Amplitude Modulation

Ang Man Shun

October 30, 2012

Reference

Hwei P. Hsu Analog and Digital Communication

Summary
Equation
General m(t)
Message
Monotone Am cos ωm t
Large Carrier Ac cos ωc t
Carrier
Unity cos ωc t

General (Ac + m(t)) cos ωc t = Ac cos ωc t + m(t) cos ωc t

Simple AM
DSB-LC mAc mAc
Monotone Ac cos ωc t + cos (ωc − ωm ) t + cos (ωc + ωm ) t
2 2
General m(t) cos ωc t
DSB-SC mAc mAc
Monotone cos (ωc − ωm ) t + cos (ωc + ωm ) t
2 2
mAc
SSB / VSB Monotone cos (ωc ± ωm ) t
2

Bandwidth Advantage Disadvantage

Simple AM
2ωm $ Low η
DSB-LC
DSB-SC 2ωm Highη $$$
High η
SSB/VSB ωm Small BW $$$$$

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1 Introduction
Message signal and Carrier Signal in time domain

 
 Am jωm t 

1 jωc t
+ e−jωc t )
 Monotone Am cos ωm t = (e + e−jωm t )  Unity Carrier (e
cos ωc t =
2 2

 General 

m(t)  Larger Carrier Ac cos ωc t = Ac (ejωc t + e−jωc t )
2

• 2 frequency component in same amplitude

• Negative frequency is not real, just mathematical

• ωc > ωm , if not ,Aliasing

1.1 Continuous Wave Modulation

CW modulation is just a multiplication, for montone message and larger carrier :

(Am cos ωm t) × (Ac cos ωc t)

cos (A + B) + cos (A − B)
By identity cos A cos B =
2

Am Ac Am Ac { j(ωc −ωm )t }
{cos (ωc − ωm ) t + cos (ωc + ωm ) t} = e + e−j(ωc −ωm )t + ej(ωc +ωm )t + e−j(ωc −ωm )t
2 4
• One cosine term has 2 frequency spectral line, so 2 cosine terms have 4 spectral line

• Frequency spectra line translated

• Negative frequency is not real, it is only mathematical, so although it has 4 spectra, it actually
has only 2 spectra

1.2 The signal’s Fourier Transfroms

For general message

F
m(t) ←→ M (jωm )

CW Modulated signal of general message with large carrier

Ac ( ) F Ac
m(t)Ac cos ωc t = m(t) ejωc t + e−jωc t ←→ [M (jωm + jωc ) + M (jωm − jωc )]
2 2

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2 Amplitude Modulation

There are 3 to 4 basic types of AM modulation : Simple AM (DSB-LC) , DSB-SC, SSB, and VSB

2.1 Simple AM signal in Time Domain

AM : Message signal “embed” into the amplitude of carrier

Simple AM is also called : Double Sideband Large Carrier (DSB-LC) Modultion
For general message signal m(t) :

xAM (t) = (Ac + m(t)) cos ωc t

For simple monotone message signal m(t) = Am cos ωm t :

xAM (t) = (Ac + Am cos ωm t) cos ωc t = Ac cos ωc t + Am cos ωm t cos ωc t

Am
= Ac cos ωc t + Ac m cos ωm t cos ωc t where m =
Ac
cos (A + B) + cos (A − B)
By cos A cos B =
2
mAc
= Ac cos ωc t + [cos (ωc + ωm ) t + cos (ωc − ωm ) t]
2
mAc mAc
cos (ωc + ωm ) t +
= Ac cos ωc t + cos (ωc − ωm ) t
2 2
Simple AM / DSB-LC modulated signal is thus



 xAM (t) = (Ac + m(t)) cos ωc t = Ac cos ωc t + m(t) cos ωc t General



 mAc mAc Monotone

 xAM (t) = (Ac + m(t)) cos ωc t = Ac cos ωc t + cos (ωc + ωm ) t + cos (ωc − ωm ) t
2 2 Message

