Faculty of Electrical Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

GROUP PROJECT ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

SET 3583 Digital Communication System
0809 semester 2

Lecturer: Dr. Sharifah Kamilah Yusof, P02-325

Project Objective:
I To study one aspect of digital communications in detail
I To gain greater understanding of the underlying theory and practical application
Submission Date:
th
Monday, April 13 , 2009.
Assignment Descriptor:
I Each project is to be group effort.
I Your group (4 members per group) must work together on the simulation
programming and report writing must be done according to the work delegation
assigned in each group.
I You are allowed to discuss with other groups but you are not allowed to COPY the
group’s work.
I If a group disobeys this instruction ZERO marks will be given to the group.
Assignment format:
I All simulation projects intend to explain and illustrate the principles and ideas behind
this technique.
I The implementation will be as software.
I Your simulation work needs to be compared to the conventional communication
system where the enhancement of the can be clearly observed and illustrated.
I Monte Carlo simulations must be performed to evaluate bit error probabilities.
I Using proper documentation methods. Your programming needs to be heavily
commented.
I Describe your group’s schedule, number of discussion sessions, hours spent at the
computer and your project organisational approach to solve this problem.
I A project report (typed) is required for all projects. Provide a formal documentation
using IEEE journal report writing format
I The report should also include a CD with a MATLAB simulation that demonstrates
your results.
I The report will be part of your student portfolio for this course.

In-class activities:
Group work discussion (10 minutes/week for 2 weeks)

Out-of-class activities:
Project work development

SET 3583/0809
sksy
Appended are several suggested projects. Alternative projects must be arranged in advance
with the instructor.

1. Error Control Coding I

The objective of this project is to select, analyse, and implement an (n,k) linear block
code with dmin at least 3 and k at least 10. (or, alternatively, you can select a rete- ½
convolutional code with at least an 8-state trellis, and use a Viterbi decoder). The
implementation will be as software. The software should be broken up into at least two
programs. The encoder will accept input bits (in groups of one or more blocks of k) and
generate encoded bits (in groups of one or more blocks of n). The decoder will accept
n-tuples and produce decoded k-tuples. Additional software must allow for the insertion
of errors in the encoded bits stream. These results should then be compared to the
theoretical expressions.

2. Error Control Coding II

The objective of this project is to select, analyse, and implement a ½-rate convolutional
code with at least an 4-state trellis, and use a Viterbi hard-decision decoder. The
software should be broken up into at least two programs. The encoder will accept input
bits (in groups of one or more blocks of k) and generate encoded bits (in groups of one
or more blocks of n). The decoder will accept n-tuples and produce decoded k-tuples.
Additional software must allow for the insertion of errors in the encoded bits stream.
These results should then be compared to the theoretical expressions.

3. Partial Response Signaling

The objective of this project is to implement a class-IV partial response signaling, with
decoding options that include both hard decision and soft decision decoding. The
simulation will be for the discrete-time equivalent of the partial response signaling
method, and should allow for channel noise to be added. Specifically, the input bits are
to be coded using precoding, the level shifting, and the PRS equations
b(n) = a(n) ⊕ b (n − 2)
q(n) = 2b(n) − 1
s(n) = q(n) − q(n − 2)
2
Independent and identically distributed Gaussian noise samples of variance σ Z
are
added to form the receiver sample
R(n) = s(n) + z(n)
Detection is done using either hard-decision decoding or soft-decision (Viterbi)
decoding. Monte Carlo simulations should be run to determine the decoded bit error
rates for various channel noise variances and the hard and soft decision decoding. A one
bit/symbol transmission is adequate.

4. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum

Design a simulation that illustrates the concepts of spectral spreading and despreading
in Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum. To start use fm = 200Hz. All frequencies have to
be scaled down accordingly.
Illustrate the transmission and detection process for:
a) Baseband Transmission
b) Passband Transmission
Illustrate the case for: (i) Single user, (ii) two users (iii) Include the arrival of multipath
signals in your simulation. Provides frequency and time domain plots of the signal as it
passes through your system.

SET 3583/0809
sksy
5. Lempel-Ziv data compression encoder/decoder
Design and implementation of Lempel-Ziv data compression encoder/decoder in an
AWGN channel.

