Tutorial - 1

ELL311 - Communication Engineering

Q1. In this question we study an example of how a non-linear device can be

used for generating an AM modulated signal at the transmitter. For an input
v1 (t) to this non-linear device, its output v2 (t) is given by

v2 (t) = a1 v1 (t) + a2 v12 (t) (1)

where a1 and a2 are constants. Let m(t) be the message signal and Ac cos(2πfc t)
be the carrier signal with frequency fc . For generating an AM modulated signal,
the input to the non-linear device is

v1 (t) = Ac cos(2πfc t) + m(t). (2)

The signal v2 (t) is passed through a band-pass filter whose frequency response
is chosen in such a way that its output is the AM signal.

1. Derive the expression for v2 (t).

2. Specify the frequency response of the band-pass filter so that its output is
the AM signal.
3. What is the amplitude sensitivity of this AM signal? (Note: For an AM
signal x(t) = Ac [ 1 + ka m(t) ] cos(2πfc t), the amplitude sensitivity is ka )

Q2. This question studies the message signal harmonics that appear at
the output of the envelope detector when the percentage modulation of the
AM signal is more than 100 percent. Consider the sinusoidal message signal
m(t) = cos(2πfm t) and the corresponding AM signal

x(t) = Ac [1 + ka cos(2πfm t)] cos(2πfc t). (3)

For ka > 1 (i.e., percentage modulation more than 100 percent),

1. What is the expression for the output of an ideal envelope detector,

2. Show that the output of the envelope detector is a periodic signal and
determine its Fourier series expansion,
3. For ka = 2, in the Fourier series expansion, what is the ratio of the am-
plitude of the second harmonic to that of the fundamental harmonic?

1
 Q3. In this question we study a non-coherent AM demodulator which uses a
squaring and a square-root device. In this demodulator, the received AM signal
s(t) = Ac [1 + ka m(t)] cos(2πfc t) is input to a squaring device whose output is
s2 (t) which is then input to a low-pass filter. The output v(t) p of the low-pass
filter is then input to a square-root device whose output is v(t). Assuming
that, i) |ka m(t)| < 1 for all t, ii) m(t) is band-limited to [−W , W ] Hz, and iii)
fc > 2W , show that m(t) can be recovered from the output of the square-root
device.

Q4. In this question, for a coherent Double Side-band Suppressed Carrier

(DSB-SC) system we study the impact of a mismatch between the local carrier
frequency generated at the receiver and the carrier frequency of the received
DSB-SC signal. For a sinusoidal message signal m(t) = Am cos(2πfm t), show
that for a frequency error ∆f Hz, the demodulator output exhibits beats at the
error frequency.

Q5. In this question, we study a method of acquiring the carrier phase

at a coherent DSB-SC receiver. Let the received DSB-SC signal be s(t) =
Ac m(t) cos(2πfc t + θ), where m(t) is the message signal. The phase θ is un-
known to the receiver and needs to be acquired for coherent demodulation. In
the following phase acquisition method at the receiver, a square-law device is
used to generate y(t) = s2 (t). The output y(t) of the square-law device is then
input to a very narrow band-pass filter with centre frequency 2fc and bandwidth
∆f Hz, i.e., let the frequency response of this filter be

∆f
1 , |f − 2fc | < 2

H(f ) = 1 , |f + 2fc | < ∆f 2
. (4)

0 , otherwise


Assuming the spectrum of y(t) to be almost constant within the filter passband
(as ∆f is small compared to the bandwidth of m(t)), show that the output v(t)
of the filter is approximately sinusoidal with phase equal to twice the unknown
phase θ and is given by

A2c
v(t) ≈ E ∆f cos(4πfc t + 2θ). (5)
2
The unknown carrier phase can therefore be acquired at the receiver.