Class Notes

Wireless Communication

G R Begh
March 31, 2021
ECE Department, NIT Srinagar

Discrete Time Baseband Channel Model

Consider a baseband signal xb (t) transmitted over a carrier frequency fc through a mul-
tipath channel characterized by attenuations {ai } and delays {τi }. The output baseband
response of such channel is
X
yb (t) = abi (t)xb (t − τi (t)) (1)
i

where
abi (t) := ai (t)e−j2πfc (τi (t)) defines the complex gain of the ith path. With this definition
we can write baseband equivalent impulse response as
X
hb (τ, t) = abi (t)δ(τ − τi (t)) (2)
i

To convert the continuous time baseband channel to discrete time channel, we can
use sampling theorem. From sampling theory, any waveform bandlimited to W/2 can
be expanded in terms of orthognal sinc basis {sinc(W t − n)}n .1 In this expansion, a sinc
function occurs at each sampling instant, with a weight equal to value of the waveform
at the sampling instant. Thus we can write input baseband signal xb (t) as
X
xb (t) = x[n] sinc(W t − n) (3)
n

where x[n] is the value of input signal at sampling instant n.

Using Eqn (3) in Eqn (1), the baseband output signal can be written as
X X
yb (t) = x[n] abi (t) sinc(W t − W τi (t) − n) (4)
n i

Assuming the sampling instants as 1/W apart, 2 , the sampled output is given as
X X
y[m] = x[n] abi (m/W ) sinc[m − n − W τi (m/W )] (5)
n i

1
For detailed discussion, refer to CARLSON, A. B. (2002), Communication Systems, 4th Ed., McGraw-
Hill, Page 237-239
2
This sampling rate satisfies the Nyquist criteria as the bandwidth of signal is W/2.

Wireless Communications G R Begh Page 1 of 4

where we have denoted (m/W )th sampling instant by [m].
Let us define l := m − n, we can write eqn (5) as
X X
y[m] = x[m − l] abi (m/W ) sinc[l − W τi (m/W )] (6)
l i

Eqn(6) can be written in convolution form as

X
y[m] = hl [m]x[m − l] (7)
l

where hl [m] denotes the lth channel filter tap at mth instant and is defined as
X
hl [m] = abi (m/W ) sinc[l − W τi (m/W )] (8)
i

Observations
i) Discrete time output is obtained by taking discrete-time convolution of channel filter
tap and the input baseband signal. −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−→ From Eqn (7)

ii) The lth filter tap given by Eqn (8) can be interpreted as a convolution between base-
band channel response and the sinc(W τ ) function. −−−→ From Eqn (8)

iii) What does hl [m] signify?

It is termed as lth channel filter tap

• It is complex as it depends on both the attenuations and the delays of different

paths.
• It acts like a filter as the output is obtained by convolving it with input baseband
signal x, as is evident from Eqn (7).
• Since l = m − n, where m is the current time instant and n is the nth sampling
instant, so value of hl [m] depends on value of l and the path gains abi . From
eqn (8), it is clear that all path gains don’t contribute equally to the value of hl
due to decaying nature of the sinc function. The paths whose delay is close to
l/W contribute significantly to hl [m]. 3
• The received signal is sampled at m/W time instants. Therefore, path whose
delay τi falls in the window {[ Wl − 2w
1
] and [ Wl + 2w
1
]} will contribute to the lth tap.
• Thus for each tap, the width of delay window for significant contribution from
multipath components is, 1/W , and as such the delay axis can be divided into
delay bins for tapping the received energy. The multipath components which
arrive in a particular delay bin will contribute to the received energy.
3
For such delays, sinc function approaches 1.

Wireless Communications G R Begh Page 2 of 4

 • The width of a delay bin is inversely proportional to the bandwidth of signal
and thus for low bandwidth signals it is expected that received signal arriv-
ing through various multipaths will be received in a single delay bin. These
components will then lead to multipath fading.

iv) Effect of Signal Bandwidth

Consider a scenario wherein symbols S1 , S2 , S3 . . . are transmitted over a multipath
channel having attenuations a1 , a2 , a1 , and delays τ1 , τ2 , τ3 . The time delays lead
to phase delays φ1 , φ2 , φ3 . We can assume two scenarios as:

• Case 1:
If all delays τi are less than 1
W
then then transmitted symbol, say a1 , through
different paths, will arrive in single delay bin and thus the received symbol will
be r1 = (a1 e−jφ1 + a2 e−jφ2 + a3 e−jφ3 )S1 .

Depending on the relative phase delays {φi }, the signal replicas through dif-
ferent paths will interfere either constructively or destructively, thereby leading
to fading. This will happen for other symbols as well.
• Case 2:
Assume that τ1 , τ2 < 1/W and 1/W > τ3 < 2/W , then transmitted symbol
through first two paths will be received in a single delay bin and through third
path will be received in the next delay bin. The first two components will lead
to fading of the symbol but the component through third path will interfere with
the subsequent symbol, thereby leading to inter-symbol interference. The re-
ceived symbols corresponding to first two transmitted symbols can be written
as:
r1 = (a1 e−jφ1 + a2 e−jφ2 )S1
r2 = a3 e−jφ3 S1 + (a1 e−jφ1 + a2 e−jφ2 )S2 (9)

The first term on RHS of eqn (9) leads to intersymbol interference (ISI).

Q 1. In a wireless communication system with a carrier frequency of 900 MHz, the

transmitted signal arrives at the receiver through four paths with delays 350,
500, 700 & 1200 ns. The attenuations along the four paths are 0.95, 0.8, 0.6
& 0.4 respectively. Assuming BPSK modulated symbols with symbol period
of 900 ns and coded as +1 and -1, determine

i) the received baseband symbols, for the transmitted bits 1, 0, 1.

ii) Assuming the channel stays constant at least over one symbol period,
find the received symbol energies.

Wireless Communications G R Begh Page 3 of 4

 Q2. A communication link is to be setup between two geographical locations with
a separation distance of 1 km. The heights of the antennas at designated
locations are 150 m and 50 m. If the required power at the receiver antenna is
−60 dBm, find the transmitter power (in Watts) assuming a carrier frequency
of 2 GHz and signal propagation through LOS path only, under the following
conditions:

a) If omnidirectional antennas are used.

b) If the antennas with gains of 3 dBi are used.

References
[1] David Tse and Pramod Viswanath. Fundamentals of wireless communication. Cam-
bridge university press, 2005.

[2] A Bruce Carlson. Communication system. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, 2002.

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