TE312: Introduction to Digital

Telecommunications
Part II: Baseband Digital Transmission

Lecture #6
PCM Waveforms

Contents
PCM Waveforms (Line Codes)
Types of Line Codes
Characteristics of Line Codes

Introduction
There are basically two types of transmission of digital
signals
Baseband digital transmission: the digital data is
transmitted over the channel directly
o No carrier signal
o Suitable for transmission over short distances
Passband digital transmission: The digital data modulates
high frequency sinusoidal carrier
o Also called digital carrier modulation
o Suitable for transmission over long distances

Introduction
Analog-to-Digital conversion systems convert an analog
message signal into a sequence of binary digits (bits).
For transmission of binary data through a baseband
channel, each bit in the bit stream is represented with an
electrical pulse.
For PCM systems the resulting baseband
waveform is called a PCM waveform or line code.

binary

Line Codes
The following block diagram models a line coder.

The input is a sequence of values an which is a function of the

th

data bit bn [1,0]

The output s (t ) is a waveform, expressed as

s (t )

an g (t nTb ) ,

where g (t ) is a pulse shape and Tb is the

bit period

For a PCM system,Tb

Ts

, n is number of bits per sample

Line Codes
Three basic mapping bn an are unipolar, polar (antipodal) and
bipolar (pseudoternary).
1.

Unipolar Mapping

A for bn 1 (mark )
an
0 for bn 0 ( space)
3.

2.

Polar Mapping

A
an
A

for bn 1 (mark )
for bn 0 ( space)

Bipolar Mapping

A for bn 1 (mark ) & an1 A

an A for bn 1 (mark ) & an1 A

0 for b 0 ( space)

Line Codes
Pulse shapes g (t ) are defined assuming that each bit is centered
on an integer multiple of Tb
Three basic pulse shapes are non-return-to-zero (NRZ), returnto-zero (RZ) and split-phase
1. Non-return-to-zero Pulse

t 1 t Tb / 2
g (t )
Tb 0 elswhr

Line Codes
2. Return-to-zero Pulse
t 1 t Tb / 4
g (t )

Tb / 2 0 elswhr

3. Split-phase Pulse
t 1 - Tb / 2 t 0
g (t )

Tb / 2 1 0 t Tb / 2

Types of Line Codes

(i) Unipolar NRZ Line Code: This code uses the unipolar
mapping and the NRZ pulse shape.

Unipolar NRZ Line Code

Types of Line Codes

(ii) Unipolar RZ Line Code: This code uses the unipolar
mapping and the RZ pulse shape.

Unipolar RZ Line Code

Types of Line Codes

(iii) Polar NRZ Line Code: This code uses the polar
(antipodal) mapping and the NRZ pulse shape.

Polar NRZ Line Code

Types of Line Codes

(iv) Polar RZ Line Code: This code uses the polar
(antipodal) mapping and the RZ pulse shape.

Polar RZ Line Code

Types of Line Codes

(v) Bipolar NRZ Line Code: This code uses the bipolar
(pseudoternary) mapping and the NRZ pulse shape.

Bipolar NRZ Line Code

Types of Line Codes

(vi) Bipolar RZ Line Code: This code uses the bipolar
(pseudoternary, alternate mark inversion - AMI)
mapping and the RZ pulse shape.

Bipolar RZ Line Code

Types of Line Codes

(vii) Manchester Line Code: This code uses the polar
(antipodal) mapping and the split-phase pulse shape.

Manchester Line Code

Desirable Properties of Line codes

i. Self-Synchronization
Several line codes provide information for recovering
timing of the start and the end of each bit.
It is desirable that a long series same binary number
should not cause a problem in time recovery
Manchester codes have the best self-synchronization
capability as they always have a zero crossing in the
center of each bit.
Polar RZ codes have good self-synchronization
capability.
NRZ codes have poor self-synchronization capability

Desirable Properties of Line codes

ii. Noise Immunity
Some line codes perform better than the others in
combating channel noise and interference with low
probability of bit error.
Polar line codes perform better than unipolar or bipolar
codes i.e. for the same energy per bit, polar line codes
exhibit less probability of bit error.

Desirable Properties of Line codes

iii. Error Detection Capabilities
Some line codes provide the receiver with the ability to
detect bit errors due to channel noise. (By the addition
of channel encoders and decoders, or incorporated into
the line code)
iv. Low Probability of Bit Error
Receivers can be designed that will recover the binary
data with a low probability of bit error when the input
data is corrupted by noise or ISI

Desirable Properties of Line codes

v. Small Transmission Bandwidth
This should be as small as possible.
vi. Cost and Complexity of Implementation