EEE 309

Communication Theory
Instructor: Tishna Sabrina
Summer 2016
Lecture 15
PCM

Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)

PCM is the most useful and widely used of all the pulse modulations mentioned.
It is basically a tool for converting an analog signal into a digital signal.
Quantizing is a process of rounding off the sampled value of an analog signal to
one of the closest permissible numbers (or quantized levels).

8/1/2016

Communication Theory: Lecture 15

Quantization

The amplitudes of the analog signal lie in the range VH and VL.
It is partitioned into M(=8, in this example) uniform subintervals, each of
magnitude,
S=(VH-VL)/M,
Quantization levels V0,V1,V2-----VM-1.
1.
Vq = V3 if (V3S/2).
2.
Vq = V4 if (V4S/2)
Each sample amplitude is
approximated by the midpoint value
of the sub interval in which the
sample falls.
Each sample is now approximated to
one of the M numbers.
Thus the signal is digitized with
quantized samples taking on any
one of the M values M-ary digital
signal.

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Communication Theory: Lecture 15

Encoder: Pulse Coding

From practical viewpoint, a binary digital signal is very desirable
because of its simplicity, economy and ease of engineering.

Pulse coding can be used to convert an M-ary signal into a binary

signal.

Each of the M=8 levels of the

previous example can be
Transmitted by assigning binary
code of 3 bits NBC

A distinct pulse shape is

needed to transmit binary 0/1.

Each of the sample is now

transmitted by a group of 3 binary
pulses (pulse code).

The resulting signal is now a

Binary signal

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Communication Theory: Lecture 15

Advantages of Digital Communication

More rugged than analog communication.

Viability of regenerative repeaters.
Hardware implementation is flexible and permits the use of
microprocessors, miniprocessors, digital switching and large-scale
integrated circuits.
Can be coded to yield extremely low error rates and high fidelity as well
as privacy.
Easier and more efficient to multiplex digital signals.
Inherently more efficient than analog in realizing the exchange of SNR
for BW.
Digital signal storage is relatively easy and inexpensive.
Reproduction is extremely reliable without deterioration.
Cost of digital hardware continues to halve every two or three years,
while performance and capacity doubles over the same time period.

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Communication Theory: Lecture 15

Signal to Quantization Noise Ratio

Width of each interval

.
Since a sample value is approximated by the mid point of
the subinterval in which the sample falls, the maximum
quantization error is

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Communication Theory: Lecture 15

SQNR

Assuming that the error is equally likely to lie anywhere

in the range
, the mean square quantizing
error is,

Because it is the mean square value or the power of

quantization noise, let us denote it by,
Power of the message signal is
As,
, the SNR,
is a linear function of
the message signal power

8/1/2016

Communication Theory: Lecture 15