PULSE MODULATION

INTRODUCTION
• Many Signals in Modern Communication Systems are digital. Also, analog signals are
transmitted digitally.

• There is reduced distortion and improvement in signal to noise ratios.

• Data transmission, digital transmission, or digital communications is the physical transfer of
data (a digital bit stream or a digitized analogue signal) over a point-to-point or point-to
multipoint communication channel. Examples of communication channels include: optical
fibers, wireless channels, computer buses....

ELEMENTS OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Fig. Block diagram of Digital Communication

1. Discrete Information Source: It generates message to be transmitted. Examples are the data from
computers, text data or tele-type data.

2. Source Encoder: It assigns codes to the symbols (samples) generated from discrete information
source. The code word having n number of bits. Each distinct sample having distinct (unique)
code word. If code word length is 8 bit (n), we can have 256 distinct symbols (ie.,2^n).

3. Channel Encoder: We know that channel is the major source of notice due to that there are more
chance of getting errors while propagating through channel. To avoid that channel encoding is

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 required. In that extra bits are added to the binary sequence generated by the source encoder.
These extra bits are called as redundant bits. These bits are defined with proper logic. The
redundant will be helpful to detect the errors at the receiver bit sequence.

4. Digital Modulator: In digital modulator the message signal is digital data and carrier is analog
one, in most cases we use sinusoidal waves. Some examples are ASK, FSK, PSK. MRI
techniques.

5. Channel: It provides the link between transmitter and rceiver. Channel may be wired or wireless
channel.

Problems associated with channel:

i Addictive Noise: This noise is occur due to internal solid state devices or resistors used in
channel.
ii Ampltude and Phase Distortion: This noise is occurred due to non-linear characteristics of
the channel.
iii Attenuation: This is due to internal resistance of the channel.

6. Demodulator: This device is used to detect the digital message signal from the modulated signal.

7. Channel Decoder: This is used to detect and correct the errors that occur in the digital message
signal.

8. Source Decoder: This produces the sampling signal from the given digital message signal.

9. Destination: The sampled signal is converted into audio signal or video signal or any text signal
depending on the signal.

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 Fig. Basic block diagram of an A/D converter

Advantages of digital communication systems

i Easy way of transmission of signals

ii Connection of more calls through one channel i.e., Multiplexing is possible using Digital
Communication.

iii Source Encoding and Channel Encoding can be used to detect errors at the received signal.

iv Using repeaters between source and destination, we can reproduce the original signal with
less distortions.

v Security is the major advantage of digital communication compared to Analog

Communication.

vi Transmitting analogue signals digitally allows for greater signal processing capability.
vii Digital communication can be done over large distances through internet and other things.

viii The messages can be stored in the device for longer times, without being damaged.
ix Advancement in communication is achieved through Digital Communication.

Disadvantages of digital communication systems

i Sampling Error
ii Digital communications require greater bandwidth than analogue to transmit the same
information.

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 iii The detection of digital signals requires the communications system to be synchronized,
whereas generally speaking this is not the case with analogue systems.

iv Digital signals are often the approximation of voice signals, i.e., we don’t get the exact
analogue signal.

TYPES OF MODULATION – TREE DIAGRAM

In Continuous Wave modulation schemes some parameter of modulated wave varies continuously with
message.
In Analog pulse modulation some parameter of each pulse is modulated by a particular sample value
of the message.

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 Pulse modulation of two types
1. Analog Pulse Modulation
• Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM)
• Pulse width Modulation (PWM)
• Pulse Position Modulation (PPM)
2. Digital Pulse Modulation
• Pulse code Modulation (PCM)
• Delta Modulation (DM)

1. Analog Pulse Modulation

Analog pulse modulation results when some attribute of a pulse varies continuously in one-to-one
correspondence with a sample value. In analog pulse modulation systems, the amplitude, width, or
position of a pulse can vary over a continuous range in accordance with the message amplitude at
the sampling instant, as shown in Figure 6.2. These lead to the following

Three types of pulse modulation:

1. Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM)
2. Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
3. Pulse Position Modulation (PPM)

PAM: In this scheme high frequency carrier (pulse) is varied in accordance with sampled value of
message signal.