6. Huffman data compression encoder/decoder

Design and implementation of Huffman data compression encoder/decoder in an
AWGN channel.

7. Block Coded Modulation

Design and implementation of linear block codes and M-ary Modulation in an AWGN
channel

8. Combined convolutional codes and Hybrid BASK/MPSK modulation

Design and implementation of a combined convolutional codes and Hybrid
BASK/MPSK modulation scheme and comparison of their performances in Gaussian
channels.

9. Equalizer
Design an equalization technique to reduce the errors due to ISI in a wireless
communication link. Show the effect of the channel and noise on the performance of
the technique on the communication link.

10. Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum

Design a simulation that illustrates the concepts of hopping and dehopping in
Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum.
Illustrate the transmission and detection process for:
a) Baseband Transmission
b) Passband Transmission
Illustrate the case for: (i) Single user, (ii) two users (iii) Include the arrival of multipath
signals in your simulation. Provides frequency and time domain plots of the signal as it
passes through your system.

11. Cyclic Encoder/Decoder

Design a cyclic encoder/encoder circuit that is capable of correcting a 1-bit error.
Demonstrate the performance of your design. You are encouraged to use Quartus in this
design work.

12. Bandlimited Channel

You are required to study and simulate on the effects of bandlimited channels in data
transmission system. Use a technique to solve the problems in this scenario.

SET 3583/0809
sksy
Generic Skill Assessed:
1. Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
2. Communication/writing Skills

Generic Skills Addressed:

1. Lifelong Learning
2. Ethics and Integrity

Assessment:
Simulation : 50%
Report writing : 50%
TOTAL : 100%

Group Project Assignment Assessment Guideline

Grade Descriptors

A to A- The simulation shows evidence of critical understanding of the subject

materials. Substantial simulation efforts have been put to solve/evaluate the
problems critically and analytically. The simulation is correctly done and the
report is well-organised and deliverable.

B- to B+ The simulation shows evidence of good understanding of the subject materials.

Good efforts have been put to solve/evaluate the problems critically and
analytically. The simulation is correctly done and the report is generally well-
organised and deliverable.

C- to C+ The simulation shows evidence of fair understanding of the subject materials.

Sufficient efforts have been put to solve/evaluate the problems critically and
analytically. The simulation is partly correct and report is organised and
deliverable.

D to D+ The simulation shows evidence of insufficient understanding of the subject

materials. Insufficient efforts have been put to solve/evaluate the problems
critically and analytically. The simulation is wrong and report is fairly
organised and deliverable.

E The simulation shows evidence of no understanding of the subject materials.

Evidence of plagiarism on the simulation. No efforts have been put to
solve/evaluate the problems critically and analytically. The simulation is wrong
and report is poorly-organised and deliverable.

SET 3583/0809
sksy
APPENDIX:

Monte Carlo simulation is a commonly used tool to model communication system

performance when subjected to noise presence. This is most simply thought of as many
repetitions of an experiment, and the performance determined by averages over the different
experiments. For example, suppose we want to evaluate the performance of a modulations
system subject to additive white channel noise, such as for the PRS systems in project option
2. The we can generate a sequence of N transmitted levels, s(n), based on an input sequence of
N bits (and suitable initial conditions). We use a random number generator to generate N
pseudo-random Gaussian samples of a selected variance. These are added to the s(n) to form
r(n). The demodulator then produces the decoded bits (using, in this case, either hard-or soft-
decision decoding). We then compare the decoded bits to the original (known) bits and count
the number of errors. If we have K bit errors in the N bits, then, for this one simulation “run”
the overall bit error rate is estimated as K/N. In practice, one repeats this experiment many
times, say M times, and then averages the K/N estimates over the M repetitions. The size, N,
must be selected depending on the probability of bit error expected. For example, if we expect
-2 -2
a bit error probability of about 10 , then N needs to be significantly larger than 1/10 . A
value of 10,000 would be reasonable. Choosing M = 100 would then be a good combination.
Note that if the probability of bit error gets small, then the Monte Carlo complexity becomes
-6
prohibitive. For example, to measure bit error rates of about 10 we would need about input
8
bit strings of length about 10 . Don’t try to do Monte Carlo simulations for bit error rates less
-4
than 10 .

SET 3583/0809
sksy