FUNDAMENTALS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: Sergio PALAZZOExpected Learning Outcomes
The educational objectives of the Fundamentals of Telecommunications course are as follows:
1. Knowledge and understanding: the student will learn the basic knowledge of analog and digital
techniques for the remote transmission of information and the fundamentals of telecommunication networks, in
particular the architecture and network protocols;
2. Applying knowledge and understanding: the knowledge of an applicative nature, acquired through the
exercises and the laboratory, will concern the ability to design and configure telecommunications systems
starting from a knowledge and understanding of all the techniques that characterize the different phases of
signal processing and information management between source and destination; the student will acquire
problem solving and teamwork skills.
3. Making judgments: the teaching will stimulate autonomy of judgment and evaluation of the conditions in
which to apply the techniques and tools for the design of the physical level that characterizes a
telecommunications system;
4. Communication skills: the teaching is based on the use of a language specific to the studies relating to
telecommunication techniques and systems which will become the basis of the communication activity set up
by the student;
5. Learning skills: learning skills will be stimulated by critical knowledge of the topics covered in the teaching,
made possible by attendance at lectures, laboratory activities and the study of reference texts.
1. Knowledge and understanding: the student will learn the basic knowledge of analog and digital
techniques for the remote transmission of information and the fundamentals of telecommunication networks, in
particular the architecture and network protocols;
2. Applying knowledge and understanding: the knowledge of an applicative nature, acquired through the
exercises and the laboratory, will concern the ability to design and configure telecommunications systems
starting from a knowledge and understanding of all the techniques that characterize the different phases of
signal processing and information management between source and destination; the student will acquire
problem solving and teamwork skills.
3. Making judgments: the teaching will stimulate autonomy of judgment and evaluation of the conditions in
which to apply the techniques and tools for the design of the physical level that characterizes a
telecommunications system;
4. Communication skills: the teaching is based on the use of a language specific to the studies relating to
telecommunication techniques and systems which will become the basis of the communication activity set up
by the student;
5. Learning skills: learning skills will be stimulated by critical knowledge of the topics covered in the teaching,
made possible by attendance at lectures, laboratory activities and the study of reference texts.
Course Structure
The course, which consists of 89 hours of teaching, exercises and laboratory, is delivered in co-teaching (6 + 3
CFU). The 3 CFUs concern in particular section n. 9 of the program.
The teachers are also available for online reception meetings, by appointment.
CFU). The 3 CFUs concern in particular section n. 9 of the program.
The teachers are also available for online reception meetings, by appointment.
Required Prerequisites
Signal Theory (Fourier Series, Modulation Theorem, Filters, Frequency Analysis, Sampling, Statistical Indices,
Probability Density Function)
Probability Density Function)
Attendance of Lessons
The course does not have mandatory attendance, but it is strongly suggested for passing the written test.
Detailed Course Content
DETAILED COURSE CONTENT
1 Introduction
Organization of the course, the history of TLC, general description of a communication system, analog and
digital sources, transducers. Telephone signal features. Transducers. Definitions of bit-rate, SNR, BER, SER.
Performance parameters of a communication system. Audio frequencies, sound pressure, distribution of
telephone signal amplitude, loss of hearing sensitivity.
2 Communication channels
Ideal, perfect, linear and continuous, linear and non-permanent, non-linear channel. Harmonic distortion
coefficient. Equalization. Noisy channels. Frequency division multiplexing (FDM). Guard band. Emphasis and
de-emphasis filters. Exercises.
3 Information Theory
Measure of information and entropy. Discrete sources and examples. Source coding: codes properties, length
of a code, block coding, Gray, Shannon-Fano, Huffman codes. Exercises.
4 PCM and line coding
A/D conversion. Sampling. Uniform and non-uniform quantization. PCM, A and μ law. ITU-T and ETSI voice
coding standard. Transmission and regeneration of PCM signals over noisy channels. Main binary line codes.
Multilevel coding. Exercises and laboratory.
