Annenberg School for Communication

Communication Program

SYLLABUS

COMM 471 - COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGIES

© 1999, 2000 A. Michael Noll

Instructor: Dr. A. Michael Noll, Professor

Term: Spring 2001

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

The fundamental scientific and technological principles behind modern electronic communication systems, such as television, radio, digital, and telephone networks.

RATIONALE

Modern communication technology saturates industry and society. Personal computers have invaded not only the workplace but even the home. Edison’s simple phonograph has evolved into a modern marvel of near perfect sound reproduction utilizing lasers and digital techniques. The variety of video programming from such sources as VHF and UHF broadcast television, cable TV, direct broadcast satellites, video disks, and video cassette recorders is overwhelming. The telephone industry is undergoing a technological revolution and organizational restructuring. Voice and data communication and the technologies of computers and telecommunication are merging into complex systems of exceptional versatility.

Modern electronics technology can not be avoided, and a knowledge of its basic principles is needed, particularly at work. Technology is a major factor in determining strategic direction. Yet there is a persistent feeling that our society is drifting into a separation of the technologically literate and non-literate. To survive as a world power, the United States needs people who are literate and knowledgeable about the principles and uses of modern communication technology.

People working in every area of the communications field need to be literate and knowledgeable in the various electronic technologies and engineering concepts that are basic to modern communications systems and products. This technology literacy is necessary to facilitate meaningful communication with the engineers responsible for designing these systems and products. Furthermore, various evaluations, trade offs, and decisions will be better made if the technological aspects of these systems and products are better understood and appreciated. The course therefore is especially valuable for anyone planning a career in the communications industry.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the course is to give the student a fundamental knowledge of the scientific and technological principles behind modern telecommunication systems and also to demystify technology by showing its actual application to the workings of modern telecommunication systems.

GENERAL CONTENT

Specific communication systems will be studied along with the appropriate basic principles that makes them possible. In this way, the practical will lead the theoretical and will act as a motivational force to help the student assimilate more theoretical principles.

The telephone system including the public switched network is the key to today's information age and service economy. Modern telecommunications involves far more than the simple telephone instrument attached to the network. Sophisticated digital switching machines connect one line to another. High-capacity optical fiber and a host of other transmission technologies carry signals over great distances. Thousands of individual signals share these media through various multiplexing techniques. The telecommunication system that has evolved over the last 100 years is vast, complex, and technologically quite sophisticated. The student of will learn how this system works technologically.

There is considerable science behind the technology of telecommunication. Fourier analysis created the basic understanding of spectrum and bandwidth. Modulation theory gave the techniques necessary to shift signals in frequency for analog multiplexing. An understanding of these and more sciences are developed in the course and are applied to modern telecommunication systems. In this way, the links between science and technology become quite clear, and the practical acts as a motivation to understand better the theoretical.

The course uses graphical and physical interpretations of the science and technology since students of the liberal arts usually lack the mathematical sophistication of engineering students. The course is not an engineering course—it is a scientific and technological literacy course designed for the non-engineer.

STRUCTURE

The material of the course is organized into four modules that treat the four major modalities of communication. The four modules are audio technology, video systems, speech communication systems, and written communication systems. A major communication system and its basic technological principles is described in each module: recorded sound in audio, television in video, the telephone in speech, and the computer in written. The physiological and psychophysical aspects of the appropriate human communication modality are also covered in each module as an introduction to the topic. The key inventors and their lives are described to add to the human dimension of the course. The historical developments of the technologies and communication systems are treated too in the course.

GRADING

The course is primarily taught by lectures. The material of the course is quite technical, particularly for liberal arts and non-engineering students. The use of two closed-book, written quizzes and a final examination thus is appropriate both to motivate the student to study and also to give feedback on the progress in assimilating the material. Two quizzes, each about 1.5 hours in duration, will be given. These quizzes will test only the most recent material and are non-cumulative. Forty percent of the final grade will be based on the average of these two quizzes; sixty percent will be based on a final cumulative examination. The quizzes and final examination consist of short questions and definitions. Practical problems are also presented to determine whether the basic concepts are being learned.

The final grade for COMM 471 will be determined from the weighted average of three written examinations. The weights of the examinations are:

30% Exam #1

30% Exam #2

40% Final Examination

The final examination will be cumulative and will cover the material of the entire course. The earlier two examinations will cover only the material since the last examination.

Average grades in the 90s will be an A of some kind; grades in the 80s will be a B of some kind; grades in the 70s will be a C of some kind; grades in 60s will be a D of some kind. Any average grade lower than a 60 will be a failure of the course. If necessary, some slight scaling of final letter grades will be performed, but only in an upward direction.

Attendance at the lectures in mandatory and unexcused absences are not acceptable. After the second week of class, the final grade of any student with more than one excused absence will be penalized with each absence lowering the grade by a third of a letter grade (i.e.: from a B+ to a B).

The quizzes and final examination are mandatory. There are no make-up examinations. Only in the case of an unexpected emergency will a student be allowed to take the quizzes or examination at a time different than scheduled, and any such changes must be agreed upon in advance.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The highest standards of ethical conduct will be expected for this course. Accordingly, any student responsible for any violations of ethical conduct will receive a failing grade for the course, and the incident will be reported to the Annenberg School and to the University with a recommendation for the imposition of additional sanctions, such as suspension from the Annenberg School and from the University. Unethical conduct includes such actions as plagiarism, cheating on examinations, fabrication, and purchasing papers or other assignments.

