Unit 2: Digital Modulation Technique
Specific Learning Outcomes Topics and Subtopics
(Cognitive Domain)
2a. Describe Block diagram of 2.1 Basic Digital Modulation
various digital modulation Techniques:-Block diagram, working
technique. and waveforms of Amplitude Shift
Keying(ASK), Frequency shift
keying(FSK) ,Binary Phase shift
,keying(BPSK) transmitter and receiver ,
Phaser diagram , constellation diagram
and Bandwidth considerations of BPSK
2b. Describe block diagram of 2.2 Quaternary Phase Shift Keying,
QPSK with the help of waveforms Block diagram of QPSK, Offset , QPSK
(OQPSK),8-PSK transmitter and
receiver, Waveforms , Phaser diagram
constellation diagram Bandwidth
considerations of QPSK , 8-PSK,
2c. Describe block diagram of QAM 2.2 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation,
Block diagram of 8- QAM transmitter ,
receiver, Phaser diagram , constellation
diagram of 8-QAM
2d. Compare various digital 2.3 Comparison of digital modulation
modulation techniques techniques
Introduction: Modulation Of Digital Data:
What are Digital Modulation Techniques?
There are mainly three types in Analog Modulation which are
Amplitude Modulation, Frequency Modulation and Phase Modulation.
Here the amplitude, frequency and phase of carrier wave changes with
respect to amplitude of message signal. Whereas in Digital
Modulation a process called as Shift Keying is used.
How do we transmit a bit stream?
Shift Keying means that the amplitude, frequency or phase of the
carrier wave is shifted between two or more discrete values rather
than varying continuously like Analog Modulation. Binary data
requires two discrete levels of amplitude, frequency or phase for
modulation called as Binary Shift Keying. A group of bits can be
clubbed together to form M-ary Shift Keying.
There are mainly three types of Digital Modulation techniques. They
are :
• Amplitude Shift Keying
• Frequency Shift Keying
• Phase Shift Keying
Amplitude Shift Keying:
ASK Transmitter:
ASK Receiver:
Advantages of Amplitude Shift Keying
The following are some advantages of ASK:-
• Simplicity: ASK is straightforward to implement and requires simple
circuitry, which makes it cost-effective.
Bandwidth Efficiency: When properly used with appropriate
encoding schemes, ASK can be bandwidth-efficient for low data rate
applications.
Ease of Demodulation: Demodulation of ASK signals is also
relatively straightforward, which makes it easy to recover the signal.
Disadvantages of Amplitude Shift Keying:
The following are some disadvantages of ASK:-
• Sensitivity to Noise: ASK is susceptible to noise and interference
compared to other modulation techniques like Phase Shift Keying
(PSK) or Frequency Shift Keying (FSK).
Limited Data Rates: ASK is not suitable for high-speed data
transmission.
• Inefficient Power Utilization: ASK is less power-efficient than
modulation schemes like Phase Shift Keying (PSK) as it involves
variations in amplitude, which can consume more power.
•
Applications of Amplitude Shift Keying:
Here comes a wide range of application of ASK
• ASK is commonly used in wireless communication systems, such as
keyless entry systems, remote controls, and radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags.
• In optical fiber communication, ASK is used to transmit digital data
over long distances.
• ASK is often used in digital broadcasting, including television and
radio transmissions, for transmitting audio and video signals.
• ASK can be used for low to medium data rate communication, such
as in binary data transmission over short distances.
• ASK is used in medical telemetry systems for monitoring and
transmitting patient data.
Frequency Shift Keying (FSK):
The FSK modulator block diagram comprises of two oscillators with a
clock and the input binary sequence. Following is its block diagram.
Frequency Shift Keying FSK is the digital modulation technique in which the
frequency of the carrier signal varies according to the digital signal changes.
FSK is a scheme of frequency modulation.
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.
The two oscillators, producing a higher and a lower frequency signal, are
connected to a switch along with an internal clock. To avoid the abrupt phase
discontinuities of the output waveform during the transmission of the message,
a clock is applied to both the oscillators, internally. The binary input sequence is
applied to the transmitter so as to choose the frequencies according to the binary
input.
FSK RECEIVER/DEMODULATOR:
There are different methods for demodulating a FSK wave. The main methods
of FSK detection are asynchronous detector and synchronous detector. The
synchronous detector is a coherent one, while asynchronous detector is a non-
coherent one.
Asynchronous FSK Detector:
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 BPFsBPFs, 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.
Synchronous FSK Detector:
The FSK signal input is given to the two mixers with local oscillator circuits.
These two are connected to two band pass filters. These combinations act as
demodulators and the decision circuit chooses which output is more likely and
selects it from any one of the detectors. The two signals have a minimum
frequency separation.
For both of the demodulators, the bandwidth of each of them depends on their
bit rate. This synchronous demodulator is a bit complex than asynchronous type
demodulators.
Advantages of FSK:
• Simple process to construct the circuit
• Zero amplitude variations
• Supports a high data rate.
