CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Syllabus and General Information
ELEC 6831 Digital Communications Winter 2017
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Course Objective
This is an introductory course in digital communications. Various digital modulation and demodulation
schemes will be described. Optimal receivers for AWGN channels will be studied, as well as pulse shaping
for bandlimited channels. Also typical channel coding techniques such as block codes are discussed.
Synchronization techniques: carrier and timing recovery, frequency estimation techniques, maximum-
likelihood estimation will be discussed. The tradeoff between coding and modulation will be discussed as
well. Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of digital communication systems through
a design project and C/C++ and/or MATLAB simulation.

Instructor: Prof. Walaa Hamouda

Office: EV5.127
Office Hours: Thursdays 2:00PM-3:30 PM

Email: hamouda@ece.concordia.ca

Class Time: Thursday 5:45:8:15pm

Class location: FG B040
Course webpage: Use Myconcordia portal to access moodle website.

Textbooks
B. Sklar, Digital Communications: Fundamentals and Applications, Prentice Hall, 2nd Ed., 2001.
S. Haykin, Communication Systems, John Wiley and Sons, 4th Edition, 2001
J.G. Proakis, Digital Communications, 4th. Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2001.

Topics:
Random processes and linear systems (Sklar: Chapter 1: sections 1.5, 1.6, 1.7)
Baseband modulation/demodulation (Sklar: Chapter 3: section 3.1)
Optimal receivers in AWGN: correlation and matched filter receivers (Sklar: Chapter 3: section 3.2)
Pulse shaping for bandlimited channels (Sklar: Chapter 3: section 3.3)
Passband modulation schemes (Sklar: Chapter 4: almost all sections)
Fundamental limits in information theory (Haykin: selected parts of Chapter 9)
Carrier and Symbol Synchronization techniques: signal parameter estimation, carrier phase estimation,
carrier and timing recovery, maximum-likelihood estimation (J. Proakis: selected parts of Chapter 6)
Introduction to channel coding: block codes (Haykin: selected parts of Chapter 10)

Homework, Projects, Examinations

Homework: No marks on homework and solutions will be provided.
Project: Each student will choose a project that typically involves simulations (using MATLAB or C++). It is
the duty of the student to find a project related to the subject discussed. Typically this could be an
extension of a sub-topic covered in the class. You will submit a final report which shouldnt exceed 15
pages (single space, single column, 12 font) that include an abstract, introduction, system model, analysis,
simulations, and conclusions. The project report is due the last day of classes.
Exams: Two exams will be given, one midterm and the final.

Grading
Project: 20%
Midterm: 30%
Final exam: 50% (TBD)

General Guidelines and Policies

Examinations:
Exams will be closed book and closed notes (a crib sheet will be allowed).
The final exam will be comprehensive.
No make-up exams will be given. In case a student missed the midterm for a valid reason, the weight
on the midterm will be added to that of the final.

Honor Code
All students are expected to fully respect the academic honor system and abide by the Code of
Academic Conduct set by Concordia University.
Any reasonable suspicion of an honor violation will be reported.