DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

COURSE CODE: TEL 436

COURSE TITLE: COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS II

PRACTICAL LABORATORY MANUAL

Experiment 1 – Signal Sampling & Reconstructing

Objectives:

 S/H (Sample and Hold) as a sampling method.

 PAM (Pulse amplitude Modulation) as a sampling method.
 PCM – Pulse code Modulation.
 The influence of the sampling frequency on the quality of the
reconstruction.

Equipment Required:

 TPS-3491
 Power supply
 Banana wires
 Flat cables

Discussion:
In this experiment, we will connect a signal to the ADC input, convert it to a
binary number and then reconstruct it with the DAC.

Figure 2-00

We will do the conversion in a number of sampling methods.

The TPS-3491 trainer includes 3 switches which determine the sampling and
reconstructing method, according to the binary number they indicate.

The ADC in the trainer operates the conversion according to the clock in the
system. The clock rate can be changed discretely and not in continuous form.
The clock has 4 different rates.
Usually, a special system is built for each sampling and modulation method.
The TPS-3491 trainer is aimed for demonstrating the various methods, and that
is why it is built in a special way. The ADC is controlled by its own micro-
controller and the DAC is controlled by its own micro-controller. In this way,
several sampling and conversion methods can be displayed in the system and
the desired method can be picked by switches.

2.0.1 Sample and Hold (S/H)

In this method, in each sampling, the signal at the ADC input is held in its last
value until the next sampling. The sampling and holding of the signal is done
usually at the ADC input in the following way:

Signal In Signal Out

Clock

Figure 2-02

If the input signal is a sine, the output signal will be as follows:

Figure 2-03
The described switch is an electronic switch (Analog Switch). At every clock
pulse, the switch closes and the capacitor is charged with the input signal
voltage. Afterwards, the switch opens and the voltage is kept on the capacitor
until the next clock pulse.

S/H is used mostly at the ADC inputs to hold a constant voltage during the
conversion.
If the voltage at the ADC input would have changed during the conversion, it
could have caused a major error even if the change is small. It depends on the
conversion method and the input voltage.
For example, if the conversion result should have been 1000,0000 and the
voltage would have change a little and causes the data to be 0111,1111 during
the conversion, then we could have received a result of 1111,1111 instead of
1000,0000.
The ADC in the trainer includes a S/H circuit at its input. To demonstrate the
S/H operation, we connect the ADC outputs to the DAC inputs. At the selecting
switches for the sampling method we set the combination 000. AT this state, the
system's output (the DAC output) will behave as the S/H system output.

2.0.2 Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM)

In this method we convert a continuous signal to a series of pulses where each
pulse magnitude is equal to the magnitude of the sampled signal at that time.
Between the samples, the output signal voltage is 0V.
This sampling system looks like this:

Signal In Signal Out

K
Clock

Figure 2-04
If the input signal is a sine, the output signal will be as follows:

Figure 2-05
The time between the samplings could be much bigger than the sampling time
(the pulse width).

This method is used when we want to transmit a number of analog signals on

one channel. This method is called Time Division Multiplex – TDM.

During the sampling, the sampled signal is transmitted and between the sampled
other signal samples are transmitted.

The receiving system separates the samples and reconstructs the sampled
signals.

To demonstrate the PAM method, we also connect here the ADC outputs to the
DAC inputs. At the select switches we set the combination 001. In this state, the
system's output (the DAC output) will behave as the PAM system output.
2.0.3 Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)
The encoding operation is an analog signal sampling by an ADC and converting
it to binary numbers. In this way, the analog signal becomes a collection of
binary numbers. The collection of numbers can be transmitted digitally (parallel
or serial), at the same rate of the sampling or at another rate, to be stored in the
memory etc.

The pulses' number of bits is a function of the conversion resolution. For speech
signals at the switchboard, it is customary to use an 8-bit conversion resolution.
For music storage (on CD's for example), a much higher conversion resolution
is used.

Reconstructing a signal from its codes is done with the DAC. Naturally, we
receive a stair shape signal according to the conversion resolution.

