Electrical and Computer Engineering 721
Digital Communications

Objective:

To develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of the physical layer of a point-to-point digital communication system, and proficiency in applying these principles to the analysis and design of sophisticated systems.

Instructor:

Dr. Tim Davidson,
ITB-A310, Ext. 27352.
davidson@mcmaster.ca

Course web page:

http://www.ece.mcmaster.ca/~davidson/ECE721

Recommended Reading:

Barry, Lee and Messerschmitt Digital Communication, 3rd edition, Kluwer, 2004.

Proakis, Digital Communications, 4th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2001.

Haykin, Comunication Systems, 4th edition, Wiley, 2000.

Expected background knowledge:

Material covered in conventional undergraduate electrical engineering courses on signals and linear systems, and stochastic processes. Some previous exposure to the principles of detection and estimation will be helpful.

Course Outline:
Please check the web page for updates to the outline.

• Context: Layered model of communication networks, focus on the physical layer
• Deterministic signals and linear systems: Signal space concepts; equivalent discrete-time models
• Stochastic signals and linear systems
• Models for the communication environment
• Limits on communication
• Principles of modulation and detection for memoryless systems
• Principles of modulation and (sequence) detection for systems with memory
• Equalization: linear and decision feedback
• Synchronization
• Advanced topics: coded modulation, multi-channel communication; wireless communication

Assessment:

• Midterm Test: 20%
• Final Exam: 40%
• Project: 40%

Term:

II.

Lectures:

There will be one lecture a week of about 3 hours' duration.

Policy reminder:

Academic dishonesty consists of misrepresentation by deception or by other fraudulent means and can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: "Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty"), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university.

It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For information on the various kinds of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, specifically Appendix 3, located at http://www.mcmaster.ca/senate/academic/ac_integrity.htm.

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

• Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one's own or for which other credit has been obtained.
• Improper collaboration in group work.
• Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

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