Sistemas de Comunicação

Fundamentals of mathematical analysis, including differential and integral calculus fundamentals.
Notions of statistics and probabilities.
Notions of electrical engineering, electrical circuits and electrical measurements.
Notions of logic and digital systems, representation and conversion between number bases.
Base concepts of signal representation and processing.

Motivation and presentation of themes in theoretical classes, including small practical examples.
Detailed resolution of exercises for real applications in TP classes, including mini-tests and previous exams, as well as exercises proposed by the students.
A practical assessment component through the execution of laboratory work with a report, including the respective individual defense.
Suggestion of quality study elements available in the Internet, especially in Youtube.

Note: The description above applies only to classes in the day course. In the after-work course, no classes of any kind will be taught this academic year. Specific individual support may be provided, to be arranged on a case-by-case basis.

Objectives:

To understand the fundamentals of communication systems and to develop the ability to calculate and
analyze simple analog and digital communication systems’ applications, without and with noise analysis.
Special attention is given to the ITED Project.

Skills:
To understand: the information concept and the representation of information by means of electrical signals;
the signal representation in time and frequency; the representation of linear systems by the transfer function;
the nature, representation and effects of noise and interference;
the limitations of physical channels to the transmission of information signals;
(and to know) the baseband transmission techniques including examples of interfaces;
the principles and the motivations to use modulation;
(and to know) the more representative analog and digital modulation techniques;
the principles of light and radio propagation applied to fiber optics and radio communications;
the advantages and principles of communication networks.

Lectures:

Signals and noise.
Basic notions of information theory.
Source and channel encoding.
Physical transmission media.
Limitations of physical channels.
Bandwidth and capacity. Baseband transmission.
Analog modulation techniques.
Digital modulation techniques.
Propagation fundamentals.
Power balances and applications.
Applications of power balances to telecommunications installations in buildings (ITED).
Notions of Interfaces. Notions of networks.
Basics of Information, Entropy, Redundancy and Coding.
Simplified examples of communication systems:
fixed and mobile telephone network, radio broadcasting and DVB-T, Radio Beams, RS232 and I2C local interfaces, examples IoT (LoRa).

Laboratory work with evaluation:
Decomposition and synthesis of periodic signals in Fourier Series (manual and using Matlab);
Simulation and experimental determination of the transfer function and bandwidth of a filter;
Simulation and experimental measurement of linear and non-linear distortion in communication systems (optional);
Analog communication with thermal noise – metallic cables, optical fibers, radio beams, satellite connections and sensor networks;
AM and FM modulation simulation (optional); RS232 and/or I2C and/or SPI  serial transmission (optional);

Exercises:
Introduction to MatLab for signal processing of communication signals;
Signal classification; Phasor representation, power signals and Fourier series;
Energy Signals and Fourier Transform;
Fourier Transform, Transfer Function and Filters;
Power balances and analog communication;
Thermal noise and analog communication with noise and without noise;
Notions of power and noise balances in digital communications.

Exam - 14 points (out of 20), minimum of 6 (out of 14).
The student can take 2 mini-tests in theoretical classes, 30 min each and with 1 week notice, which will contribute with a maximum of 1 point each (and a minimum of 0.5) for the final exam.
Participation in lectures and theoretical-practical classes
The use of mini-tests in the final assessment (if greater than 0.5) is the student's option.
Date of Mini-Test I: planned for the lecture class in the 5th week - to agree with the Course Coordinator;
Date of Mini-Test II: planned for the lecture class in the 10th week - to agree with the Course Coordinator;
Execution and defense of laboratory work reports - 5 points, minimum 3.5 points.
The laboratory work reports are delivered in the laboratory class following its conclusion.
The laboratory work and respective reports are performed in groups of 2 students (as a rule) and there is an individual defense of the reports in the last laboratory class of the semester.
Approval in the laboratory component needs the presence in the laboratory classes allowing 2 non-justified absences.

Note: The above rules apply to students who can attend the daytime program. Students who have attended and passed the practical component in previous academic years only need to be assessed in the final exam. Students who have not passed the practical component in previous academic years and who cannot attend a daytime class, in addition to the final exam, will take a practical and laboratory test with questions and experiments that will focus on the topics of the practical work.

NAO