Course Information

Lectures

Lectures are on Mondays and Wednesdays 12:50–2:05 pm in Gates-B1, problem sessions on Fridays 4:15–5:05 pm in Huang 018.

Abstract

Digital communication is a rather unique field in engineering in which theoretical ideas have had an extraordinary impact on the design of actual systems. The course provides a basic understanding of the analysis and design of digital communication systems, building on various ideas from probability theory, stochastic processes, linear algebra and Fourier analysis.

Topics include:

• Detection and probability of error for binary and M-ary signals (PAM, QAM, PSK etc.)

• Receiver design and sufficient statistics,

• Controlling the spectrum and the Nyquist criterion

• Bandpass communication and up/down conversion

• Design trade-offs: rate, bandwidth, power and error probability

• Coding and decoding (convolutional coding and Viterbi decoding).

Reading

The main text is ‘‘Principles Of Digital Communications: A Top-Down Approach’’ by Bixio Rimoldi. This is a textbook in preparation and will be available electronically to registered students. The following books have been reserved in the Engineering Library for supplemental reading.

• Digital Communications by J. Proakis

• Principles of Digital Communication by Gallager

• A Foundation in Digital Communication by Lapidoth

• Digital Communication by Lee, Messerschmitt

Prerequisites

Basic Probability and Stochastic Processes (EE178, EE179, EE278B or equivalent), Linear Systems and Fourier transform (EE102A or EE261) and Linear Algebra (EE263 or equivalent).

Course requirements

• Weekly homework
  Assigned each Wednesday and due the following Wednesday before 12:30 PM.
  Late HW policy: You will have the option to submit one HW late by a week without incurring any penalty. For all other HWs you will get 50% of the grade if the HW is submitted the following Friday before 12:30 PM and no HWs will be accepted after Friday 12:30 PM.

• Midterm examination
  Date: February 13, 2013 in class. Closed book/notes except for one sheet of personal notes (double sided A4).

• Final examination
  Date: March 18, 2013 8:30–11:30 am. No make-up finals allowed. Please talk to us now if there is a possible clash.

Grading

• Homework: 15%

• Midterm examination: 35%

• Final examination: 50%