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Chapter Three

Linear Modulation

3.1 Types of Linear Modulation

Having understood the need and the potential benefits due to modulation, let us

now get into the details of various linear modulation schemes. The four important

types of linear modulation schemes are:

1. Double Side Band-Large Carrier (DSB-LC) modulation

2. Double Side Band-Suppressed Carrier (DSB-SC) modulation

3. Single Side Band (SSB) modulation

4. Vestigial Side Band (VSB) modulation

3.2 DSB-LC modulation

DSB-LC modulation is also called conventional AM or simply AM modulation which

is discussed in chapter 2. In DSB-LC modulation the carrier frequency,
 , the

upper sideband (USB), whose highest frequency component is
 +
 and the

lower sideband (LSB), whose highest frequency component is
 −
 are

transmitted.

By choosing the carrier component properly, it is possible to generate the AM

signal such that it preserves m(t ) in its envelope. Fig. 3.1 shows how the DSB-LC

(AM) signal is generated.

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Figure 3.1 Generation of an AM signal

 =   cos  3.1
 =  +  cos  3.2
 =   cos  +  cos  =  1 + mt  cos  3.3
If we consider the gain of the modulator  =  , Eq (3.3) becomes
 =    cos  +  cos  =  1 +  mt  cos  3.4

Taking the Fourier transform of Eq(3.4)

  

=  
−
 + 
+
  + !
−
 + !
+
  3.5
2 2
The spectral plot of 
is given in fig 3.2.

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Figure 3.2 (a) Baseband message spectrum M(f) (b) Spectrum of AM signal

Based on Fig. 3.2, we make the following observations:

1. The spectrum has two sidebands

USB:
 #
 + $ )*+ −
 − , # −


LSB:
 − $ #
 )*+ −
 # −
 + $

2. If the baseband signal has bandwidth W, then the AM signal has bandwidth

2W.. That is, the transmission bandwidth -. , required for the AM signal is

2W.

3. Spectrum has discrete components at
= /
 , indicated by impulses of area

%&
'
.

4. In order to avoid the overlap between the positive part and the negative

part of S(f ),
 ( $ (In practice,
 ≫ $ , so that s (t ) is a narrowband

signal).

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The discrete components at

= /
 , do not carry any information and as such AM
does not make efficient use of the transmitted power.
NB To be consistent in the notation take W as
 . We can use interchangeably.

3.3 DSB-SC
SC Modulation
In DSB-SC
SC modulation, only the upper and lower sidebands are transmitted.
transmitted As

shown in fig 3.3 the carrier is cancel or suppressed.

Figure 3.3 (a) Spectrum of baseband signal (b) Spectrum of DSB

DSB--SC modulated

wave

The DSB-SC is the simplest of the four linear modulation schemes listed above

(simplest in terms of the mathematical description of modulation and demodulation

operations). Figure 3.4 represents how the DSB

DSB-SC
SC signal is generated.

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Figure 3.4 DSB-SC modulator

 is a baseband message signal with M(f ) = 0 for
(
 , c (t ) is a high

frequency carrier, usually with
 ≪
 .

DSB-SC
SC modulator is basically a multiplier. Let  denotes the amplitude

sensitivity (or gain constant) of the modulator, with the units per volt (we assume

that m(t ) and  are in volts). Then the modulator output s (t) is,
    cos  3.6
For convenience, let  1, then,
   cos  3.7
Fig 3.3 is drawn by taking the Fourier transform of Eq(
Eq(3.7)




!

  !

  3.8
2
The transmission bandwidth required by DSB
DSB-SC
SC modulation is the same as that

for amplitude modulation, namely, 2$
 .

As DSB-SC
SC modulation involves just the multiplication of the message signal and

the carrier, this scheme is also known as product modulation and can be shown as in

Figure 3.5.

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Figure 3.5 product modulator

3.3.1 Methods of carrier suppression

As we discussed before the DSB-SC modulator can be generated using a simple

multiplier. However, if we are given the amplitude modulator, we can generate DSB-

SC modulator by suppressing the carrier in two ways.

1. By adding a signal of carrier frequency equal in amplitude but opposite in

phase to the carrier of the amplitude- modulated (AM or DSB-LC) signal.

Figure 3.6 show how DSB-SC generated from AM

2. Using balanced modulator shown in fig 3.7

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Figure 3.7 showing how the outputs of two amplitude modulators are

combined to produce DSB

DSB-SC output.

Here two amplitude- modulators are used. The carrier inputs

input to the two

modulators are of reverse polarity

polarity,, as are the modulating signals. The

modulator outputs are added with consequent suppression of the carrier.

The arrangement of fig 3.7 is called a balanced modulator.