• Envelope of modulated signal will follow the message signal

Am
• m= 100% m = 100% ⇐⇒ Am = Ac
Ac
• m > 100% ⇐⇒ overmodulation Am > Ac

• Requirements for AM / DSB-LC : Ac > Am , ωc ≫ ωm

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2.2 Simple AM signal in Frequency Domain

For general message signal

F
m(t) ←→ M (jωm ) Bandwidth = [0 , ωm ] = ωm
The simple AM signal

xAM (t) = (Ac + m(t)) cos ωc t = Ac cos ωc t + m(t) cos ωc t

The AM signal’s Fourier Transform

F {xAM (t)} = F {Ac cos ωc t} + F {m(t) cos ωc t}

1 { ( )} 1 { } 1 { }
= Ac F {cos ωc t} + F m(t) ejωc t + e−jωc t = Ac F {cos ωc t} + F m(t)ejωc t + F m(t)e−jωc t
2 2 2

ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞
−jωt 1 −j(ω−ωc )t 1
= Ac cos ωc te dt + m(t)e dt + m(t)e−j(ω+ωc )t dt
−∞ 2 −∞ 2 −∞

F F
As m(t) ←→ M (jωm ) thus m(t)e±jat ←→ M (jω ± ja)
ˆ
Ac ∞ ( ) 1 1
= e−j(ω−ωc )t + e−j(ω+ωc )t dt + M (jω − jωc ) + M (jω − jωc )
2 −∞ 2 2

Ac 1 1
XAM (jω) = δ (ω ± ωc ) + M (jω − jωc ) + M (jω − jωc )
2 2 2

• Bandwidth is twice of original bandwidth : BWAM = 2W = 2ωm

• AM wave contains 2 sideband with bandwidth of each band as WLSB = WU SB = W = ωm

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2.3 Double-Sideband Suppressed-Carrier Modulation DSBSC

Recall, simple AM / DSB-LC for m(t) = Am cos ωm t



 xAM (t) = (Ac + m(t)) cos ωc t = Ac cos ωc t + m(t) cos ωc t General




 mAc mAc Monotone


 xAM (t) = Ac cos ωc t + 2 cos (ωc + ωm ) t + 2 cos (ωc − ωm ) t Message

• Carrier contains no info, so suppresse it to enhance power efficiency

After dropping the carrier term,



 xDSB−SC (t) = m(t) cos ωc t = m(t) cos ωc t General




 mAc mAc Monotone


 xDSB−SC (t) = 2 cos (ωc + ωm ) t + 2 cos (ωc − ωm ) t Message
F
For general message signal m(t) ←→ M (t) , the Fourier Transform is

{ }
{ } ejωc t + e−jωc t 1
F x(t)DSB-SC = F {m(t) cos ωc t} = F m(t) = [M (jω − jωc ) + M (jω + jωc )]
2 2

2.4 Generation & Demodulation of DSB signal

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 For Simple AM / DSB-LC

• After mixing : xAM (t) cos ωc t = [Ac + m(t)] cos2 ωc t

1 + cos 2ωc t Ac + m(t) A + m(t)
= [Ac + m(t)] = + c cos ωc t
2 2 2
Ac m(t)
• After passing LPF : +
2 2
m(t)
• After passing capacitor to block the DC :
2
• Thus, with suitable amplifier, the original signal can be recovered.

• * Then this demodulator works ∀Ac

Am
Since carrier is suppressed, so Am → 0 , and thus m = → ∞ so modulation index is meaningless
Ac
for DSB-SC signal.