In order to smooth the signal at the DAC output, it passes through the filter,
which filters the high harmonies and transfers the discrete signal to an analog
signal.

The PCM modulation is an uneconomical conversion method in data bits. For

example, assume that the signal is sampled in a rate of 8000 (8K) samples per
second. It means that every second of speech or music is represented by 8 * 8K
bits (64K bits).

This also expands the required transmission rate. A standard direct digital
transmission is really 64K bits per second.
2.0.4 Delta Modulation (DM)
Delta modulation saves the number of bits required for signal encoding.
In this method, every sample is represented by a single bit ('0' or '1'). At each
sample, the system builds an analog signal by raising or lowering the previous
value in a constant step. The system compares this signal with the sampled
analog signal and makes a decision about the next step. Each decision creates '0'
or '1' bit accordingly.
A sine signal for example, will be translated to a digital signal in a delta
modulation as follows:

t
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1

Figure 2-06
The sampling system builds the graded signal and compares it with the sampled
signal. The binary information is accordingly. Notice that in a signal with a fast
change, points exists where the graded signal cannot follow accurately after the
sampling signal because of the fast change.
For example:

t
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1

Figure 2-0.7

As the sampling frequency is higher, the steps are smaller and the closeness of
the reconstructed signal to the original signal is bigger.

A straight line will be described by the digits 0101010101. Why?

Delta modulation is more economical (by 8) than the PCM method.

2.0.5 The sampling frequency influence on the

reconstruction quality
As higher the sampling frequency, the steps received at the reconstructed signal
are smaller and the closeness to the original signal is bigger.

In mathematical processing as in filters operation (which performs the

mathematical processing) we can also reconstruct the analog signal in low
sampling frequency.

There is a sampling law, which determines that a signal can be reconstructed if

the sampling frequency is at least bigger than twice of its frequency.

It seems strange, because for example if we take a sine signal and sample it
twice in a cycle, we get a rectangular wave not similar at all to the sine signal.
But if we activate a filter on it, which filters all the high harmonies, we get a
sine wave anew from the square wave.
Procedure:
Step 1: Connect the TPS-3491 to the power supply.

Step 2: Connect the power supply to the Mains.

Step 3: Set the panel switches as follows:

S1 – 1CH
S2 – LNR (Linear)
S3 – AMR (not important)
S4 – 0
S5 – 0
S6 – 0
S12 – Clock
S15 – F2
S16 – High

ADC – DAC:

Step 4: Connect the ADC input to the DAC output.

Step 5: Connect the ADC output to the LEDs aside it.

Step 6: Connect the switches output to the DAC input.

ADC LEDs
Output Input
Signal J6 J4
In Analog To Digital
Compressor

DAC Switches
Input Output
J8 J10
Signal
Out Digital To Analog
Expander

Step 7: Connect the mulitester to the DAC output.

Step 8: Change the DAC switches and check the LEDs changing at the ADC.
Measure the DAC output voltage.

Step 9: Change the S12 switch toward the Manual Switch.

Step 10: Change the switches according to the following table, press the
Manual switch three times (for accurate transfer) and fill in the table:

Switches Hex. Decimal Output LEDs

Status No. Value Voltage Status
00000000 00H 0
00000001 01H 1
00000010 02H 2
00000100 04H 4
00001000 08H 8
00010000 10H 16
00100000 20H 32
01000000 40H 64
10000000 80H 128
11111111 FFH 255

Step 11: Conclude your conclusions about the conversion accuracy.

Step 12: Disconnect the DAC input from the switches.

Step 13: Disconnect the ADC input form the DAC output.

Step 14: Connect the LEDs output to the DAC input.

Step 15: Connect the ADC input to the Vvar output.
 ADC LEDs LEDs
Output Input Output
Signal J6 J5
In Analog To Digital
J4
Compressor
Vvar

DAC
Input
J8
Signal
Out Digital To Analog
Expander
Voltmeter

Step 16: Change the Vvar, press the Manual Switch 3 times and fill in the
following table:

Analog LED's Hex. No. Analog Output

Input Binary
No.
0V
0.5V
1V
1.5V
2V
2.5V
3V
3.5V
4V
4.5V

Sample and Hold (S/H):

Step 17: Disconnect the ADC input from the Vvar output.

