrete channels • Discrete channel capacity • Continuous input-continuous output channels • Shannon capacity formula 2. Introduction to Channel Coding (4 credits) (prof. Garello) • Block codes o Generating matrix and parity check matrix o Hard and soft decoding o Error detection o Minimum distance, performance evaluation and coding gain o Interleaving for burst channels o Automatic Repeat Request o Communication systems applications • Convolutional codes o Convolutional encoder, trellis representation o Hard and soft decoding: the Viterbi algorithm o Minimum distance, performance evaluation and coding gain o Puncturing o Communication systems applications

Classes alternate lectures and exercises: theoretical topics are developed during the lectures and their knowledge is tested during the exercises. Exercises are proposed to the students and subsequently solved by the lecturer.

1. For the first part, lecture notes handouts are provided to students. The following books represent useful supplementary reading: • S. Benedetto and E. Biglieri, Principles of Digital Transmission: With Wireless Applications. Kluwer. • A. Goldsmith, Wireless Communications. Cambridge University Press. • U. Madhow, Fundamentals of Digital Communication. Cambridge University Press. • A. Molisch, Wireless Communications. Wiley.
J. Proakis and M. Salehi, Digital Communications (4th Edition). • McGraw-Hill.
T. Rappaport, Wireless Communications: Principles and Practice (2nd Edition). Prentice-Hall. • D. Tse and P. Viswanath, Fundamentals of Wireless Communication. Cambridge University Press. 2. For the second part, • Stephen B. Wicker, Error Control Systems for Digital Communication and Storage, Prentice Hall • David J.C. MacKay, Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms, Cambridge University Press

Exam: Computer-based written test using the PoliTo platform;

The online exam has exactly the same structure as the onsite exam with the following rules specific for this kind of exam. 1. The lockdown browser is used to supply the students with the text of the exam and to check that the student is alone during the exam. 2. Every time the student finishes writing one sheet he or she has to show it to the webcam for a few seconds to be recognized. 3. At the end of the exam the lockdown browser closes and the student must upload the scans of his or her handwritten sheets merged in a single pdf file to the "elaborati" section of his or her web page on the portale della didattica. This operation should be finished in 15 minutes. As far as concerns the structure of the exam (when the lockdown browser is active) we have the following points. 1. There are typically four exercises relevant to the course topics but the number may slightly change according to the complexity of the exercises proposed. The assessment will consider the correctness of the answers, the clarity and rigorousness of the development, and how exhaustive is the overall exam about the questions proposed. The questions aim at assessing the knowledge on the topics listed in the course program and the ability to apply the theoretical concepts for the solution of the exercises. There is no possibility to increment the exam grade with any other type of exam, oral or written. 2. The typical duration is 1.5 hours, exceptionally extended to 2 hours in some cases. 3. Students may not use wireless devices of any kind except for the smartphone when they have to scan their handwritten sheets. Books, notes, printed material, notebooks, tablets or any device or instrument capable of storing information, are NOT ALLOWED. It is allowed the use of a hand-written A4 paper sheet (CHEAT SHEET) written on one side by the student herself or himself. No xerox copies or borrowed copies of the cheat sheet are allowed. BASIC scientific pocket calculators are allowed and recommended for the text. 4. All grades are possible from 0/30 to 30/30. The "cum laude" grade is reserved for extraordinary performances only if both teachers agree to award it. Grades are proposed to the students over a limited time period. Students are allowed to accept or reject the proposed grade if the proposed grade is at least 18/30. Accepted grades are put on record. During the course several sample exams from previous years will be uploaded (with solutions) on the web site to have a better idea .

Exam: Written test; Computer-based written test using the PoliTo platform;

The blended exam has exactly the same structure online and onsite. The online exam has the following rules. 1. The lockdown browser is used to supply the students with the text of the exam and to check that the student is alone during the exam. 2. Every time the student finishes writing one sheet he or she has to show it to the webcam for a few seconds to be recognized. 3. At the end of the exam the lockdown browser closes and the student must upload the scans of his or her handwritten sheets merged in a single pdf file to the "elaborati" section of his or her web page on the portale della didattica. This operation should be finished in 15 minutes. As far as concerns the structure of the exam (when the lockdown browser is active) we have the following points. 1. There are typically four exercises relevant to the course topics but the number may slightly change according to the complexity of the exercises proposed. The assessment will consider the correctness of the answers, the clarity and rigorousness of the development, and how exhaustive is the overall exam about the questions proposed. The questions aim at assessing the knowledge on the topics listed in the course program and the ability to apply the theoretical concepts for the solution of the exercises. There is no possibility to increment the exam grade with any other type of exam, oral or written. 2. The typical duration is 1.5 hours, exceptionally extended to 2 hours in some cases. 3. Students may not use wireless devices of any kind except for the smartphone when they have to scan their handwritten sheets. Books, notes, printed material, notebooks, tablets or any device or instrument capable of storing information, are NOT ALLOWED. It is allowed the use of a hand-written A4 paper sheet (CHEAT SHEET) written on one side by the student herself or himself. No xerox copies or borrowed copies of the cheat sheet are allowed. BASIC scientific pocket calculators are allowed and recommended for the text. 4. All grades are possible from 0/30 to 30/30. The "cum laude" grade is reserved for extraordinary performances only if both teachers agree to award it. Grades are proposed to the students over a limited time period. Students are allowed to accept or reject the proposed grade if the proposed grade is at least 18/30. Accepted grades are put on record. During the course several sample exams from previous years will be uploaded (with solutions) on the web site to have a better idea.