3.3.2 Coherent detection or Synchronous

demodulation
The baseband signal m(t) can be uniquely recovered from a DSB
DSB-SC
SC wave s(t) by

low
first multiplying s(t) with a locally generated sinusoidal wave and then low-pass

filtering the product, as in fig 3.8

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Figure 3.8 Coherent detector for demodulating DSB-SC

SC modulated wave

It is instructive to derive coherent detection as a special case of the more general

demodulation process using a local oscillator signal of the same frequency but

arbitrary phase difference Φ, measured with respect to the carrier wave c(t).
′
Thus, denoting the local oscillator signal by  cos 26
   7 , and using Eq(3.7) for

the DSB-SC
SC wave s(t), we find that the product modulator output in fig 3.8 is

 = 
′
cos26
   7 
=  
′
cos26
  cos26
   7 
′ ′
=
1 1
  cos46
   7 mt    cos7 
 3.9
2 2
The first term in Eq (3.9) represents a DSB
DSB-SC
SC modulated signal with a carrier 2
 ,

whereas the second term is proportional to the baseband signal m(t). The first

term in Eq(4.9) is removed by the low

low-pass filter.

At the filter output we then obtain a signal given by

′
1
5    cos7  3.10
2
The demodulated signal 5  is therefore proportional to m(t) when the phase

error Φ is constant. The amplitude of this demodulated signal is maximum when

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Φ=0, and it is minimum (zero) when : = / ;=<. The zero demodulated signal, which

occurs for 7 = / 6=2, represents the quadrature null effect of the coherent

detector.

3.3.3 Costas Receiver

One method of a practical synchronous receiver system, suitable for demodulation

DSB-SC waves, is to use the Costas receiver shown in fig 3.9. This receiver

consists of two coherent detector supplied with the same input signal, namely, the

incoming DSB-SC wave   cos26
  but with individual local oscillator signals

that are in phase quadrature with respect to each other . The detector in the

upper path is referred to as the in-pahse coherent detector or I-channel, and

that in the lower path is referred to as the quadrature-phase coherent detector

or Q-channel. These detectors are coupled together to form a negative feedback

system designed in such a way as to maintain the local oscillator synchronous with

the carrier wave.

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Figure 3.9 Costas receiver

Operation of Costas receive

receiver: To understand the operation of this

receiver, suppose that the local oscillator signal is of the same phase as the

carrier wave  cos26
  used to generate the incoming DSB

DSB-SC
SC wave. Under this

conditions, we find that the I

I-channel
channel output contains the desired demodulated

signal m(t),
t), whereas the Q
Q-channel output is zero due to the quadrature null

effect of the Q-channel. Suppose

uppose next that the local oscillator phase drifts from

its proper value by a small angle Φ radians. The I-channel

channel output will remain

essentially unchanged, but there Q

here will now be some signal appearing at the Q-channel

output, which is proportional to >*7 ? 7 for small Φ. This Q-channel

channel output will

have the same polarity as the I

I-channel
channel output for one direction of local oscillator

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phase drift. Thus, by combining the I

I-channel and Q-channel
channel outputs in a phase

discriminator (which consists of a multiplier followed by a low

low-pass
pass filter), as

shown in fig 3.9 a Dc control signal is obtained that automatically corrects for local

phase errors in the voltage-

-controlled oscillator.

3.4 SSB Modulation

A short coming of double-sideband,
sideband, suppressed carrier amplitude modulation is the

spectral inefficiency due to rredundancy of the upper and lower sidebands.

sidebands

Suppressing one sideband in DSB, in whole or part, reduces transmission

tran

bandwidth and leads to Single sideband modulation (SSB) or Vestigial sideband

modulation (VSB). In SSB modulation, only the upper or the lower side-band
side is

transmitted.

A direct approach of creating a single sideband AM signal is to remove either the

upper or lower side band by filtering the DSB-SC signal using band-pass
band

filter(BPF). This approach is shown in figure 3.10 and known as the frequency

discriminator method.. The baseband, DSB

DSB-SC, and SSB spectra are shown in

figure 3.11.. For a baseband signal with one sided bandwidth W, the upper sideband

consists of frequencies [
,
  $],

], and the lower sideband signal is in the range of

[
  $,
 ].

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Figure 3.10 Single Sideband modulation using frequency discrimination

method

Figure 3.11 Magnitude

agnitude spectra: (a) baseband (b) DSB
DSB-SC
SC (c) upper SSB (d)

lower SSB

3.4.1 Demodulation of SSB

SSB signals can be demodulated using coherent demodulation as shown in Fig. 3.12

.
Figure 3.12 Coherent demodulation of SSB

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The received SSB signal is multiplied by the local carrier which is of the same

frequency and phase as the carrier used at the transmitter.

3.5 VSB Modulation

A compromise between the DSB-SC modulation and the SSB modulation is known as

Vestigial Side Band (VSB) modulation. This type of modulation is generated using a

similar system as that of the selective–filtering system for SSB modulation.

VSB refers to a modulation scheme where in the wanted sideband (either USB or

LSB) is retained almost completely; in addition, a vestige (or a trace) of the

unwanted sideband is added to the wanted sideband. This composite signal is used

for transmitting the information. This vestige of the wanted sideband makes it

possible to come up with a sideband filter that can be implemented in practice.