Step 18: Connect the ADC input to the Out output of the system's signal
generator.

Step 19: Move the SESLAB state to the Auto state and activate the SESCOPE
software.
Step 20: Connect the CH1 input to the signal generator output.

Sinus wave:

Step 21: Set a sinus signal at 2V (4Vp-p) amplitude at 500Hz frequency.

Step 22: Connect the CH2 input to the DAC output.

Step 23: Draw the received signal.

Step 24: change the sampling frequency to F1.

Step 25: Draw the received signal.

Step 26: Set the sampling frequency back to F2.

Step 27: Gradually raise the generator's frequency and observe the output
signal.

Step 28: Draw the received signal at 1000Hz and 1500Hz.

Note:

Passing the signal through a band pass filter or a low pass filter will
slide it and we will get a sine signal similar to the input signal.

The TPS-3491 has a Low Pass Filter (LPF) module.

Step 29: Connect the DAC output to the LPF module input.

Step 30: Connect the CH2 probe to the LPF module output.
Step 31: Set a sinus signal at 2V (4Vp-p) amplitude at 500Hz frequency.

Step 32: Connect the CH2 input to the DAC output.

Step 33: Draw the received signal.

Step 34: change the sampling frequency to F1.

Step 35: Draw the received signal.

Step 36: Set the sampling frequency back to F2.

Step 37: Gradually raise the generator's frequency and observe the output
signal.

Step 38: Draw the received signal at 1000Hz and 1500Hz.

Triangle wave:

Step 39: Set a triangle signal at 2V (4Vp-p) amplitude at 500Hz frequency.

Step 40: Connect the CH2 input to the DAC output.

Step 41: Draw the received signal.

Step 42: Change the sampling frequency to F1.

Step 43: Draw the received signal.

Step 44: Set the sampling frequency back to F2.

Step 45: Gradually raise the generator's frequency and observe the output
signal.

Step 46: Draw the received signal at 1000Hz and 1500Hz.

Step 47: Connect the DAC output to the LPF module input.

Step 48: Connect the CH2 probe to the LPF module output.

Step 49: Set a triangle signal at 2V (4Vp-p) amplitude at 500Hz frequency.

Step 50: Connect the CH2 input to the DAC output.

Step 51: Draw the received signal.

Step 52: Change the sampling frequency to F1.

Step 53: Draw the received signal.

Step 54: Set the sampling frequency back to F2.

Step 55: Gradually raise the generator's frequency and observe the output
signal.
Step 56: Draw the received signal at 1000Hz and 1500Hz.
PAM:

Step 57: Set the 001 combination at switches S4-S6. This combination sets the
system to PAM mode.

Step 58: Set the generator's signal to 500Hz (4Vp-p) frequency.

Step 59: Draw the Dac's output signal for a triangle wave and a sine wave.
Voice sampling and its reconstruction:
Step 60: Disconnect the ADC input form the generator.
Step 61: Connect the ADC input to the preamplifier output.
Step 62: Insert the microphone in the preamplifier input.
Step 63: Connect the DAC output to the audio amplifier input.
Step 64: Set the clock frequency to F2 at the high range.
Step 65: Speak to the microphone and hear your voice in the speaker.
Step 66: Change the audio amplifier gain until you get a quality voice.
Step 67: Change the clock frequency to F1.
Check how it affects the quality of the reconstructed voice.
Step 68: Return the clock frequency to F2.
Step 69: Connect the DAC output to the LPF input.
Step 70: Connect the LPF output to the Audio amplifier input.
Step 71: Speak to the microphone and check how it affects the quality of the
reconstructed voice.
Experiment report:
1) Gather all you experiments results and measures. Above each result in the
table write the experiment name and draw the experiment circuit.
2) Compare the measured value to the written value.