MODULE – II : DIGITAL MODULATION TECHNIQUES

2.1.0 To comprehend Digital Modulation Techniques

Digital Modulation provides more information capacity, high data security,
quicker system availability with great quality communication. Hence, digital
modulation techniques have a greater demand, for their capacity to convey larger
amounts of data than analog ones.

There are many types of digital modulation techniques and we can even use a
combination of these techniques as well. In this chapter, we will be discussing the most
prominent digital modulation techniques.

if the information signal is digital and the amplitude V of the carrier is varied
proportional to the information signal, a digitally modulated signal called amplitude
shift keying (ASK) is produced. If the frequency (f) is varied proportional to the
information signal, frequency shift keying (FSK) is produced, and if the phase of the
carrier (0) is varied proportional to the information signal, phase shift keying (PSK) is
produced. If both the amplitude and the phase are varied proportional to the information
signal, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) results. ASK, FSK, PSK, and QAM
are all forms of digital modulation:

ASK – Amplitude Shift Keying

The amplitude of the resultant output depends upon the input data whether it should be
a zero level or a variation of positive and negative, depending upon the carrier
frequency.

Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) is a type of Amplitude Modulation which represents

the binary data in the form of variations in the amplitude of a signal.

Following is the diagram for ASK modulated waveform along with its input.
FSK – Frequency Shift Keying
The frequency of the output signal will be either high or low, depending upon the input data
applied.

PSK – Phase Shift Keying

The phase of the output signal gets shifted depending upon the input. These are mainly of two
types, namely Binary Phase Shift Keying BPSK and Quadrature Phase Shift Keying

2.1.1 To know the concept of Band Pass Data Transmission Systems.

BASE BAND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
If the original signal frequency is transmitted then it is known as baseband
transmission. Usually over a physical medium, Eg. Computer networks, communication
between peripheral devices. There is no frequency up conversion
 PASS BAND TRANSMISSION
In passband transmission, the amplitude, phase or frequency of the carrier signal is varied to
transmit the bits. The incoming data stream is modulated onto a carrier and then transmitted
over a band-pass channel. Usually it is a wireless medium.
Eg. Modems, DSL, microwave and satellite communications, cellular phones.

A pass band transmission model consists of a transmitter, a communication channel and a

receiver. The message source emits one symbol per time period.
The encoder encodes the data and it is further modulated on to a high frequency analogue
carrier. The output of the modulator is transmitted over a communication channel. The
modulation can be ASK, FSK or PSK. The receiver consists of a demodulator and a signal
detector.

2.1.2 To explain BFSK system.

FREQUENCYSHIFT KEYING
The frequency of the output signal will be either high or low, depending upon the input
data applied.

Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) is the digital modulation technique in which the
frequency of the carrier signal varies according to the discrete digital changes. FSK is a
scheme of frequency modulation.

Following is the diagram for FSK modulated waveform along with its input.
The output of a FSK modulated wave is high in frequency for a binary HIGH input and
is low in frequency for a binary LOW input. The binary 1s and 0s are called Mark and
Space frequencies. FSK is a form of constant-amplitude angle modulation similar to
standard frequency modulation (FM) except the modulating signal is a binary signal
that varies between two discrete voltage levels rather than a continuously changing
analog waveform. Consequently, FSK is sometimes called binary FSK (BFSK). The
general expression for FSK is

For logic 1

For logic 0
With binary FSK, the carrier center frequency (fc) is shifted (deviated) up and down in
the frequency domain by the binary input signal as shown in Figure .
FSK GENERATION

The input signal is applied directly to the first product modulator whereas the input is
inverted and then applied to the second modulator. When the first modulator is ON the
second will be OFF and vice versa. The input is modulated with carrier frequency f1 in the
first modulator and that with f2in second modulator.
FSK DEMODULATION
The block diagram of Asynchronous FSK detector consists of two band pass filters, two
envelope detectors, and a decision circuit. Following is the diagrammatic representation.
The FSK signal is passed through the two Band Pass Filters , tuned
to Space and Mark frequencies. The output from these two BPFs look like ASK signal,
which is given to the envelope detector. The signal in each envelope detector is modulated
asynchronously.
The decision circuit chooses which output is more likely and selects it from any one of the
envelope detectors. It also re-shapes the waveform to a rectangular one.

2.1.3 To explain BPSK system and its spectral properties.

The FSK signal is passed through the two Band Pass Filters BPFs, tuned
to Space and Mark frequencies. The output from these two BPFs look like ASK signal,
which is given to the envelope detector. The signal in each envelope detector is modulated
asynchronously.
The decision circuit chooses which output is more likely and selects it from any one of the
envelope detectors. It also re-shapes the waveform to a rectangular one.

BPSK Modulator
The block diagram of Binary Phase Shift Keying consists of the balance modulator which
has the carrier sine wave as one input and the binary sequence as the other input. Following
is the diagrammatic representation.
The modulation of BPSK is done using a balance modulator, which multiplies the two
signals applied at the input. For a zero binary input, the phase will be 0° and for a high input,
the phase reversal is of 180°.
Assume the carrier for symbol 1 is given as

Similarly, in the case of symbol 0, we have,

thus, s (t) can be written as,

2

Following is the diagrammatic representation of BPSK Modulated output wave along with
its given input.
The output sine wave of the modulator will be the direct input carrier or the
inverted 180°phaseshifted180°phaseshifted input carrier, which is a function of the
data signal.

