BIT 03204: Communications Systems & Technologies
L3-3: Signal Encoding Schemes
Stephen Magu Waweru
Unipolar Encoding
• A single voltage level to represent data is used. Binary one ('1') is
encoded or represented as presence of pulse (high voltage is
transmitted) and binary zero ('0') is encoded as absence of pulse(no
voltage is transmitted). 101001110
• unipolar NRZ : a High in data is represented by a positive pulse
called Mark, which has a duration T0 equal to the symbol bit
duration. A Low in data input has no pulse. Half of the bit duration
remains high but it immediately returns to zero and shows the
absence of pulse during the remaining half of the bit duration.
Unipolar Encoding
Advantages of Unipolar Signaling
i. Unipolar NRZ requires less bandwidth (BW).
ii. Spectral line present at symbol rate in unipolar RZ can be
used as clock.
Disadvantages of Unipolar Signaling
iii. No clock is present in unipolar NRZ.
iv. Low frequency components in the signal waveforms may
cause signal droop (Unipolar NRZ). In Unipolar RZ signal
droop is caused at places where signal is non-zero at 0 hertz.
v. No error correction is done (in both unipolar NRZ and
unipolar RZ).
vi. When long string of ones and zeros are present in the data, it
leads to loss of synchronization (Unipolar NRZ).
vii. Unipolar RZ occupies twice bandwidth as unipolar NRZ.
Polar Signaling
The voltages are on both sides of the time axis i.e. the voltage
level for 0 can be negative and the voltage level for 1 can be
positive . It is further categorized into polar NRZ and polar RZ
types. Thus in Polar NRZ encoding, we make use of two levels
of voltage amplitude.
Non Return to Zero: ones and zeroes are represented by
opposite and alternating high and low voltages, Example: Data
= 101001110.
Polar RZ: signal goes to 0 in the middle of each bit.
To represent data is that for bit 1 half of the signal is represented by +V and half by
zero voltage and for bit 0 half of the signal is represented by -V and half by zero
voltage. Example: Data = 101001110
Polar Encoding cont…
Two variants: NRZ-L and NRZ-I.
NRZ-L changes voltage level at when a
different bit is encountered
NRZ-I changes voltage when a 1 is
encountered.
Polar encoding cont…
Advantages of Polar encoding / Signaling
i. It is simple technique.
ii. Low frequency components are not present.
Disadvantages of Polar Signaling
iii. No error correction.
iv. No clock is present.
v. Droop in signal is caused at locations where signal is
non zero at 0 hertz.
vi. Polar RZ signal occupies twice bandwidth than polar
NRZ
Manchester Encoding
i. Transition is used at the middle of each bit
period.(Transition is used as clock edge
and data mapping both).
ii.1 represented by : A low-to-high transition
iii.Zero(0) represented by high-to-low
transition
• Also referred as Biphase encoding or Phase Encode: involves double-checking of
the signal. Signals are checked at the beginning and in the middle. Double-checking
of the signal, makes the clock rate to be twice the rate of data transfer.
• Manchester is used by IEEE 802.3 for Ethernet LAN (Short distances).
• The clock synchronization is taken from the signal; hence it requires a greater
bandwidth. The two types of Bi-phase encoding are Differential Manchester and Bi-
phase Manchester
• Advantage: the transition serves to deriving the clock, and errors can be detected
(i.e..if there is no transition).
• Disadvantage : higher bandwidth requirement than other schemes. (A spectrum
occupies a wide band)
Differential Manchester
Features:
i. Inversion in the middle of bit interval is used for synchronization
ii. Presence of transition at the beginning of bit interval means Zero(0),
i.e.Inversion the bit=0
iii. Absence of transition at the beginning of bit interval means one (1), No
inversion, the bit =1,
NB: This encoding scheme is used by IEEE 802.5 specification for Token Ring
LAN
Manchester Vs Differential Manchester Encoding
Manchester Encoding Differential Manchester Encoding
Data representation is mapped in accordance
Each bit period's midpoint contains
with the bit start time instant and a dedicated
a transition.
mid-bit transition utilised only for clocking.
Transition is utilised for both data A bit period that begins without a transition is
mapping and clock edges. represented as 1.
The Beginning of a bit period transition is
High to Low signifies 0 and Low
represented as 0 (Inverts on 0's - the opposite
to High represents 1.
of NRZI)
Applied to IEEE 802.3 Ethernet
LAN specification (Short
distances), used in USB, and other
communication protocols to ensure Example: The IEEE 802.5 specification for
precise data delivery and device Token Ring LAN uses differential encoding.
synchronization. Its dependability and
simplicity have made it a pillar in the
world of digital communication
Bipolar Encoding
Bipolar Encoding cont…
• Bipolar encoding or signaling uses three voltage levels,
positive, negative and zero. Binary '0' is encoded as neutral
zero voltage bit 1 is represented by altering positive and
negative voltages.
