Angle Modulation

Engr. Maria Victoria C. Padilla

Electronics Engineering Department
1st Semester 2015-2016
What is Angle Modulation?
Angle modulation is a class of analog modulation. The
technique is based on altering the angle (or phase) of
a sinusoidal carrier wave to transmit data, as opposed to
varying the amplitude, such as in AM transmission.
What is Angle Modulation?
Angle Modulation is modulation in which the angle of a sine-
wave carrier is varied by a modulating wave. Two types are:
Frequency Modulation (FM)- the modulating signal causes
the carrier frequency to vary. These variations are controlled
by both the frequency and the amplitude of the modulating
wave.
Phase modulation (PM) - the phase of the carrier is controlled
by the modulating waveform.
History of Angle
Modulation
 first introduced in 1931 as an alternative to amplitude modulation.
 Major E. H. Armstrong (developed the superheterodyne receiver)
developed the first successful FM radio system in 1936,
 July 1939 the first regularly scheduled broadcasting of FM signals
began in Alpine, New Jersey.
 Today, angle modulation is used extensively for commercial radio
broadcasting, television sound transmission, two-way mobile radio,
cellular radio, and micro wave and satellite communications
systems.
Two Types of Angle
Modulation
 Frequency modulation (FM), with its digital
correspondence frequency-shift keying (FSK).
 Phase modulation (PM), with its digital correspondence phase-shift
keying (PSK).
Direct Frequency
Modulation (FM)

 Varying the frequency of a constant – amplitude carrier directly

proportional to the amplitude of the modulating signal at a rate

equal to the frequency of the modulating signal.

Direct Phase Modulation
(PM)

 Varying the phase of a constant – amplitude carrier directly proportional to

the amplitude of the modulating signal at a rate equal to the frequency

modulating signal
Frequency changing with time.
Mathematical Analysis
The difference between FM and PM is more easily understood by

defining the following four terms: instantaneous phase deviation,

instantaneous phase, instantaneous frequency deviation, and

instantaneous frequency.
Instantaneous Phase
Deviation
 The instantaneous phase deviation is the instantaneous change in
the phase of the carrier at a given instant of time and indicates how
much the phase of the carrier is changing with respect to its
reference phase. Instantaneous phase deviation is expressed
mathematically as:

instantaneous phase deviation = θ(t) radians

Instantaneous Phase
 The instantaneous phase is the precise phase of the carrier at a

given instant of time and is expressed mathematically as:

instantaneous phase = 𝟂𝑜 𝑡 + θ(𝑡)

Instantaneous Frequency
Deviation
 The instantaneous frequency deviation is the instantaneous change
in the frequency of the carrier in the frequency of the carrier and is
defined as the first time derivative of the instantaneous phase
deviation. Therefore, the instantaneous phase deviation is the first
integral of the instantaneous frequency deviation. Instantaneous
frequency deviation is expressed mathematically as:

instantaneous frequency deviation = θ′ 𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐

θ′ 𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠
= = = ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑧
2π 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑
Instantaneous Frequency
 The instantaneous frequency is the precise frequency of the carrier

at a given instant of time and is defined as the first time derivative of

the instantaneous phase.

Phase Deviation, Modulation Index,
and Frequency Deviation
Phase deviation
The peak difference between the instantaneous angle of a modul
ated wave and the angle of the sine-wave carrier.

Modulation Index
The modulation index (or modulation depth) of a modulation
scheme describes by how much the modulated variable of the carrier
signal varies around its unmodulated level. It is defined differently in
each modulation scheme.
Frequency Deviation

Frequency deviation (Δf) is used in FM radio to describe the

maximum instantaneous difference between an FM modulated

frequency and the nominal carrier frequency. The term is sometimes

mistakenly used as synonymous with frequency drift, which is an

unintended offset of an oscillator from its nominal frequency.

Percent Modulation
The percent modulation for an angle – modulated wave is determined in

a different manner than it was with an amplitude – modulated wave. With

angle modulation, percent modulation is simply the ratio of the frequency

deviation actually produced to the maximum frequency deviation allowed

by the law stated in percent form. Mathematically, percent modulation is:

Δ𝑓(𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙)
%modulation = Δ𝑓(𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚) x 100
Example:
In the United States the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
limits the frequency deviation for commercial FM broadcast – band
transmitter to +− 75 kHz. If a given modulating signal produces +− 50 – kHz
frequency deviation, the percent modulation is?

