Communication Systems: Analysis and Design
Using three parallel teaching approaches—rigorous mathematical, graphical, and intuitive, this book offers various types of learners a practical and deep understanding of communication systems. Emphasis on the theme of cost vs. performance tradeoffs throughout the book provides a framework and motivation for all the topics examined in it. Fundamentals of frequency domain analysis are reinforced through graphical techniques and communications-oriented examples. Chapter topics cover digital baseband modulation techniques, baseband receiver design, digital bandpass modulation and demodulation techniques, multiplexing techniques, analog-to-digital conversion, basics of information theory and data compression, and basics of error control coding. For electrical engineers interested in the field of communication systems and digital communications.
Why Read This Book
You will get a balanced, practical grounding in communication systems that blends rigorous math, clear graphical intuition, and real-world design tradeoffs — particularly cost vs. performance. Stern teaches not just how systems work but how to evaluate and choose modulation, receiver and coding strategies for real engineering constraints.
Who Will Benefit
Upper‑level undergraduates, graduate students, and practicing electrical engineers who need a practical, systems‑level understanding of modulation, receiver design, sampling, and coding for communications.
Level: Intermediate — Prerequisites: Introductory signals and systems (Fourier/transform methods), linear systems, basic probability and random processes, calculus, and elementary circuit theory.
Key Takeaways
- Analyze noise, SNR, and frequency‑domain behavior to predict system performance under realistic conditions
- Design and compare digital baseband and bandpass modulation schemes (e.g., PSK, QAM, FSK) and their receivers
- Design matched filters, correlator receivers, and practical baseband receiver architectures
- Apply sampling, quantization, and ADC/DAC principles to connect analog and digital domains
- Assess cost vs. performance tradeoffs and make engineering choices across modulation, multiplexing, and coding
- Apply basic information theory and error‑control coding ideas to improve link reliability and spectral efficiency
Topics Covered
- 1. Introduction and System Concepts
- 2. Frequency‑Domain Fundamentals and Graphical Techniques
- 3. Noise, Random Processes, and Performance Metrics
- 4. Analog Communications and Bandpass Concepts
- 5. Digital Baseband Modulation and Pulse Shaping
- 6. Baseband Receiver Design and Matched Filtering
- 7. Digital Bandpass Modulation and Demodulation (PSK, QAM, FSK)
- 8. Multiplexing and Multiple‑Access Techniques
- 9. Sampling, Quantization, and Analog‑to‑Digital Conversion
- 10. Spectral Analysis, FFTs, and Practical Considerations
- 11. Basics of Information Theory and Data Compression
- 12. Fundamentals of Error Control Coding
- 13. System Design Examples: Cost vs. Performance Tradeoffs
- Appendices: Mathematical Tools and Reference Material
Languages, Platforms & Tools
How It Compares
More application‑focused and visually intuitive than Proakis' Digital Communications, and less signal‑processing–heavy than Haykin, Stern emphasizes practical cost/performance tradeoffs alongside rigorous analysis.
