Communication Systems : Prof.

Ravi
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AMPLITUDE MODULATION
Main Topics :
demodulation

Double sideband modulation,

Amplitude Modulation - Suppressed

carrier
Single sideband
Vestigial Sideband
Superhetrodyne AM Receiver
AMPLITUDE MODULATION : DOUBLE SIDEBAND SUPPRESSED CARRIER(DSB-SC)
m(t) = message signal , M()= its spectrum , cos(ct) =carrier signal, c =carrier frequency.
(t) = m(t)cos(ct) = modulated signal,

()

1
2

M( c ) M( c )
( t )

EXAMPLE :

cos( c t )

m( t )

( t )

F{cos( ct )}

M()

()

Lower sideband (LSB)

Upper sideband (USB)

Notice that the carrier part is missing in the spectrum of (t) (impulse functions disappeared). Therefore, this
type of modulation is called AM-Double Side band Suppressed Carrier (AM-DSBSC) modulation.

DEMODULATION : e(t)= (t) cos(ct) = m(t)cos2(ct)

E()

Lowpass filter e(t) to get m(t).

Communication Systems : Prof. Ravi

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21 m( t )1 cos(2 c t )

2 c

2 c
1
2

e(t)

m( t )

LPF
cos( c t )
Demodulation requires a local oscillator at the receiver and the frequency and phase of the local sine wave
should be synchronized with the transmitter. This requires expensive hardware.
Read : Tone modulation
Modulators - Nonlinear modulator, switching modulators and ring modulators
Frequency conversion.
Important result :

cos(t ) cos( t ) 21 [cos(( )t ) cos(( )t )]

Multiplying two sinusoids results in two frequencies which are the sum and difference of the frequencies of
the sinusoids multiplied.
To change the carrier frequency c of a modulated signal to an intermediate frequency I we use an
oscillator to generate a sinusoid of frequency MIX such that
I c MIX .
Then m(t)cos( c t ) cos( MIX t ) 21 m( t )[cos(( c MIX )t ) cos(( c MIX )t )]
21 m( t )[cos((2 c I )t ) cos((I )t )]
( t ) m( t ) cos( C t )
BPF@ I

e 1 ( t ) 21 m( t ) cos( I t )

cos( MIX t )
EXAMPLE : Let m(t) be as
shown.
m(t)

(t)

M()

SPECTRA

e1(t)

()
c

E 1 ()
I

Communication Systems : Prof. Ravi

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EXERCISE : Let m(t)=cos(10t) and c = 200 rad/s. a) Sketch (t) = m(t)cos(ct) .

b) Sketch the spectra of m(t) and (t).

c) What is are upper sideband and lower sideband components of g(t) ? Express them in frequency domain
and time domain.
AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)
A dc offset is added to m(t) before modulation.
AM ( t ) [ A m( t )] cos( c t )
()

1
2

M( c ) M( c ) A ( c ) ( c )

The last impulse functions indicate that the carrier is not suppressed in this case. For some M() shown, the
modulated signal spectrum is as shown.
M()

()
c

With this type of AM the demodulation can be performed without a local oscillator synchronized with the
transmitter.
EXAMPLE : m(t) has a minimum value of about -0.4. Adding a dc offset of A=1 results in A+m(t) being always
positive. Therefore the positive envelope of is just A+m(t). An envelope detector can be used to retrieve this.
A=1
m(t)

A+m(t)

0.7

1.
0.

-0.4

AM ( t ) [ A m( t )] cos( c t )

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The choice of dc offset should be such that A+m(t) should always be positive. Otherwise envelope
detector cannot be used.
For example, the minimum value of m(t) = -0.4 . Therefore A > |min(m(t))| for successful envelope
detection. What if A< |m(t).
A=0.3
In the previous example let A=0.3.
A+m(t)
m(t)

0.7
0

0.
-0.4

AM ( t ) [ A m( t )] cos( c t )

Envelope detection cannot be employed in this case . The condition for envelope detection is that A+m(t) 0 for
all t. Let mp be the absolute negative peak of m(t).
A mp

A is the carrier amplitude.

mp
A
Then we see that for A m p , 0 1

MODULATION INDEX :