5 Channel coding
Block codes. Code rate. Coding delay. Linear and systematic code. Generator matrix. Repetition and disparity
code. Weight and Hamming distance. Decoding delay. Interleaver. Convolutional codes.
6 Noisy quadripoles
Equivalent noise bandwidth, equivalent noise temperature, noise figure. Exercises.
7 Modulation and transmission of analog signals
Amplitude modulation and demodulation: DSB, SSB, VSB and AM; angular modulation: FM and PM; effect of
noise; modulators and demodulators; modulation techniques comparison.
8 Baseband and passband digital transmission
1 Introduction
Organization of the course, the history of TLC, general description of a communication system, analog and
digital sources, transducers. Telephone signal features. Transducers. Definitions of bit-rate, SNR, BER, SER.
Performance parameters of a communication system. Audio frequencies, sound pressure, distribution of
telephone signal amplitude, loss of hearing sensitivity.
2 Communication channels
Ideal, perfect, linear and continuous, linear and non-permanent, non-linear channel. Harmonic distortion
coefficient. Equalization. Noisy channels. Frequency division multiplexing (FDM). Guard band. Emphasis and
de-emphasis filters. Exercises.
3 Information Theory
Measure of information and entropy. Discrete sources and examples. Source coding: codes properties, length
of a code, block coding, Gray, Shannon-Fano, Huffman codes. Exercises.
4 PCM and line coding
A/D conversion. Sampling. Uniform and non-uniform quantization. PCM, A and μ law. ITU-T and ETSI voice
coding standard. Transmission and regeneration of PCM signals over noisy channels. Main binary line codes.
Multilevel coding. Exercises and laboratory.
5 Channel coding
Block codes. Code rate. Coding delay. Linear and systematic code. Generator matrix. Repetition and disparity
code. Weight and Hamming distance. Decoding delay. Interleaver. Convolutional codes.
6 Noisy quadripoles
Equivalent noise bandwidth, equivalent noise temperature, noise figure. Exercises.
7 Modulation and transmission of analog signals
Amplitude modulation and demodulation: DSB, SSB, VSB and AM; angular modulation: FM and PM; effect of
noise; modulators and demodulators; modulation techniques comparison.
8 Baseband and passband digital transmission
Binary and M-ary PAM baseband transmission. Numerical modulation: ASK, FSK, PSK, QAM, OFDM.
Laboratory.
9. Telecommunication networks and systems
Network systems: General information on telecommunication networks and the Internet; network protocols and
services; layered architectures; multiplexing and switching techniques; circuit and packet switching; network
equipment and infrastructures; error and flow control; multiple access techniques (CSMA, CSMA/CD,
CSMA/CA, token passing) and their applications: Ethernet and WiFi; routing functions; congestion control;
main Internet protocols.
Laboratory.
9. Telecommunication networks and systems
Network systems: General information on telecommunication networks and the Internet; network protocols and
services; layered architectures; multiplexing and switching techniques; circuit and packet switching; network
equipment and infrastructures; error and flow control; multiple access techniques (CSMA, CSMA/CD,
CSMA/CA, token passing) and their applications: Ethernet and WiFi; routing functions; congestion control;
main Internet protocols.
Textbook Information
[1] K. Sam, Shanmugam “Digital and Analog Communication Systems”, John Wiley & Sons.
[2] Couch Leon, “Fondamenti di Telecomunicazioni”, Apogeo Education, 2002.
[3] S. Haykin, M. Moher “Introduzione alle telecomunicazioni analogiche e digitali”, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana,
2007
[4] J. Kurose, K. Ross "Reti di calcolatori e Internet", Pearson
[5] Teachers' notes.
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The exam consists of the presentation of a short essay on a topic agreed upon with the teacher and a subsequent oral test. The oral test consists of 2 or 3 questions on program topics.
To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs. Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l’integrazione Attiva e Partecipata - Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA) referring teacher within their department.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
The questions cover all topics covered in class. The exercises assigned in the written tests mainly cover
sections No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
VERSIONE IN ITALIANO
sections No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.