PWM: In this width of carrier pulses are varied in accordance with sampled values of message
signal. Example: Speed control of DC Motors.

PPM: In this scheme position of high frequency carrier pulse is changed in accordance with the
sampled values of message signal.

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 Fig. Representat ion of Various Analog Pulse Modulations

2. Digital Pulse Modulation

In systems utilizing digital pulse modulation, the transmitted samples take on only discrete
values. Two important types of digital pulse modulation are:
1. Delta Modulation ( DM )

2. Pulse Code Modulation ( PCM )

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 ANALOG PULSE MODULATION

1. Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM):

In pulse amplitude modulation, the amplitude of regular interval of periodic pulses or

electromagnetic pulses is varied in proposition to the sample of modul ating signal or message
signal. This is an analog type of modulation. In the pulse amplitude modulation, the message
signal is sampled at regular periodic or time intervals and this each sample is made proportional to
the magnitude of the message signal. T hese sample pulses can be transmitted directly using wired
media or we can use a carrier signal for transmitting through wireless.

Fig. Pulse Amplitude Modulation Signal

There are two types of sampling techniques for transmitting messages using pulse amplitude
modulation, they are

• FLAT TOP PAM: The amplitude of each pulse is directly proportional to instantaneous
modulating signal amplitude at the time of pulse occurrence and then keeps the amplitude
of the pulse for the rest of the half cycle.

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 Fig. Flat Top PAM

• Natural PAM: The amplitude of each pulse is directly proportional to the instantaneous
modulating signal amplitude at the time of pulse occurrence and then follows the amplitude
of the modulating signal for the rest of the half cycle.

Fig. Natural PAM

Flat top PAM is the best for transmission because we can easily remove the noise and we can also
easily recognize the noise. When we compare the difference between the flat top PAM and na tural
PAM, flat top PAM principle of sampling uses sample and hold circuit. In natural principle of
sampling, noise interference is minimum. But in flat top PAM noise interference maximum. Flat
top PAM and natural PAM are practical and sampling rate satisf ies the sampling criteria.

There are two types of pulse amplitude modulation based on signal polarity
1. Single polarity pulse amplitude modulation

2. Double polarity pulse amplitude modulation

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In single polarity pulse amplitude modulation, there is fixed level of DC bias added to the
message signal or modulating signal, so the output of modulating signal is always positive. In the
double polarity pulse amplitude modulation, the output of modulating signal will have both
positive and negative ends.

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 Advantages of Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM):

• It is the base for all digital modulation techniques and it is simple process for both
modulation and demodulation technique.

• No complex circuitry is required for both transmission and reception. Transmitter and
receiver circuitry is simple and easy to construct.

• PAM can generate other pulse modulation signals and can carry the message or
information at same time.

Disadvantages of Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM):

• Bandwidth should be large for transmitting the pulse amplitude modulation signal.
Due to Nyquist criteria also high bandwidth is required.

• The frequency varies according to the modulating signal or message signal. Due to
these variations in the signal frequency, interferences will be there. So noise will be
great. For PAM, noise immunity is less when compared to other modulation
techniques. It is almost equal to amplitude modulation.

• Pulse amplitude signal varies, so power required for transmission will be more, peak
power is also, even at receiving more power is required to receive the pulse amplitude
signal.

Applications of Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM):

• It is mainly used in Ethernet which is type of computer network communication, we

know that we can use Ethernet for connecting two systems and transfer data between
the systems.

Pulse amplitude modulation is used for Ethernet communications.

• It is also used for photo biology which is a study of photosynthesis.
• Used as electronic driver for LED lighting.
• Used in many micro controllers for generating the control signals etc.

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