When 1 (or A m p ) the signal is overmodulated, and envelope detection can not be used.
(However, we can still use synchronous demodulati on).
EXAMPLE : Single-tone modulation. Let m(t)=2sin(20t) and carrier frequency be 200 rad/sec. What is the dc
offset required for i) =0.5 , ii)=1.
m(t)
Sketch the AM signal if the dc offset used is 1.
mp
2
mp 2;

. i) 0.5 A 4 ii) 1 A 2
A
A
For dc offset of 1 2.
1

0 .5
t

Systems
Prof. Ravi
EXERCISE : Let m(t)=2[cos(20t)+cos(40t)] and carrier frequency be 200 Communication
rad/sec. What is
the dc :offset
Warrier
required for i) =0.5 , ii)=1. [mp = 2.25 for this m(t). Why ?)

Sideband powers :
AM ( t ) A cos( c t ) m( t ) cos( c t )
The first term is the carrier and the second term is sidebands which contain the signal itself.
The total AM signal power is the sum of carrier power and the sideband power.
A2
Carrier power Pc
2
Sideband power Ps 21 Pm where Pm is the power of m(t).
The sideband power is the useful power.
Ps
Pm
useful power
Efficiency :

.
2
Total power
Pc Ps A Pm
For example , let m(t) Bcos( m t )
mp B, B
or B A.
A
Pm

B2
2

2A 2
2

For 1, max

2 2

x100%

1
x100% 33%
2 1

EXERCISE : For AM wave with m(t)=2[cos(20t)+cos(40t)] calculate the efficiency if i) =0.5 , ii)=1.
Generation of AM signals Read in TEXT

m(t)

+
-

c cos(ct)

BPF
@

AM output

DEMODULATION OF AM WAVES :
1. Rectifier detector : READ in TEXT

Communication Systems : Prof. Ravi

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2.DEMODULATION USING ENVELOPE DETECTION:

+
AM signal

vc(t)

t
Assume that the capacitor is charged to voltage E (the envelope voltage at the instant)at the instant
when the diode turns OFF.
The capacitor begins to dischrage through the resistor according to

v c ( t ) Ee

t
RC

E(1
dv c ( t )
dt

t )
RC

for RC

1
c

E
RC

The slope of the capacitor discharge is -

E .
RC

For the capacitor discharge to follow the envelope, the magnitude of the
capacitor discharge slope must be greater than the envelpe slope.
dv c ( t )
dt

E
RC

dE .
dt

EXAMPLE : Let E(t)=[A+Bcos(mt)]. Design RC for envelope detection.

B
A

E( t )
RC

E(t) A A cos(m t )
dE( t )
dt

AM signal BANDWIDTH : AM signal bandwidth is twice the bandwidth of the modulating signal.
(Why?) A 5kHz signal requires 10kHz bandwidth for AM transmission. If the carrier frequency is
1000 kHz, the AM signal spectrum is in the frequency range of 995kHz to 1005 kHz.
QUADRARTURE AMPLITUDE MODULATION is a scheme that allows two signals to be transmitted
over the same frequency range. READ TEXT.

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Single Sideband (SSB) AM

Purpose : to reduce the bandwidth requirement of AM by one-half.

This is achieved by transmitting only the upper sideband or the lower sidebband of the DSB AM signal.

M()

2B

2B

SSB ()

SSB (Upper sideband)

Math description:
M ()
M ()

 1 sgn( )
M () M()U() M()

2

F 1 {sgn()}

1
2

Communication Systems : Prof. Ravi

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m ( t ) 21 m(t) 21 F 1 {M()} F 1 {sgn(

M() M() sgn()

1

t

1 1 m( )
wher e m h ( t ) m( t )
d
t t

j
1

jt t

m (t )

1
2

m(t) jm( t )

1
2

m(t) jm h (t )

m h ( t ) is called the Hilbert transform of m(t).

