Signal transmission

Data transmission (also data communication or digital communications) is the transfer of

data ie a digital bitstream or a digitized analog signal over a point-to-point or point-to-
multipoint communication channel. Examples of such channels are copper wires, optical
fibers, wireless communication channels, storage media and computer buses. The data are
represented as an electromagnetic signal, such as an electrical voltage, radiowave,
microwave, or infrared signal.

 Medium of signal transmission

1.Copper conductor

Copper has been used in electrical wiring since the invention of the electromagnet and the
telegraph in the 1820s.[1][2] The invention of the telephone in 1876 created further
demand for copper wire as an electrical conductor.[3]
Copper is the electrical conductor in many categories of electrical wiring.[3][4] Copper
wire is used in power generation, power transmission, power distribution,
telecommunications, electronics circuitry, and countless types of electrical equipment.[5]
Electrical wiring in buildings is the most important market for the copper industry.[6]

Applications[edit]
Communications wiring[edit]
Twisted pair cable[edit]
Twisted pair cabling is the most popular network cable and is often used in data networks
for short and medium length connections (up to 100 meters or 328 feet).[28] This is due
to its relatively lower costs compared to optical fiber and coaxial cable.
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables are the primary cable type for telephone usage. In
the late 20th century, UTPs emerged as the most common cable in computer networking
cables, especially as patch cables or temporary network connections.[29] They are
increasingly used in video applications, primarily in security cameras.
Coaxial cable[edit]
Coaxial cables were extensively used in mainframe computer systems and were the first
type of major cable used for Local Area Networks (LAN). Common applications for
coaxial cable today include computer network (Internet) and instrumentation data
connections, video and CATV distribution, RF and microwave transmission, and
feedlines connecting radio transmitters and receivers with their antennas.
Structured wiring
Structured wiring enables computers to communicate with each other error-free
and at high speeds while resisting interference among various electrical sources, such
 as household appliances and external communications signals. Networked computers
are able to share high-speed Internet connections simultaneously. Structured wiring
can also connect computers with printers, scanners, telephones, fax machines, and
even home security systems and home entertainment equipment.

Power distribution

Power distribution is the final stage in the delivery of electricity for an end use. A power
distribution system carries electricity from the transmission system to consumers.
Power cables are used for the transmission and distribution of electric power, either
outdoors or inside buildings.

2.Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to
a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair.[1] Optical fibers are used most often
as a means to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber and find wide usage in
fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at
higher bandwidths (data rates) than electrical cables. Fibers are used instead of metal
wires because signals travel along them with less loss; in addition, fibers are immune to
electromagnetic interference, a problem from which metal wires suffer excessively.
Specially designed fibers are also used for a variety of other applications, some of them
being fiber optic sensors and fiber lasers.[4]
Optical fibers typically include a core surrounded by a transparent cladding material with
a lower index of refraction. Light is kept in the core by the phenomenon of total internal
reflection which causes the fiber to act as a waveguide.[5] Fibers that support many
propagation paths or transverse modes are called multi-mode fibers, while those that
support a single mode are called single-mode fibers (SMF).
 Applications

 Sensors[edit]
Fibers have many uses in remote sensing. In some applications, the sensor is itself an
optical fiber. Depending on the application, fiber may be used because of its small size, or
the fact that no electrical power is needed at the remote location, or because many sensors
can be multiplexed along the length of a fiber by using different wavelengths of light for
each sensor, or by sensing the time delay as light passes along the fiber through each
sensor.
Optical fibers can be used as sensors to measure strain, temperature, pressure, and other
quantities by modifying a fiber so that the property to measure modulates the intensity,
phase, polarization, wavelength, or transit time of light in the fiber. Sensors that vary the
intensity of light are the simplest, since only a simple source and detector are required. A
particularly useful feature of such fiber optic sensors is that they can, if required, provide
distributed sensing over distances of up to one meter.
 Power transmission
Optical fiber can be used to transmit power using a photovoltaic cell to convert the light
into electricity.[45] While this method of power transmission is not as efficient as
conventional ones, it is especially useful in situations where it is desirable not to have a
metallic conductor as in the case of use near MRI machines, which produce strong
magnetic fields.

 Communication
Optical fiber is used as a medium for telecommunication and computer networking
because it is flexible and can be bundled as cables. It is especially advantageous for long-
distance communications, because light propagates through the fiber with much lower
attenuation compared to electrical cables. This allows long distances to be spanned with
few repeaters.
The per-channel light signals propagating in the fiber have been modulated at rates as
high as 111 gigabits per second (Gbit/s) by NTT,[35][36] although 10 or 40 Gbit/s is
typical in deployed systems.[37][38]
Each fiber can carry many independent channels, each using a different wavelength of
light (wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM)).

3.Wireless
Wireless communication, or sometimes simply wireless, is the transfer of
information or power between two or more points that are not connected by an electrical
conductor. The most common wireless technologies use radio waves. With radio waves
distances can be short, such as a few meters for Bluetooth or as far as millions of
kilometers for deep-space radio communications. It encompasses various types of fixed,
mobile, and portable applications, including two-way radios, cellular telephones, personal
digital assistants (PDAs), and wireless networking.

 Modes
 Radio
Radio and microwave communication carry information by modulating properties of
electromagnetic waves transmitted through space.
 Free-space optical
Free-space optical communication (FSO) is an optical communication technology that
uses light propagating in free space to transmit wirelessly data for telecommunications or
computer networking. "Free space" means the light beams travel through the open air or
outer space. The technology is useful where physical connections are impractical due to
high costs or other considerations. Another widely used example is consumer IR devices
such as remote controls and IrDA (Infrared Data Association) networking, which is used
as an alternative to WiFi networking to allow laptops, PDAs, printers, and digital cameras
to exchange data.
 Sonic
Sonic, especially ultrasonic short range communication involves the transmission and
reception of sound.
 Electromagnetic induction
Electromagnetic induction has short range communication and power. This has been used
in biomedical situations such as pacemakers, as well as for short-range Rfid tags.

 Services
Common examples of wireless equipment include.
Infrared and ultrasonic remote control devices
Consumer and professional Marine VHF radios.
Airband and radio navigation equipment used by aviators and air traffic control
Cellular telephones and pagers: provide connectivity for portable and mobile
applications, both personal and business.
Global Positioning System (GPS): allows drivers of cars and trucks, captains of boats and
ships, and pilots of aircraft to ascertain their location anywhere on earth.[9]
Cordless computer peripherals: the cordless mouse is a common example; wireless
headphones, keyboards, and printers can also be linked to a computer via wireless using
technology such as Wireless USB or Bluetooth
Cordless telephone sets: these are limited-range devices, not to be confused with cell
phones.
Satellite television: Is broadcast from satellites in geostationary orbit. Typical services use
direct broadcast satellite to provide multiple television channels to viewers.