Document Type: Prentice Hall Author: Harold P.E. Stern and Samy A.

Mahmoud Book: Communication Systems: Analysis and Design Copyright: 2004 ISBN: 0-13-040268-0 NI Supported: No Publish Date: Sep 6, 2006

Theory of Frequency Division Multiplexing

Overview This tutorial is part of the National Instruments Signal Generator Tutorial series. Each tutorial in this series, will teach you a specific topic of common measurement applications, by explaining the theory and giving practical examples. This tutorial covers the theory of frequency division multiplexing. For additional signal generator concepts, refer to the Signal Generator Fundamentals main page. Table of Contents 1. Frequency Division Multiplexing 2. Relevant NI products 3. Buy the Book Frequency Division Multiplexing In many communication systems, a single, large frequency band is assigned to the system and is shared among a group of users. Examples of this type of system include: 1. 2. 3. 4. A microwave transmission line connecting two sites over a long distance. Each site has a number of sources generating independent data streams that are transmitted simultaneously over the microwave link. AM or FM radio broadcast bands, which are divided among many channels or stations. The stations are selected with the radio dial by tuning a variable-frequency filter. (We examined AM and FM in Chapter 6.) A satellite system providing communication between a large number of ground stations that are separated geographically but that need to communicate at the same time. The total bandwidth assigned to the satellite system must be divided among the ground stations. A cellular radio system that operates in full-duplex mode over a given frequency band. The earlier cellular telephone systems, for example AMPS, used analog communication methods. The bandwidth for these systems was divided into a large number of channels. Each pair of channels was assigned to two communicating end-users for full-duplex communications.

Frequency division multiplexing (FDM) means that the total bandwidth available to the system is divided into a series of nonoverlapping frequency sub-bands that are then assigned to each communicating source and user pair. Figures 7-7a and 7-7b show how this division is accomplished for a case of three sources at one end of a system that are communicating with three separate users at the other end. Note that each transmitter modulates its source's information into a signal that lies in a different frequency sub-band (Transmitter 1 generates a signal in the frequency sub-band between 92.0 MHz and 92.2 MHz, Transmitter 2 generates a signal in the sub-band between 92.2 MHz and 92.4 MHz, and Transmitter 3 generates a signal in the sub-band between 92.4 MHz and 92.6 MHz). The signals are then transmitted across a common channel.

Figure 7-7aA system using frequency division multiplexing.

Figure 7-7bSpectral occupancy of signals in an FDM system.

At the receiving end of the system, bandpass filters are used to pass the desired signal (the signal lying in the appropriate frequency sub-band) to the appropriate user and to block all the unwanted signals. To ensure that the transmitted signals do not stray outside their assigned sub-bands, it is also common to place appropriate passband filters at the output stage of each transmitter. It is also appropriate to design an FDM system so that the bandwidth allocated to each sub-band is slightly larger than the bandwidth needed by each source. This extra bandwidth, called a guardband, allows systems to use less expensive filters (i.e., filters with fewer poles and therefore less steep rolloffs).

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FDM has both advantages and disadvantages relative to TDM. The main advantage is that unlike TDM, FDM is not sensitive to propagation delays. Channel equalization techniques needed for FDM systems are therefore not as complex as those for TDM systems. Disadvantages of FDM include the need for bandpass filters, which are relatively expensive and complicated to construct and design (remember that these filters are usually used in the transmitters as well as the receivers). TDM, on the other hand, uses relatively simple and less costly digital logic circuits. Another disadvantage of FDM is that in many practical communication systems, the power amplifier in the transmitter has nonlinear characteristics (linear amplifiers are more complex to build), and nonlinear amplification leads to the creation of out-of-band spectral components that may interfere with other FDM channels. Thus, it is necessary to use more complex linear amplifiers in FDM systems. Example 7.4FDM for commercial FM radio The frequency band from 88 MHz to 108 MHz is reserved over the public airwaves for commercial FM broadcasting. The 88108 MHz frequency band is divided into 200 kHz sub-bands. As we saw in Chapter 6, the 200 kHz bandwidth of each sub-band is sufficient for high-quality FM broadcast of music. The stations are identified by the center frequency within their channel (e.g., 91.5 MHz, 103.7 MHz). This system can provide radio listeners with their choice of up to 100 different radio stations. Relevant NI products Customers interested in this topic were also interested in the following NI products: Function, Arbitrary, and RF Signal Generators Other Modular Instruments (digital multimeters, digitizers, switching, etc...) LabVIEW Graphical Programming Environment SignalExpress Interactive Software Environment

For the complete list of tutorials, return to the NI Signal Generator Fundamentals Main page. Buy the Book Purchase Communication Systems: Analysis and Design from Prentice Hall Professional through this link and receive the following: Between 15% and 30% Off Free Shipping and Handling

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