• Binary ones are mapped by alternating positive and
negative voltages. Hence also referred as Alternate Mark
Inversion (AMI).
Bipolar Encoding cont…
Advantages
i. It is simple line coding type like unipolar and polar.
ii. Low frequency components are not present.
iii.Bipolar signal occupies low bandwidth than unipolar and
polar NRZ types.
iv. Signal droop (decline in pulse) does not occur in bipolar
type unlike unipolar and polar.
Single error detection is possible.
Disadvantages
v. Clock is not present.
vi.Long string of 1's and 0's cause loss of synchronization.
Importance of modulation
1. Reduction in the height of antenna
2. Avoids mixing of signals
3. Increases the range of
communication
4. Multiplexing is possible
5. Improves quality of reception
Importance of modulation
1. Reduction in the height of antenna
• The Dimension of antennae is expressed in terms of wavelength(λ). Frequency of
an electromagnetic wave in free space is related to the speed of light (c) . i.e. λ =
c /f .
• The antenna size is inversely proportional to the frequency of the radiated signal.
Increasing the frequency through modulating reduce the height of the antenna.
Such that low frequencies imply large wavelengths => low frequency antennae are
large. (The most common form of monopole antennae is such that its length is one
quarter of the wavelength of radio waves)
• Transmission and reception Conversion efficiency for radio signals is highest
when the antennae is ¼ of wavelength. Therefore the antenna height must be
multiple of λ/4 ,where λ is the wavelength . λ = c /f where c: is the velocity of light
( 300,000,000 hertz=3*108m/s), f: is the frequency of the signal to be transmitted.
The minimum antenna height required to transmit a baseband signal of f = 10 kHz
(10,000HZ):
• The antenna height would make impractical to install.
• The frequency should be bigger to have an antennae that can be installed
Importance of modulation
2. Avoids mixing of signals
• If the baseband sound signals are transmitted without using
the modulation by more than one transmitter, then all the
signals will be in the same frequency range i.e.. 0 to 20 kHz .
Therefore, all the signals get mixed together and a receiver
can not separate them from each other .
• Transmission of video, voice or data bit streams being sent on
the same frequency range would cause overlapping of
channels (resulting in interference).
• Hence, if each baseband sound signal is used to modulate a
different carrier then they will occupy different slots in the
frequency domain (different channels). Thus, modulation
avoids mixing of signals .
Importance of modulation
3. Increase the Range of Communication
• Attenuation: The frequency of baseband signal ( voice, video, and bit streams from
computers) is low, and can not travel long distance when they are transmitted since they
loose strength with increase in distance. The modulation process increases the frequency
( and hence the range of communication) of the signal by superimposition with carrier
wave to be transmitted.
4. Multiplexing is possible
• Multiplexing is a process in which two or more signals can be transmitted over the same
communication channel simultaneously .
• This is possible only with modulation which is also important to allocate more channels
for users
• The multiplexing allows the same channel to be used by many signals . Hence, many TV
channels can use the same frequency range, without getting mixed with each other or
different frequency signals can be transmitted at the same time .
5. Improves Quality of Reception
• Frequency modulation (FM) and the digital communication techniques i.e.. PCM, reduces
Assignment Question TWO
• 2 Explain WDM and Statistical TDM
a) Features of Systems that employ the
techniques
b) Application and advancement in
transmission technologies
Reference
• D.K.Sharma, A. Mishra & S. Rajiv (2010). Analog & Digital Modulation
Techniques: An Overview. Technia International Journal of Computing
Science and Communication Technologies, 3(1)
W.L.John & Wiley (2018). Communication Systems. Principles using
MatLab.
• O. A. Samuel & N.O. Matthew (2017 ).Principles of Modern
Communication systems . Cambridge University Press
• https://ecomputernotes.com/computernetworkingnotes/communication-
networks/twisted-pair
• https://www.slideshare.net/WayneJonesJnr/chapter-3-data-and-signals
• https://flylib.com/books/en/4.329.1.81/1/
• https://www.pulsemotor.com/global/Engineering/Glossary/NRZ_(=Non_
Return_to_Zero)_code.html
• Digital Transmission in Computer Network
• https://www.tutorialspoint.com/data_communication_computer_network
/digital_transmission.htm