50 𝑘𝐻𝑧
Solution: % of modulation = 67%
x 100 = 67%
75 𝑘𝐻𝑧
Bandwidth Requirements for Angle
– modulated Waves
In 1992, J. R. Carson mathematically proved that for a given
modulating signal frequency a frequency – modulated wave cannot
be accommodated in a narrower bandwidth than an amplitude –
modulated wave.
Angle – modulated waveforms are generally classified as either
low, medium, or high index.
In radio, narrowband describes a channel in which
the bandwidth of the message does not significantly exceed the
channel's coherence bandwidth.
 Calculating FM Bandwidth
The Fourier transform for an FM signal modulated by a real signal
would be extremely difficult. Instead, engineers use the special
case of an FM signal modulated by sinusoid, which boils down to:

π
1
 e - j(nx -βsin(x))
dx
2  π -π
This integral cannot be solved in closed form. In order
to figure out actual numerical answers, we use Bessel
functions, specifically Bessel functions of the first kind
of order n and argument b.
Carson’s Rule
The formula
𝑘𝑓 𝑚𝑝
BFM = 2(∆f + B) = 2( + B)
2π

goes under the name of Carson’s rule.

∆f
If we define frequency deviation ratio as β =
𝐵

Bandwidth equation becomes

BFM = 2B(β + 1)
Example:
 For an FM modulator with a peak frequency deviation Δf = 10 kHz a
modulating signal frequency 𝑓𝑚 = 10 𝑘𝐻, V = 10V and a 500 kHz
carrier, determine:
(a) Actual minimum bandwidth from the Bessel function table.
(b) Approximate minimum bandwidth using Carson’s rule.
Solution:
10 𝑘𝐻𝑧
(a) m = =1 (b) B = 2(10 kHz + 10 kHz)
10 𝑘𝐻𝑧

= 60 kHz
B = 2(3 x 10kHz)
= 60 kHz
Deviation Ratio
For a given FM system, the minimum bandwidth is greatest when
the maximum frequency deviation is obtained with the maximum
modulating signal frequency. By definition, derivation ratio (DR) is the
worst-case modulation index and is equal to the maximum peak
frequency deviation divided by the maximum modulating signal
frequency. The worst-case modulation index produces the widest
output frequency spectrum. Mathematically, the deviation ratio is:

Δ𝑓(𝑚𝑎𝑥)
DR =
𝑓𝑚(𝑚𝑎𝑥)
WHERE: DR = deviation ratio (unitless)
Δ𝑓(𝑚𝑎𝑥) = maximum peak frequency deviation (hertz)
𝑓𝑚(𝑚𝑎𝑥) = maximum modulating signal frequency (hertz)
 Calculating Total Power

vc (t)  V  sin(2  π  f c  t  (t ))

Total Power  V 2

The total power of an FM signal is simply V2. Therefore, the total

power of an FM signal is the power of the carrier. Period. This is
regardless of the information or the deviation ratio .
 Understanding Terms

Center
Frequency

An FM signal has its energy spread over an infinite number of

spectral components. It's center frequency is the average
center of the energy.
 Understanding Terms

Deviation

The deviation is the maximum frequency change from the

center frequency.
 Understanding Terms

Excursion

The excursion is the difference between the maximum and

minimum frequency changes. This is also called the maximum
deviation or total deviation.
FM Broadcast Signal
 FM Spectrum

The spectrogram of an FM signal shows how the spectrum varies

with time. Note how it is asymmetric.

This is the spectrum of an AM signal modulated with the same

information as above. But it has a symmetric spectrum.
FM Signal
This shows an
FM signal. Note
the constant
envelope
(amplitude).
FM Signal
This is a constellation
diagram of an FM
signal. Note how it has
a constant amplitude
(distance from the
center).
 Why FM and not PM?
For practical implementation reasons, analog FM is easier to
generate than analog PM, and FM provides better performance
in most common environments. However, analog PM has been
(and continues to be) used for a few, isolated systems.

• Broadcast analog television chrominance (color)

• Apollo spacecraft communications
• AM stereo
Using Analog Phase Modulation