4/25/24, 3:38 PM Analog Communication - Pulse Modulation

Analog Communication - Pulse Modulation

After continuous wave modulation, the next division is Pulse modulation. In this
chapter, let us discuss the following analog pulse modulation techniques.

Pulse Amplitude Modulation

Pulse Width Modulation
Pulse Position Modulation

Pulse Amplitude Modulation

In Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) technique, the amplitude of the pulse
carrier varies, which is proportional to the instantaneous amplitude of the message
signal.

The pulse amplitude modulated signal will follow the amplitude of the original signal,
as the signal traces out the path of the whole wave. In natural PAM, a signal sampled
at Nyquist rate can be reconstructed, by passing it through an efficient Low Pass
Filter (LPF) with exact cutoff frequency.

The following figures explain the Pulse Amplitude Modulation.

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Though the PAM signal is passed through a LPF, it cannot recover the signal without
distortion. Hence, to avoid this noise, use flat-top sampling. The flat-top PAM signal
is shown in the following figure.

Flat-top sampling is the process in which, the sampled signal can be represented
in pulses for which the amplitude of the signal cannot be changed with respect to the
analog signal, to be sampled. The tops of amplitude remain flat. This process
simplifies the circuit design.

Pulse Width Modulation

In Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) or Pulse Duration Modulation (PDM) or Pulse
Time Modulation (PTM) technique, the width or the duration or the time of the pulse

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carrier varies, which is proportional to the instantaneous amplitude of the message

signal.

The width of the pulse varies in this method, but the amplitude of the signal remains
constant. Amplitude limiters are used to make the amplitude of the signal constant.
These circuits clip off the amplitude to a desired level, and hence the noise is limited.

The following figure explains the types of Pulse Width Modulations.

There are three types of PWM.

The leading edge of the pulse being constant, the trailing edge varies
according to the message signal. The waveform for this type of PWM is
denoted as (a) in the above figure.

The trailing edge of the pulse being constant, the leading edge varies
according to the message signal. The waveform for this type of PWM is
denoted as (b) in the above figure.

The center of the pulse being constant, the leading edge and the trailing edge
varies according to the message signal. The waveform for this type of PWM is
denoted as (c) shown in the above figure.

Pulse Position Modulation

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4/25/24, 3:38 PM Analog Communication - Pulse Modulation

Pulse Position Modulation (PPM) is an analog modulation scheme in which, the

amplitude and the width of the pulses are kept constant, while the position of each
pulse, with reference to the position of a reference pulse varies according to the
instantaneous sampled value of the message signal.

The transmitter has to send synchronizing pulses (or simply sync pulses) to keep the
transmitter and the receiver in sync. These sync pulses help to maintain the position
of the pulses. The following figures explain the Pulse Position Modulation.

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Pulse position modulation is done in accordance with the pulse width modulated
signal. Each trailing edge of the pulse width modulated signal becomes the starting
point for pulses in PPM signal. Hence, the position of these pulses is proportional to
the width of the PWM pulses.

Advantage

As the amplitude and the width are constant, the power handled is also constant.

Disadvantage

The synchronization between the transmitter and the receiver is a must.

Comparison between PAM, PWM, and PPM

The following table presents the comparison between three modulation techniques.

PAM PWM PPM

Amplitude is varied Width is varied Position is varied

Bandwidth depends on Bandwidth depends on the Bandwidth depends on

the width of the pulse rise time of the pulse the rise time of the pulse

Instantaneous Instantaneous transmitter Instantaneous transmitter

transmitter power varies power varies with the power remains constant

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with the amplitude of amplitude and the width of with the width of the
the pulses the pulses pulses

System complexity is
System complexity is low System complexity is low
high

Noise interference is
Noise interference is low Noise interference is low
high

It is similar to amplitude It is similar to frequency It is similar to phase

modulation modulation modulation

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