Design and Implementation of a Communication System for Poor Quality

Communication Channels using MATLAB

Task Description

This coursework project aims to design and implement an end$-$to$-$end digital communication

link over a poor quality communication channel using MATLAB simulation software.

The end goal is to implement a wireless acoustic communication system, in which a speaker

on one computer $($running MATLAB$)$ and a microphone connected to another computer

$($running MATLAB$)$ are employed as the transmitting and receiving antennas respectively.

Many sources of noise and distortion will be present in this channel, among them: non$-$ideal

and$/$or nonlinear channel characteristics, multipath propagation, propagation delay, and

ambient noise. A large part of your brief is to study these transmission impairments and how

they can be overcome using suitable methods. Your goal is to design and implement a

communication system that achieves high bit rate throughput and reliable transmission

despite these transmission impairments.

You have full control over what simulation components and parameters to use, and you are

encouraged to try a number of different combinations of these. It is also expected that you

will make smart choices about the type$($s$)$ of modulation to choose, and compare their

performances as well. This will involve a significant amount of background research.

You should start by designing and modelling the communication system and channel in

MATLAB before implementing the final physical system. MATLAB provides a number

of non$-$ideal communication channel models for you to use in evaluating your design.

Important points:

$$ Your implementation will be at the level of MATLAB Communications Toolbox and

Communications Blockset $($i$.$e$.$ NO hardware design is required$).$

$$ Assume the data to be transmitted over the link is already digitised i$.$e analogue to

digital conversion is NOT part of the coursework task.

$32$

$$ Do not forget practical necessities such as carrier and symbol synchronization, and

automatic gain control. For instance, it might be helpful if you use a $$training$$

$($known$)$ sequence or tone, to help in symbol timing and also with equalization. You

will need to research these issues.

$$ You are not required to use data compression or error correction$/$detection coding. $32-$PSK