Course Information

Instructor: Payman Arabshahi, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 238-343, payman@jpl.nasa.gov, (626) 395-3852 (Campus), (818) 393-6054 (JPL). Office hours: after class (161 Moore), or by appointment.

Teaching Assistant: Vijay Gupta, gupta@caltech.edu, (626) 395-3376. Office hours: Mondays and Fridays from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm, in 135 Steele.

Class Mailing List: ee163-list@its.caltech.edu

Class Web Site: http://ee163.caltech.edu

Textbook: John G. Proakis, Digital Communications, 4th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2001.

Course Objective: To understand, in detail, mathematical models of communication processes, memoryless modulation/detection techniques, basic detection theory, methods of performance analysis and synchronization for the additive white Gaussian noise channel, signal design for bandlimited channels, communication through bandlimited linear filter channels, multiuser communications, and communications through fading multipath channels. We will cover Chapters 4,5,6 (EE 163A), and 9,10, 14, 15 (EE 163B) in the text in this two-course sequence (Chapters 1-2 are introductory, and Chapters 3,7,8 will not be covered). Time-permitting, we may discuss spread spectrum communications as well (Chapter 13).

Prerequisite: EE 32 ab, EE 162 or equivalents (linear systems, random processes). Chapters 1-2 of the textbook review this material.

Grading:
Homeworks: 30% (assigned and collected on Thursdays)
Midterm: 30% (available May 3, due May 6)
Project: 40%

Your lowest homework grade will be dropped.

• Exams: Exams are take-home, open book, and open notes. For the most part no calculators, PDAs, or other electronic devices will be needed. This class does not stress memorizing formulas, but rather understanding how to solve problems in communication theory from basic principles.
• Homeworks: Homeworks are due by the end of class every Monday. Solutions will be available at the end of the due date's lecture. Consequently late homeworks cannot be evaluated seriously.
• Regrading policy: If you would like a portion of an exam, or homework regraded because you think you deserve more points or the points were added wrong, please submit your graded papers and a brief written description on a separate piece of paper of precisely what you think is wrong. Do not write anything on the original exam or homework. You may submit this material to the TA but please make sure it is personally handed to him.

References

For probability and random processes:

1. [graduate] Athanasios Papoulis, Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes, McGraw-Hill, 1991.
2. [undergrad] Alberto Leon-Garcia, Probability and Random Processes for Electrical Engineering, Addison-Wesley, 1993.
3. [solved problems] Carol Ash, The Probability Tutoring Book : An Intuitive Course for Engineers and Scientists, IEEE press, 1993.

For communication theory:

1. [undergrad] B.P. Lathi, Modern Digital and Analog Communications Systems, Oxford University Press, 1998.
2. [undergrad] R.E. Ziemer and W.H. Tranter, Principles of Communication: Systems, Modulation and Noise, Wiley, 2001.
3. [graduate] W.B. Davenport, Introduction to the Theory of Random Signals and Noise, IEEE, 1987.
4. [graduate] R.N. McDonough and A.D. Whalen, Detection of Signals in Noise, Academic Press, 1995.
5. [graduate] M.K. Simon, S.M. Hinedi, and W.C. Lindsey, Digital Communication Techniques: Signal Design and Detection, Prentice Hall, 1994.