ECE 5604 - Computer-Aided Design and Analysis of Communication Systems (3C)

Simulation techniques for communication systems operating in random environments. Simulation models for stochastic signals and system components including coders, decoders, modulators, non-linear amplifiers, bit and carrier synchronizers, equalizers and receivers. Techniques for modeling time-varying channels. Monte Carlo simulation, semi-analytic simulation and variance reduction techniques applied to the analysis, design and performance evaluation of communication systems.

Basic courses in both analog and digital communication theory only consider highly idealized communication systems since, because of the stochastic nature of the communications channel, it is only these systems that are analytically tractable. These idealized systems are characterized by linear models and AWGN (additive, white Gaussian noise) channels. Because of both the complexity of modern communications systems, and the stochastic environment in which modern systems are required to operate, some level of computer support is almost always needed for the design, analysis and performance evaluation of these systems. This computer support almost always takes the form of simulation. Properly developed simulations provide the communications engineer with tools necessary for gaining insight into the behavior of complex systems and for using simulation as an effective design, analysis and performance evaluation tool. An understanding of the underlying concepts of stochastic simulation allows one to apply the proper “sanity checks” to simulation results so the user can have confidence in the simulation results and use the results effectively in the system design process. Many graduate students in communications, as well as in other areas of electrical and computer engineering, use simulation in the development of their thesis and dissertation projects. This course directly supports those activities.