BPSK Demodulator
In the BPSK receiver discussed here, the carrier signal is extracted from the incoming BPSK
signal. This id done with the help of a square law device, a band pass filter and frequency
dividing circuit. The BPSK signal is multiplied with the carrier in synchronous demodulator.
The signal is then applied to the bit synchronizer and the integrator. The integrator integrates
the signal over one-bit period Tb. The bit synchronizer id used to ensure the starting and
ending times of the bit. At the end of Tb, the bit duration, the synchronizer closes the switch
S2 temporarily and now the output is available. Then S2 is open and S1 is closed. This is to
reset the integrator voltage to 0. The integrator then integrates the next bit.
Advantages of Phase shift keying

1. It allows more efficient transmission of radio frequency signal.

2. Better noise immunity is noticed in the case of BPSK technique.
3. Less bandwidth is utilized by the BPSK signal in comparison to BFSK.
Disadvantages of Phase shift keying

1. Detection of a BPSK signal is quite complex.

2. Phase discontinuity sometimes leads to variation in amplitude of the signal.
Applications of Phase shift keying

PSK modulation technique finds its applications in biometric operations, Bluetooth

connectivity, wireless local area networks and in telemetry operations.

2.2.0 To understand QPSK and MSK

2.2.1 To explain QPSK system and its spectrum.
QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) is type of phase shift keying.
Instead of the conversion of digital bits into a series of digital stream, it converts them into bit
pairs. The amount of radio frequency spectrum required to transmit QPSK reliably is half that
required for BPSK signals, which in turn makes room for more users on the channel.

QPSK Modulator

The QPSK Modulator uses a bit-splitter, two multipliers with local oscillator, a 2-bit serial
to parallel converter, and a summer circuit. Following is the block diagram for the same.
At the modulator’s input, the message signal’s even bits (i.e., 2nd bit, 4th bit, 6th bit, etc.) and
odd bits (i.e., 1st bit, 3rd bit, 5th bit, etc.) are separated by the bits splitter and are multiplied
with the same carrier to generate odd BPSK (called as PSKI) and even BPSK (called
as PSKQ). The PSKQ signal is anyhow phase shifted by 90° before being modulated.
The QPSK waveform for two-bits input is as follows, which shows the modulated result for
different instances of binary inputs.
QPSK Demodulator
The QPSK Demodulator uses two product demodulator circuits with local oscillator, two
band pass filters, two integrator circuits, and a 2-bit parallel to serial converter. Following is
the diagram for the same.

The two product detectors at the input of demodulator simultaneously demodulate the two
BPSK signals. The pair of bits are recovered here from the original data. These signals after
processing, are passed to the parallel to serial converter.

2.2.2 To explain MSK system.

MSK is a type of continuous phase shift keying. It is found that binary data consisting of
sharp transitions between "one" and "zero" states and vice versa potentially creates signals
that have sidebands extending out a long way from the carrier, and this creates problems for
many radio communications systems, as any sidebands outside the allowed bandwidth cause
interference to adjacent channels and any radio communications links that may be using
them. MSK, minimum shift keying has the feature that there are no phase discontinuities and
this significantly reduces the bandwidth needed over other forms of phase and frequency shift
keying. When looking at a plot of a signal using MSK modulation, it can be seen that the
modulating data signal changes the frequency of the signal and there are no phase
discontinuities. The main lobe of MSK is 1.5 times wider than main lobe of QPSK. But the
side lobes are significantly smaller as compared to that of QPSK.

The output of the multiplier is sinωct cosΩt. The output of BPF1is equal to sin(ωc+Ω) t. The
output of BPF2 is sin(ωc -Ω) t. The output of band pass filters is added and subtracted. The
output of adder circuit is multiplied by bo(t) that is odd bits. The output of subtractor is
multiplied with even bits be(t). Finally, these signals are added to obtain the MSK signal.
MSK DEMODULATION
The signal sinωct cosΩt and sinΩtcosωct are regenerated at the receiver end. The incoming
signal is multiplied with locally generated signal. The bit bo(t) is determined from multiplier
and integrator. Similarly, be(t) is also reconstructed. The integrator outputs are sampled and
stored. The switch selects between odd and even bits finally.
Frequency spectrum of MSK

ADVANTAGES
1. The MSK signal has a continuous phase rather than abrupt changes in QPSK.
2. The main lobe of MSK is wider than QPSK.
3. Side lobes are smaller compared to QPSK.
4. Low adjacent channel interference.

DISADVANTAGES
Generation and detection of MSK is very complex

2.2.3 To explain Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying.

There is significant power in the side lobes of an MSK signal. This results in interference.
The performance of MSK system can be improved by band limiting the signal. This is done
with the help of a band pass filter (a Gaussian filter). The message is first band limited
(reduces the bandwidth) and then it is MSK modulated.