• Low probability of error.
• High SNR (signal to noise ratio).
• More noise immunity than the ASK
• Error-free reception can be possible with FSK
• Useful in high-frequency radio transmissions
• Preferable in high-frequency communications
• Low-speed digital applications
Disadvantages of FSK:
• It requires more bandwidth than the ASK and PSK (phase shift keying)
• Due to the requirement of large bandwidth, this FSK has limitations to
use only in low-speed modems which the bit rate is 1200bits/sec.
• The bit error rate is less in AEGN channel than phase shift keying.
•
Phase Shift Keying PSK:
BPSK Transmitter:
Bandwidth Of BPSK:
2.2 QPSK –Quadrature Phase Shift Keying:
The Quadrature Phase Shift Keying QPSK:QPSK is a variation of BPSK, and
it is also a Double Side Band Suppressed Carrier DSBSCDSBSC modulation
scheme, which sends two bits of digital information at a time, called as bigits.
Instead of the conversion of digital bits into a series of digital stream, it converts
them into bit pairs. This decreases the data bit rate to half, which allows space
for the other users.
QPSK Modulator/Transmitter:
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., 2 nd 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/Receiver:
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.
Constellation and Phasor Diagram of QPSK:
Bandwidth of QPSK:
Advantages of QPSK system:
1. Very good noise immunity.
2. For the same bit error rate, the bandwidth required by QPSK is reduced to
half as compared to BPSK.
3. Because of reduced bandwidth, the information transmission rate of
QPSK is higher.
4. Variation in OQPSK amplitude is not much .Hence carrier power almost
remains constant.
5. Baud rate is half the bit rate therefore more effective utilization of the
available bandwidth of the transmission channel.
6. Low error probability.
Disadvantages of QPSK:
Following are the disadvantages of QPSK:
➨In QPSK modulation technique, one complex symbol represents two binary
bits. Due to this, QPSK receiver is more complex compare to BPSK receiver
due to four states needed to recover binary data information.
➨Due to above reason, QPSK is not power efficient modulation technique
compare to other modulation types as more power is required to transmit two
bits.
8-PSK:
• With 8-PSK, three bits are encoded, forming tribits and producing eight
different outputs phases.
• With 8-PSK, n 3, M 8, and there are eight possible output phases.
• To encode eight different phases, the incoming bits are encoded in groups
of three, called tribits (23 8).
8-PSK transmitter.
A block diagram of an 8-PSK modulator is shown in Figure.
• The incoming serial bit stream enters the bit splitter, where it is converted
to a parallel, three-channel output (the I or in-phase channel, the Q or in-
quadrature channel, and the C or control channel).
• Consequently, the bit rate in each of the three channels is fb/3. The bits in
the I and C channels enter the I channel 2-to-4-level converter, and the
bits in the Q and channels enter the Q channel 2-to-4-level converter.
• Essentially, the 2-to-4-level converters are parallel-input digital-to-analog
converters (DACs). With two input bits, four output voltages are possible.
• The algorithm for the DACs is quite simple. The I or Q bit determines the
polarity of the output analog signal (logic 1 V and logic 0 V), whereas the
C or bit determines the magnitude (logic 1 1.307 V and logic 0 0.541 V).
• Consequently, with two magnitudes and two polarities, four different
output conditions are possible.
PHASOR DIAGRAM:
Truth table Constellation Diagram
BANDWIDTH CONSIDERATION OF 8-PSK
As the data rate divided to three channels,
the bit rate in the I,Q and C channels =fb/3.
• The highest fundamental frequency in the I,Q
and C channel =fb/6
• There is one change in phase at the o/p for
every 3 data i/p bits.
• Therefore, the baud rate=fb/3 same as the
minimum BW
Mathematically the o/p of the balanced modulator is
8-PSK receiver:
Description of 8-PSK receiver :
• The power splitter directs the input 8-PSK signal to the I and Q product
detectors and the carrier recovery circuit.
• The carrier recovery circuit reproduces the original references oscillator signal.
• The incoming 8-PSK signal is mixed with the recovered carrier in the I
product detectors and with Q product detectors.
• The o/p of product detectors are 4 –level PAM signals that are fed to the 4-to-2
level ADCs.
• The o/p from the I channel 4-to-2 level converter are the Iand C bits.
• Whereas the o/ps from the Q channel 4-to-2 level converter are the Q and C
bar bits.
• The parallel-to-serial logic circuit converts the I/C and Q/C bar bit pairs to
serial I, Q, and C output data streams.
Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM):
QAM Transmitter:
Constellation Diagram of QAM:
QAM Receiver:
Bandwidth of QAM:
Disadvantages of QAM:
• The receiver is more complex compared to receivers of other modulation
types.
• QAM requires coherent demodulation with the same phase and
frequency.
• As QAM uses the amplitude component of the signal to represent binary
data, linearity needs to be maintained; hence linear amplifier is required
which consumes more power.
2.3 Comparison of digital modulation techniques :
QASK/QAM
