Week 2

Fundamentals of Data and Signals

Assessment Criteria
 Lecture Outcomes
LO1: Distinguish between data and signals;

LO2: Explain the advantages of digital data and signals over analog data and signals;

LO3: Describe the basic components of a signal as amplitude, frequency, and phase;

LO4: Discuss the bandwidth of a signal and how it relates to data transfer speed.

LO5: Describe the characteristics of transmitting:

•digital data with digital signals

•analog data with digital signals

•digital data with analog signals

•analog data with analog signals

LO6: Compare the characteristics, uses, advantages, and disadvantages, of the
different shift keying techniques.

LO7: Compare different digitization techniques namely pulse code modulation

and delta modulation, and their advantages and disadvantages

LO8: Distinguish between the different data codes and how they are used in
communication systems.
 Data vs Signals
• Data and signals are like two building blocks of computer networks.

• All the data transmitted over channel can either be in analog form or digital
form.

• Data are manipulated in the signal form suitable for the transmission
channel.

• Like data elements, signal can also either in analog form or digital form
Activity 2.1
• Discuss  four possible combinations of data and signals with examples.
 Four possible combinations of data and
signal
• Analog data converted into analog signal form, for example
Telephone.

• Digital data converted to analog signal form, for example modem.

• Analog data converted to digital signal form, for example codec.

• Digital data converted to digital signal form, for example digital

transmitter.
Differences between Data and signals based on
different parameters
• Analog data and signals are represented as continuous wave forms that can
be at an infinite number of points between some given minimum and
maximum.

• The minimum and maximum are presented as what ?

• What is noise in relation to signals and data.

• Who can present an example of an analog wave form and an analog wave
form affected by noise.
• Digital data and signals are composed of fixed number of values . It takes the
form of binary 1 and 0.
Activity 2. 2
• Discus the advantages of digital data and signals over analog data and
signals
Fundamentals of signals

• Amplitude

Is the height of the wave above or below the reference point.

• Frequency

Is the number of times a signal makes a complete circle within a given time frame.

• Spectrum

Is the range of frequencies that a signal spans from minimum to maximum

• Attenuation
The loss of power or loss of signal strength.
• Amplification
The gaining of power or signal strength.
• Decibel (dB)
Is the relative measure of signal loss or gain and is used to measure the
logarithimic loss or gain of signal.
Converting Data into Signals

• Often signals convey analog data and digital data signals. But is this is
the case today ?

• Give examples where this is not the case.

Four combinations of data and signals

• Analogue data transmitted using analog signals .

• Digital data transmitted using square wave digital signal.

• Digital data transmitted using discrete analog signals.

• Analog data transmitted using digital signals .

Transmitting analog data with analog signals

• Data is in analog wave form and is transformed to analog wave form

for transmission.
• This done through modulation.
• Modulation is the process of sending data over a signal by varying its
amplitude , frequency or phase.
 Transmitting digital data with square wave
digital signals: digital encoding schemes
• When transmitting data using square wave digital signals , the 1s and 0s of
digital data must be converted to the proper physical form that can be
transmitted over a wire or airwave.
• For example:
 if you wish to transmit a digital value of 1 , it can be transmitted at a minimum
positive voltage.
If you wish to transmit digital value zero, it can be transmitted at zero voltage.
And vice versa can be done.
Activity

Discuss the difference digital encoding schemes that can be used to convert
0s and 1s od digital data into the appropriate transmission form.
Digital encoding schemes
• Nonreturn to zero- level (NRZ-L)
• Nonreturn to zero inverted (NRZI)
• Manachester Digital Encoding Scheme.
• Differentiated Manachester Digital Encoding Scheme.
• Bipolar- AMI Encoding Scheme.
• 4 B/ 5B Digital Encoding
Transmitting digital data with discrete analog
signals
• The conversion of analog data to an analog signal is also an example
of modulation .

• In this modulation the analog signal takes on a discrete number of

signal levels.

• This can be as simple as 2 signal levels or some more complex levels

for 256 levels which are used by digital television signals.
Discrete modulation techniques

• Amplitude shift keying

• Frequency Shift keying

• Phase shift keying

• Quadrature shift keying

Transmitting analog data with digital signals

• In most instances it is necessary to transmit analog data over a digital

medium.

• For example, an artist performs a song which is in analog form. This will then
be converted by a computer to digital format and stored in CD which can be
edited.

• The CD can be played on a CD player which converts digital data to analog

music.
Techniques for converting Analog data to digital
signals
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)
• Refers to a digital scheme for transmitting analog data.
• It converts an analog signal into digital format to enable the analog data can be
transmitted through the digital communication network.
• The PCM process is done in three steps;
Sampling,
Quantization,
Coding. 
 Advantages of pulse modulation
• Analog signals can be transmitted over a high-speed digital communication system.

• The probability of occurring error will reduce by the use of appropriate coding
methods.

• PCM is used in Telkom system, digital audio recording, digitized video special
effects, digital video, voice mail.

• PCM is also used in Radio control units as transmitters and also a receiver for
remote-controlled cars, boats, planes.

• The PCM signal is more resistant to interference than normal signals.

 Disadvantages of PCM
• Please go and research.
 Delta Modulation (DM)
• Is an analog-to-digital a conversion technique used for transmission of voice
information where quality is not of primary importance.

• DM is the simplest method for analog-to-digital conversion.

• An over-sampled input is taken to make full use of a signal correlation.
• The quantization design is simple.
• The input sequence is much higher than Nyquist rate.
• The quality is moderate.
• The bit rate can be decided by the user.
• It requires simpler implementation.
Advantages and disadvantages
• Discuss the disadvantages and advantages.
Bandwidth

• The absolute maximum amount of data that can be transferred

through an internet connection over a marked period of time.

• Low bandwidth is the equivalent of a really narrow pipe, through

which there’s a limit.

• Conversely, pipes with broader width, or bandwidth in networking

terms, can boast a higher capacity to carry water, or data.
Data Codes

• Refers to a set of all textual characters and symbols and their

corresponding binary patterns.

• The three important data codes are :

Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC).

American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII).

Unicode
  EBCDIC.

• EBCDIC is an 8-bit binary code for numeric and alphanumeric characters.

• It is a coding representation in which symbols, letters and numbers are

presented in binary language.

• Refer to the Table in the text book on Page 51 and do the example:

“Manchester was decimated”

ASCII
• It's a 7-bit character code where every single bit represents a unique
character.
• Its gvt standard in the USA and it is widely used in the world .

• Refer to the Table in the text book on Page 52 and do the example:

“Manchester was decimated”

Unicode
• Overcome the limitations of ASCII and EBCDIC of failing to include all
symbols in English Language and many technical symbols used in
engineering and maths.
• It represents other languages around the world.
• To learn more about Unicode; visit www.unicode.org.