The following block diagram shows the VSB modulation and demodulation. One of

the widespread applications of VSB has been in the transmission of picture

signals (video signals) in TV broadcast. The video signal has the characteristic

that it has a fairly wide bandwidth (about 5 MHz) with almost no spectral hole

around DC.

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Figure 3.13 VSB modulator and demodulator

Figure 3.14 below shows an example for the generation and demodulation of the

VSB signal graphically. This example for generating VSB modulated signals assumes

that the VSB filter (HVSB(ω)) that the transition band of the VSB filter is

symmetric in a way that adding the part that remains in the filtered signal from

the undesired side band to the missing part of the desired side band during the

process of demodulation produces an undusted signal at baseband. In fact, this

condition is not necessary if the LPF in the demodulator can take care of any

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distortion that happens when adding the different components of the band pass

components at baseband.

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Figure 3.14 VSB modulation and demodulation process (example)

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A note on the linearity of AM, DSB-SC, SSB and VSB:

Having discussed these modulation schemes, let us look at the linearity aspect of

these schemes. By linearity, we imply that the schemes obey the superposition

property. This can be easily verified in the case of DSB-SC, SSB and VSB.

Consider DSB-SC. When message signals A  and '  are applied separately,

the resulting modulated waveforms are  A  cos   and  '  cos   Ac

m2 (t). Let
 = BA A  + B' '  3.11
Where BA and B' are constants. Then the demodulated carrier is

  cos  =  BA A  + B' '   cos  3.12

Eq (3.2) establishes the linearity property. Similarly, SSB and VSB can be shown to

be linear.

3.6 Amplitude Power Distribution

Power is important in communication system because (Signal to Noise Ratio) SNR at

the receiver depends as much on the signal power being large as on the noise power

being small. Carrier signal carries no information but it aids demodulation.

Amplitude modulation is wasteful of power. For a sine wave modulating signal;

 =  sin   and carrier, E =  sin   .

Consider the sinusoidal modulated AM signal given by

 =  1 + mcos   cos  3.13
=  cos  +  mcos  cos  3.14

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AG m AG m
= AG cosωG t + cosωG − ωH t + cosIωG + ωH tJ 3.15
2 2

Note that from Eq(3.15), the first, the second and the third term are ,

respectively, represents the carrier , the lower-sideband and the upper-sideband.

Then, we have
'

Carrier power = Q = 3.16
2
The power in each of the sidebands is
'
T
2 U =
 ' '

QR- = QS- = 3.17
2 8
' ' ' '
 
V#)W >+XY)*+ Z#,X[ = QV- = 2 ∗ = 3.18
8 4
' ' '

Q] = Q + QR- + QS- = Q + 2QV- = ^1 + _ = Q ^1 + _ 3.19
2 2 2

1. Fraction of the total power in the carrier

Q 2
= 2.20
Q] 2 + '

2. Fraction of the total power in the total sidebands

QV- '
= 3.21
Q] 2+ '

Take m=1 which is the maximum value, only 1/3 of the total power is in the

sidebands (or side frequencies), the remaining 2/3 being in the carrier. From this

example, we see that AM is not an efficient modulation scheme, in terms of the

utilization of the transmitted power.

Example 1: A transmitter puts out a total power of 25 Watts of 30% AM signal.

How much power is contained in the carrier and each of the sidebands?

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m2 0.32
Answer: Total power = 25 = Pc (1 + ) = Pc ( 1 + ) = Pc * 1.045
2 2

Therefore the carrier power is Pc = 25/ 1.045 = 23.92 Watts

The total power in the 2 sidebands is 25 - 23.92 = 1.08 W

The power in each sideband is 1.08/2 = 0.54 W

The fraction of the power in the carrier is 23.92/25 = 0.957, or 95.7%

If the carrier and one side band are suppressed we have Single Side Band

transmission or SSB.

Radio receivers for receiving Full Wave signals are cheap to produce but the

transmitter must be capable of transmitting a lot of power. Radio receivers for

SSB or Carrier Suppressed signals are expensive to produce, but the transmitter

need not be capable of outputting a high power level.

Thus it is possible to improve the efficiency of an AM signal and reduce the

bandwidth by removing the carrier and /or one of the sidebands.

Example 2: An AM signal has a depth of modulation of 70%. What is the power

saving if

(a) the carrier is suppressed and

(b) the carrier and one sideband is suppressed?

m2
Answer: The total power in the signal is Pt = Pc (1 + ).
2

Therefore the fraction of the total power in the carrier is

m2
1 / (1 + ) = 1/(1 + 0.72/2) = 1/1.245 = 0.803 = 80.3%
2

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(a) In this case if the carrier is suppressed then the power saving will be 80%,

the transmitter will need to transmit only 20% of the power it would

otherwise need to transmit.

(b) If one of the sidebands is suppressed then only half of the remaining

power will need to be transmitted i.e. 10%.

In this example a transmitter which would have to transmit 10 W of a full

wave AM signal will be able to transmit the same information on 1 W if the

carrier and one sideband are both suppressed.

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