Objective
Syllabus
This course is designed to give students the basic concepts that are required in system level design of a communication system. The course starts from the fundamental properties of electromagnetic waves travelling in free space. Maxwell’s equations are explained in a plain language although some simplified mathematic expression for electromagnetic waves are derived. Based on the properties, the basic propagation mechanisms of electromagnetic waves, such as reflection, refraction, diffraction, Huygen’s principle, Fresnel zones and geometrical optics, are discussed. To provide students with some hands-on design experience, after the study of basic antenna design concepts and wave propagation models, a practical antenna design project and a WLAN communication system simulation project will be carried out with assistance of experienced tutors. These two projects are part of the course requirement.
The advanced topics covered in this course include mobile channel models; statistical characterization of the narrowband fast-fading effects in macrocells, which affect the quality of individual links between mobiles and macrocell base stations; empirical models of propagations for indoor propagation; the Rayleigh distribution for non-line-of-sight channels; the Rice distribution for line-of-sight channels; diversity technologies and their combining methods for effectively overcoming the channel fading.
Learning Outcome
Laboratory
The laboratory work includes experiments and CAD practice. A complete wireless transceiver need to be built in Advanced Design System (ADS), the most sophisticated wireless system CAD software package.