2.5 Single-Sideband Suppressed Carrier

To improve power efficiency, further dropping one sideband

For monotone signal, the DSB-SC signal is

mAc mAc
xDSB−SC (t) = cos (ωc + ωm ) t + cos (ωc − ωm ) t
2 2
After dropping one sideband


 After LPF mAc

 xSSB−LSB (t) = cos (ωc − ωm ) t

 LSB 2




 After HPF mAc

 xSSB−U SB (t) = cos (ωc + ωm ) t
 HSB 2

Vestigial Sideband Signal

Since SSB require a very sharp cut-off filter to remove one sideband, such filter is not easy to
implement
Thus, the requirement is relaxed by allowing a vestige part : Vestigial Sideband signal
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3 Power of the AM Signal
3.1 Review of Root-Mean-Square value
For a function A cos ωt , the RMS value is :
√ √ √
ˆ T ˆ T ˆ
1 2 1 2
1 T 1 + cos 2ωt
RM S (A cos ωt) = (A cos ωt) dt = A cos ωtdt = A dt
T 0 T 0 T 0 2

Since cos θ is orthogonal to 1, so the second integral is zero

v ˆ ˆ T √
u
u1 T 1 1 T A
= Au dt + cos 2ωtdt = A =√
tT 0 2 2T 0 2T 2
| {z }
0
A
So the RMS value of a function of A cos ωt is √
2
Then , recall that simple AM / DSB-LC signal of montone message has the form

Ac m Ac m
xAM (t) = (Ac + m(t)) cos ωc t = Ac cos ωc t + cos (ωc − ωm ) t + cos (ωc + ωm ) t
2 2
Then the RMS value is
Ac Ac m Ac m
xAM,RM S = √ + √ + √
2 2 2 2 2
A2
Thus the total power , by P = , is
R
A2c A2 m2 A2c m2
PT,AM = + c +
2R 8R 8R
The power used to transmitte information for simple AM is thus :

A2c m2 A2c m2 m2 m2
PInf o + + 2m2 m2
ηAM = = 2 8R 2 2 8R 2 2 = 4 4 = =
PT Ac Am Am m2 m2 4 + 2m2 2 + m2
+ c + c 1+ +
2R 8R 8R 4 4
When m = 1
1 2
ηAM = ⇐⇒ = 66.6%Power Lost
3 3
Therefore, simple AM signal is not power-efficienct.

ηAM < 33.3% = sup ηAM

In summary, for simple AM / DSB-LC signal,

• The efficiency is limited to 33%

• The carrier signal is present even if nothing is being transmitted

• The circuitary is relatively simple (only envelop detector is required ! )

• Bandwidth is 2ωm
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For Dobule Sideband Suppressed Carrier of montone message , the wave form is

Ac m Ac m
xDSB (t) = xAM (Without Carrier) = cos (ωc − ωm ) t + cos (ωc + ωm ) t
2 2
Thus, the RMS value is
Ac m Ac m
xDSB,RM S = √ + √
2 2 2 2
Thus, the Total power is

A2c m2 A2c m2
PT,DSB = +
8R 8R
And hence, the power efficiency is
PInf o PT
ηDSB = = = 100% (Ideal)
PT PT
The power efficiency of DSB singal is very good, but the tradeoff is it require relatively expensive
circuitry in the receiver

In summary, for DSB signal

• It have must higher power efficiency (∼ 100% )

• But it has same bandwidth as simple AM , 2ωm

• It require relatively expensive circuitry in the receiver

For SSB singal, a sideband filter, either high pass or low pass, is concatenated to the receiver circuit.
For Single Sideband Suppressed Carrier of montone message, the wave form is

Ac m
xSSB (t) = cos (ωc ± ωm ) t
2
Thus, the RMS value is
Ac m
xDSB,RM S = √
2 2
Thus, the Total power is

A2c m2
PT,SSB =
8R
And hence, the power efficiency is
PInf o PT
ηSSB = = = 100% (Ideal)
PT PT
In summary, for SSB signal,

• It has high power efficiency (∼ 100% )

• It has relatively most expensive circuitry ( An extra sideband filter )

• It cut bandwidth in half, BWSSB = ωm

−EN D−
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