Lecture 11

Differential PCM
Samples of a bandlimited signal are correlated -> previous
sample gives information about the next one. Example: if
previous samples are small, the next one will be small with
high probability.
This can be used to improve PCM performance: to
decrease the number of bits used (and, hence, the
bandwidth) or to increase SQNR for a given bandwidth.
Main idea: quantize and transmit the difference between
two adjacent samples rather than sample values.
Since two adjacent samples are correlated (bandlimited
signal!), their difference is small and requires less bits to
transmit.

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 1(11)

 Simple DPCM System
Modulator
n
x (t ) xn yn
+ ..01101..
LPF Sampler Quantizer Encoder
- xn 1
Delay
T=1 n = xn xn 1 , yn = Q n = n + n

n n n

xn = yk = k + k
Demodulator k = 0 k =0 k= 0
= yn + xn 1 yn = xn xn 1
yn
..01101.. xn x (t )
Decoder LPF Very good quantization: yn n
xn 1
Delay
Hence, n and xn satisfy the
x
T=1 same difference equation -> must
be the same!
Problem: quantization noise accumulation.
9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 2(11)
 Quantization Noise Accumulation
Demodulator
yn
..01101.. xn x (t ) n x
Decoder LPF !"#
n n n
xn 1
xn = yk = k + k
Delay
k =0 k =0 k =0
T=1

n

xn = xn x n = k ! Includes past Q. noise contributions!
k =0

2
P {xn } = xn
n n ! Noise power is always added, never
2 subtracted! (assuming independence)
= k = P {k }
k =0 k =0

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 3(11)

 Improved DPCM System
No quantization noise accumulation.

J.Proakis, M.Salehi, Communications Systems Engineering, Prentice Hall, 2002

Analysis: very good quantizer

Yn = X n Yn1
Yn = X n Yn1 Yn = Yn Yn1 X n Yn
Yn = Yn + Yn1
X n = Yn + X n 1 X n and Yn satisfy the same difference equation
n
-> must be the same -> X n = Yn X n
X n = Yi In general, n = Yn Yn = X n X n
i =0
9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 4(11)
 Delta Modulation
This is a simplified version of DPCM. A 1-bit, 2 level ->
quantizer is used.

J.Proakis, M.Salehi, Communications Systems Engineering, Prentice Hall, 2002

Since there are only 2 levels, the Yn dynamic range must be

low to keep quantization noise low.
This, in turn, means that Xn and Xn-1 must be highly correlated
-> sampling frequency must be much higher than the Nyquist
rate.

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 5(11)

 Delta Modulation
Despite of the high sampling frequency, transmission rate is
low (less than for PCM) because there is only 1 bit/sample to
transmit.
Major advantage -> simple structure.

may be an integrator
or a counter

Major disadvantage: granular noise and slope-overload

distortion

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 6(11)

Granular Noise and Slope-Overload Distortion
large -> granular noise small -> slope-overload distortion

original analog signal

demodulated signal
demodulated signal
original analog signal

" Step size is very important.

" Small step size results in slope-overload distortion.
" Large step size results in granular noise.
" Solution: adaptive delta-modulation.

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 7(11)

 Example: DM for Sinusoidal Signal
Maximum slope generated by
DM demodulator is sm = / Ts = f s
For a sinusoidal input, the d
sin = x(t ) = Ain cos in t
slope is dt
The maximum input slope is sin,max = Ain
No slope overload distortion if sm sin ,max 2 Af in / f s
SQNR if no overload distortion 3 f s3
(see the text): SQNR = 2 2
8 f in f LPF

Example: x (t ) = sin 2103 t , f s = 10 kHz, f LPF = 2 kHz

2103 /104 0.6, SQNR 13 dB

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 8(11)

 Granular Noise and Slope-Overload
Distortion

Couch, Digital and Analog Communication Systems, Pearson Education.

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 9(11)
 Adaptive Delta-Modulation
Main idea: change step size according to changes in the
input signal.
If the input changes rapidly -> large step size. If the input
changes slowly -> small step size.
How to implement step size
change?
Simple solution: if two
slow variation
successive outputs have
the same sign -> increase
step size; if they are of
rapid variation
opposite sign -> decrease
step size.

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 10(11)

 Lecture 11

Summary
Differential PCM. Block diagrams (simple and improved).
Quantization noise accumulation.
Delta modulation. Block diagrams.
Granular noise and slope-overload distortion. Limitation
on the step size.
Comparison of PCM and delta modulation.
Adaptive delta-modulation.

! Homework: Reading: Couch, 3.7, 3.8. Study carefully all

the examples and make sure you understand them.

9-Mar-12 Lecture 11, ELG3175: Introduction to Communication Systems S. Loyka 11(11)