TE311: Introduction to

Analogue Telecommunications
PART II

Lecture #7
Linear Continuous Wave Modulation-I
1

Introduction
Points to be discussed in this lecture
Introduction
Normal Amplitude Modulation
Generation of AM Signals
Demodulation of AM Signals

Introduction
Input
signal

Transmitted
signal

Received
signal

s (t )

r (t )

m (t )
Transmitter

Channel

n (t )
3

Output
signal

m ( t )
Receiver

Channel noise
and interference

Introduction
A telecommunication system transmits messagebearing (baseband) signals from the message source
to the end user through a communication channel.
The spectrum of the baseband signal is translated to
a new range of frequencies to obtain a bandpass
signal for efficient transmission through bandpass
channels.
Modulation process accomplishes the spectrum
shifting
at
the
transmitter
whereby
some
characteristic of a carrier is varied in accordance with
a modulating signal (baseband signal).
4

Introduction
Bandpass signals propagate well through the
atmosphere with reduced antenna size. (Antenna size
is proportional to the wavelength of the signal to be
transmitted = c / f c , f c = 3 108 m/s .).
Bandpass modulation allows many signals to share
the spectrum by transmitting at different carrier
frequencies (frequency division multiplexing)
Bandpass modulation provides for transmitting the
digital information in conformity to limitations of its
channel dictated by the communications authority.

Introduction
The baseband signal is restored by demodulation
process at the receiver.
Continuous-wave (CW) modulation uses a sinusoidal
signal xc ( t ) for a carrier signal where;

xc ( t ) = Ac ( t ) cos ct + ( t ) , c = 2 f ct
f c is the carrier frequency

Ac ( t ) is the instantaneous amplitude

c ( t ) is the instantaneous phase

Introduction
In amplitude modulation the instantaneous carrier
amplitude Ac ( t ) varies linearly with the amplitude of
the message-bearing signal m ( t ) .

Four types of amplitude modulations are classified

based on the relationship between Ac ( t ) and m ( t ) : Normal (conventional) amplitude modulation (AM)
double side-band suppressed carrier (DSB-SC)
single side-band (SSB)
vestigial sideband (VSB) modulation.
7

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

A normal amplitude-modulated (AM) signal s ( t ) is

defined as: -

s ( t ) = A + m ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct )
If A + m ( t ) > 0 or A m ( t )min and f c >> B [ B is the

bandwidth of m ( t ) ], envelope of s ( t ) will have the

same shape as m ( t ) .

Amplitude Modulation

Defining the modulation index for AM as

m ( t )min
A

The envelope of s ( t ) will have the same shape as

m ( t ) when < 1.

When > 1 the envelope of s ( t ) will not be of the

same shape as m ( t ) due to envelope distortion and
the carrier is overmodulated.

Amplitude Modulation
Envelope

m (t )

A + m (t )

10

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

Envelope

m (t )

A + m (t )

11

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

Fourier transform of an AM signal is obtained from its
time domain description.

A
S ( f ) = ( f f c ) + ( f + f c )
2
1
+ M ( f f c ) + M ( f + f c )
2
F

m (t ) M ( f

12

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

m (t )
s (t )
AM
modulator
M(f)

A
( f + fc )
2
0.5M ( 0 )

M (0)

S( f )

A
( f + fc )
2
Upper
sideband

Lower
sideband

f
B

fc B fc fc + B

fc B

fc

f
fc + B

AM signal transmission bandwidth BT is related to the

bandwidth B of the modulating signal by

BT = 2 B
13

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

An AM signal can be expanded as

s ( t ) = A cos ( 2 f ct ) + m ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct )
The first part on the right hand side is the carrier
which carries no information.
Its power (mean-square value) Pc is given by

A2
Pc =
2
14

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

The second part carries information. Its power Ps can
be derived from its PSD and is given by
T
2
T

1
1
1
Ps = Pm = lim m 2 ( t )dt
2
2 T T
Percentage of the total power carried by the
sidebands is defined as

Ps
=
100%
Ps + Pc
15

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

Generation of an AM signal is derived from the timedomain expression i.e.