Similarly, we can show that m ( t )

1
2

m(t) jm( t )

1

t

1
2

m(t) jm h ( t )

F 1{sgn()} M H () j M() sgn()

Next we show that the SSB signal can be expressed in terms of m(t) and its Hilbert transform as follows.
SSB USB () M ( c ) M ( c )
M ( c ) F -1{m ( t )e j t } F -1{ 21 (m( t ) jm h ( t ))e j t }
c

M ( c ) F -1{m ( t )e j t } F -1{ 21 (m( t ) jm h ( t ))e j t

c

M ( c ) M ( c ) F -1{ 21 (m( t ) jm h ( t ))e j t

1 (m( t ) jm ( t ))e jc t }
h
2
( t )(e jc t e jc t )

F -1 21 m( t )(e j t e j t ) j 21 m h
c

F -1m(t) cos( c t ) m h ( t )sin( c t )

SSB USB () F -1m(t) cos( c t ) m h ( t )sin( c t )

Similarly, we can show that SSBLSB () F -1m(t) cos( c t ) m h ( t )sin( c t );

In general, SSB () F -1m(t) cos( c t ) m h ( t )sin( c t )
How to generate mh(t) ?

M()

(- for USB, for LSB )

Mh()
H()

H() 1

MH () jM() sgn( )
M ()
H() H
- jsgn( )
M()
j

for 0
for 0

H( )
2

Transfer function of a Hilbert transformer

Communication Systems : Prof. Ravi

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SSB Signal Generation :

1. Selective Filtering using filters with sharp cutoff characteristics. Sharp cutoff filters are difficult to design.
The audio signal spectrum has no dc component, therefore , the spectrum of the modulated audio signal
has a null around the carrier frequency.This means a less than perfect filter can do a reasonably good job
of filtering the DSB to produce SSB signals.

2. Phase shift method using Hilbert transformer.

x
m(t)

cos c )

Hilbert
Transformer

ssb ( t )

DEMODULATION OF SSB AM SIGNAL :

1. Synchronous demodulation :
SSB ( t ) cos( c t ) m( t ) cos( c t ) jm h ( t ) sin( c t ) cos(n( c t )
A lowpass filter can be used to get

1
2

m(t )(1 cos( c t )) jm h (t ) sin(2c t )

1 m( t ).
2

SSB signal can be transmitted with carrier as well by adding a dc off set.
SSB C ( t ) A cos( c t ) m( t ) cos( c t ) m h ( t ) sin( c t )
An envelope detector can be used to demodulate such SSB signals .
What is the envelope of SSB C ( t ) ( A m( t )) cos( c t )) m h ( t ) sin( c t ) E( t ) cos( c t ) ?

{Recall Acos( ) Bsin( ) A 2 B 2

1
2

cos( ), tan -1( B

))
A

E(t) (( A m( t )) 2 m h2 ( t )) (( A 2 m 2 ( t )) m h2 ( t ) 2Am( t ))
1
2

A 1 A

A m( t )
m2 ( t )
2

mh ( t )
A2

1
2

2m( t )
A

for A m(t) , A m h (t) .

The efficiency of this scheme is very low since A has to be large.

Communication Systems : Prof. Ravi

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EXAMPLE : Tone modulation : m(t)= cos(mt). What is the Hilbert transform of this m(t) ?

VESTIGIAL SIDEBAND (VSB) AM : VSB is a compromise between DSB and SSB. To produce SSB signal
from DSB signal ideal filters should be used to split the spectrum in the middle so that the bandwidth of
bandpass signal is reduced by one half. In VSB system one sideband and a vestige of other sideband are
transmitted together. The resulting signal has a bandwidth > the bandwidth of the modulating (baseband)
signal but < the DSB signal bandwidth.
DSB

0
SSB () SSB (Upper sideband)

0
VSB ()

m(t)

Hi()
2cos( c t )

0
VSB () VSB Spectrum

e(t)

VSB ()

LPF
Ho()

M()

2cos( c t )

Transmitter

Receiver

M() is bandlimite d to 2B rad/sec

VSB () [M( c ) M( c )]Hi ()
E() [ VSB ( c ) VSB ( c )]
[Hi ( c )M( 2 c ) Hi ( c )M() Hi ( c )M() Hi ( c )M( 2 c )]
High freq. term
High freq. term
M() E()H o () Hi ( c ) Hi ( c )M()Ho ()
[Hi ( c )M( 2 c ) Hi ( c )M( 2 c )]Ho ()
Lowpass filter removes this.

Thus we should have Hi ( c ) Hi ( c )Ho () 1 for 2B

OR

H o ()

1
Hi ( c ) H i ( c )

10