10s: Communications and Information Systems
10s
Communications and Information
Systems Group
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Waterloo
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Outline
Introduction to communications systems
Main specializations
Courses available
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
What is a Communication System?
Communication is the transfer of information from one
point to one or more points
Points may be stationary or mobile
The information may be acoustic sounds, photographs,
digital-video streams, data files, etc.
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Fundamental Design Problems
The communications channel (wireless/wireline)
characteristics need to be mathematically/statistically
modeled:
with sufficient detail in realistic manner, but
with minimum complexity
Given a model of the channel, how does one design the
transmitted signal for maximum robustness against
channel effects?
Given the received signal already corrupted by the
channel, how best to retrieve the transmitted
information?
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Fundamental Design Problems
The design of the transmitter/receiver have certain
practical criteria and constraints:
– Optimal versus sub-optimal solutions
– Best trade-offs?
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Three Main Specializations
Physical Layer
1. Communications Theory and Signal Processing
2. Information Theory and Coding
Network Layer
3. Communications Networks
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Three Main Specializations
1. Communications Theory
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Treats the communication channel’s underlying
electromagnetics/optics/acoustics as a black box
Models the channel as a filter
Studies transmitter/receiver sub-blocks such as:
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Modulation
Channel estimation
Equalization
Detection
Synchronization
Interference rejection
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Three Main Specializations
2. Signal Processing
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Studies source and channel coding
How to efficiently represent data?
How to protect the transmitted data against channel’s degrading
effects?
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Three Main Specializations
3. Communications Networks
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A network is defined as the interconnection of two or more
cooperating devices
Treats specializations 1 and 2 as a black box
Models information as a packet and studies
negotiation/communication protocols among the group of nodes
which forms the network
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
What is Required?
Prerequisites
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ECE 207 Signals and Systems
ECE 316 Probability Theory and Random Processes
ECE 318 Analog and Digital Communications
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Course Summary
Specialization
4A
4B
Communications
ECE 411 Digital Communications
Theory
ECE 414 Wireless Communications
Signal
Processing
ECE 413 Digital Signal Processing
ECE 415 Multimedia Communications
- starting W2012
ECE 417 Image Processing
Communication
Networks
ECE 418 Communications
Networks
ECE 419 Communication System
Security
ECE 416 Higher Level Network
Protocols
- starting W2014
Prerequisite
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Which Courses to Take?
Communication Theory
4A: ECE 411 Digital Communications
Baseband transmission techniques, digital multiplexing, line coding, pulse shaping, intersymbol
interference (ISI) and equalization. Representation of signals, vector equivalent channel models, design of
signal sets, pulse detection and matched filtering, optimum and maximum-likelihood receivers. Techniques
of digital modulation, multicarrier modulation, probability of error, synchronization, and their performance
trade-offs. Spread-spectrum communication.
4B: ECE 414 Wireless Communications (requires ECE 411)
Overview of wireless communications including standards. Characterization of mobile radio propagation
channels. Transmission and reception techniques for wireless channels. Fundamentals of cellular
communications and multiple-access schemes. Wireless networks, mobility and resource management.
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Which Courses to Take?
Signal Processing
4A: ECE 413 Digital Signal Processing
Fourier representations in discrete and continuous time. Discrete Fourier transform and fast Fourier
transform algorithms. Sampling theory. Sampling and quantization errors. Transform analysis of linear
time-invariant systems. Filter design. Discrete Hilbert transform. Introduction to filter banks and discrete
wavelet transform.
4B: ECE 415 Multimedia Communications (starting W2012)
Overview of multimedia communications system, digital representation of multimedia signals, introduction
to multimedia coding theory, entropy, rate distortion function, Huffman coding, arithmetic coding, run-length
coding, Lempel-Ziv coding, quantization, Lloyd-Max algorithm, JPEG compression, hybrid video coding,
MPEG 4 and H.264 coding standards, rate control, RTP, error control coding, unequal error protection,
error concealment, multimedia security, watermarking.
ECE 417 Image Processing
This course introduces the basic theories and methodologies of digital image processing. Topics include
intensity transformations for image enhancement, two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform, spatial and
frequency domain linear image filtering, nonlinear image filtering, binary image processing, edge detection,
image segmentation, and digital video processing basics.
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Which Courses to Take?
Communication Networks
4A: ECE 418 Communications Networks
Introduction to communications networks. Network architecture. Probabilistic description of network Queuing
analysis. Packet transmission and error control. Dynamic routing. Media access control. Connection admission
and congestion control. Design tradeoffs and performance evaluation. Application examples.
ECE 419 Communication System Security
Security architecture and infrastructure, basic principles of trust and trust models. Network domain security,
protected tunnels, and network security protocols. Access authentication, remote access, authentication models
and mechanisms, authentication servers and protocols. Broadcasting and multicast security, key tree based
multicast key distribution, and key revocation methods. Trusted platform, hardware based trust model, secure
boot, and operating system security management. Radio link protection, and seamless security for mobility.
4B: ECE 416 Higher Level Network Protocols
Requires ECE 418 and starts W2014
This course introduces higher level network protocols to build advanced services and applications. The focus is
on the concepts, the protocols, and the fundamental design principles that have contributed to the successful
development of an array of novel applications, including web-based, real-time, multimedia, and wireless. Topics
include: advanced features of the networking layer, network management protocols, routing and transport
support for next generation networks, electronic mail protocols, protocols for multimedia applications, web
services, and protocols for emerging applications.
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Pre-Enrolment
Remember that you must pre-enrol in
– October for 4A courses
– June for 4B courses
Courses with fewer than 20 students will be cancelled!
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Summary
Introduction to communications systems
Main specializations
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Communications theory
Signal processing
Communications networks
Courses available
– Four in 4A and four in 4B
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10s: Communications and Information Systems
Copyright and Disclaimer
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These slides are Copyright © 2010 by the Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering of the University of Waterloo. All rights reserved.
No warranty is given that any information in these slides is correct
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