s ( t ) = A + m ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct ) .
m (t )

1
A

s (t )

A cos ( 2 f ct )

16

Generation of AM signals
Square-law modulator
A square-law modulator for AM signals is shown
below.
D

i (t )
m (t )

+
-

v0 ( t )

vi ( t )
R

Ac cos ( 2 f ct )

+
-

17

Bandpass
Filter
fc

v0 ( t )

Generation of AM signals
The input-output characteristic of a diode D can be
approximated by a power series (non-linear device)

i ( t ) = v1 ( t ) + v12 ( t ) , and are constants

2

= Ac cos ( 2 f ct ) + m ( t ) + { Ac cos ( 2 f ct ) + m ( t )}

= 2 Ac
+ m ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct )
2

+ m ( t ) + m 2 ( t ) + Ac2 cos 2 ( 2 f ct )
vo ( t ) = i ( t ) R

18

Generation of AM signals
Output signal v0 ( t ) is obtained by filtering v0 ( t ) using
a bandpass filter centered at f c with bandwidth 2B .

v0 ( t ) = 2 Ac R
+ m ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct )
2

Switching Modulator
m (t )

+
-

v0 ( t )

vi ( t )
R

Ac cos ( 2 f ct )

+
19

Bandpass
Filter
fc

v0 ( t )

Generation of AM signals
Using a piecewise-linear characteristics for a diode,
relationship between vi ( t ) and v0 ( t ) becomes

vi ( t ) , Ac cos ( 2 f ct ) > 0
v0 ( t ) =
Ac cos ( 2 f ct ) < 0
0,

m ( t ) << Ac

R
=
, RD is the diode forward resistance
R + RD

20

Generation of AM signals
Output v0 ( t ) is obtained by multiplying vi ( t ) by a

periodic square wave x ( t ) with fundamental period

T = 1/ f c and amplitude .
x (t )

t
T

T
4

T
4

Fourier series representation of x ( t ) is given by

21

 1 sin ( n / 2 )

x (t ) = +
cos ( 2 nf ct )
2 n =1 n / 2

Generation of AM signals
Thus

22

v0 ( t ) = vi ( t ) x ( t )
Ac

=
+ m ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct )
4

1
2

2
+ m ( t ) + Ac cos ( 2 f ct )

sin ( n / 2 )
m ( t ) + Ac cos ( 2 f ct ) cos ( 2 nf ct )
+
n / 2
n =3

Generation of AM signals
Output signal v0 ( t ) is obtained by filtering v0 ( t ) using
a bandpass filter centered at f c with bandwidth 2B .
23

 Ac

v0 ( t ) =
+ m ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct )
4

Demodulation of AM signals
Demodulation process recovers the baseband signal
from the received bandpass signal.
24

Coherent (Synchronous) Demodulator

s (t )

s ( t )

Lowpass
filter

m ( t )

cos ( 2 f ct )

Demodulation of AM signals
Lowpass filter input signal s ( t )
25

s ( t ) = s ( t ) cos ( 2 f ct )
1
1
= A + m ( t ) + A + m ( t ) cos ( 4 f ct )
2
2
Baseband signal

Bandpass signal

Lowpass filter output signal

1
m ( t ) = A + m ( t )
2

Demodulation of AM signals
Envelope Demodulator
26

m ( t )
r (t )

m ( t )

r (t )

For positive half cycle of r ( t ) , diode D is forward

biased and capacitor C charges to a peak value of
r ( t ).

Demodulation of AM signals

27

The fall of r ( t ) reverse bias the diode D and the

capacitor C discharges through R until the next
positive cycle.

( t ) follows the envelope of r ( t ) , which is

The output m
A + m ( t ) except for the ripple of frequency c .

The dc component can be removed by a blocking

capacitor or a high-lass filter.
Using a low-pass filter can reduce the ripple.

Reading Assignments
28

1. B.P. Lathi, Modern Digital and Analog

Communication Systems, Chap. 4, Part 1.
2. Extra reading:
W.
Tomasi,
Electronic
Systems, Chaps. 4 & 5.

29

Communications