REQUIRED COURSE TEXTS

There is no single published textbook that treats all the material of the course in an adequate manner. The initial draft of a manuscript for a new textbook has been completed and will be used as the major text for the course. Most of the material of the course will be reviewed as lectures, supplemented by readings from appropriate sources. The lectures will be supplemented with required readings from the new manuscript and textbooks, as listed below.

Current and emerging new technologies will be used as examples, although the major thrust of the course is on the basic principles that do not change according to current technological fashions. Additional readings will be added as appropriate sources of understandable material become available.

Noll, A. Michael, Communication Systems & Technology, (manuscript © by the author), 2000.

Pierce, John R. & A. Michael Noll, SIGNALS: The Science of Telecommunications, Scientific American Library (New York City), 1990.

REFERENCES

Bradbeer, Robin, Peter De Bono, & Peter Laurie, The Beginner’s Guide to Computers, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company (Reading, MA), 1982.

Cannon, Don L. and Gerald Luecke, Understanding Communications Systems (Second Edition), Texas Instruments Incorporated (Dallas, TX), 1984.

De Grandis, Luigina, Theory and Use of Color, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (New York), 1986.

Denes, Peter B. & Elliot N. Pinson, The Speech Chain, W. H. Freeman (New York), 1993.

Jesperson, James and Jane Fitz-Randolph, Mercury’s Web: The Story of Telecommunications, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1981.

Langley, Graham, Telecommunications Primer, Pitman Publishing Limited (London), 1983.

Mileaf, Harry (Ed.), Electronics One, Hayden Book Company, Inc. (Rochelle Park, NJ), 1976.

Noll, A. Michael, Introduction to Telecommunication Electronics (Second Edition), Artech House (Norwood, MA), 1995.

Noll, A. Michael, Introduction to Telephones and Telephone Systems (Second Edition), Artech House (Norwood, MA), 1991.

Noll, A. Michael, Television Technology: Fundamentals and Future Prospects, Artech House (Norwood, MA), 1988.

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS

I. AUDIO TECHNOLOGY:

Cannon, Don L. and Gerald Luecke, Understanding Communications Systems (Second Edition), Texas Instruments Incorporated (Dallas, TX), 1984, pp. 87-111.

Denes, Peter B. & Elliot N. Pinson, The Speech Chain, W. H. Freeman (New York), 1993, pp. 79-137.

Jesperson, James and Jane Fitz-Randolph, Mercury’s Web: The Story of Telecommunications, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1981, pp. 145-154.

III. VIDEO SYSTEMS:

Jensen, A. G., "The Evolution of Modern Television," SMPTE Journal, May 1991, pp. 357-370.

Noll, A. Michael, Television Technology: Fundamentals and Future Prospects, Artech House, Inc. (Norwood, MA), 1988.

Noll, A. Michael, "The Digital Mystique: A Review of Digital Television and its Application to Television," Prometheus, Vol. 16, No. 2 (1999), pp. 145-153.

Noll, A. Michael, "The Evolution of Television Technology," in Darcy Gerbarg (Editor), The Economics, Technology and Content of Digital TV, Kluwer Academic Publishers (Boston), 1999, pp. 3-17.

O’Brien, Richard S. and Robert B. Monroe, "101 Years of Television technology," SMPTE Journal, August 1991, pp. 606-629.

Pritchard, D. H., "US Color Television Fundamentals—A Review," IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. CE-23 (Nov. 1977), pp. 467-478.

Strachan, David, "Video Compression," SMPTE Journal, February 1996, pp. 68-73.

NOTE

This syllabus is subject to change. The most recent version along with the course outline, required readings, and weekly lecture schedule can be obtained from the instructor at the Annenberg School.


COURSE OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION

I. AUDIO TECHNOLOGY

II. VIDEO SYSTEMS

III. SPEECH COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

IV. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

EPILOGUE—THE FUTURE OF COMMUNICATION

***** FINAL EXAM *****


Detailed Course Scehdule

COMM 471 Communication Systems & Technologies

Spring 2001

Week

Date

Lecture

MODULE

TOPIC

1

1/9/01

1

INTRODUCTION

 

2

1/16/01

2

3

I. AUDIO

• human hearing

• phonograph

• sound

3

1/23/01

4

5

 

• signals

• electricity

4

1/30/01

5

6

 

• electronics

• digital

5

2/6/01

6

Review

 

• digital (cont’d)

6

2/13/01

7

II. VIDEO

EXAM 1

• human vision

7

2/20/01

8

9

 

• TV basics

• radio

8

2/27/01

10

11

 

• modulation

• color theory

9

3/6/01

12

Review

 

• color TV

• video media

10

3/20/01

13

III. SPEECH

EXAM 2

• speech

11

3/27/01

14

15

16

 

• telephone

• networks

• transmission

12

4/3/01

17

18

 

• switching

• fax & wireless

13

4/10/01

19

20

21

IV. WRITTEN

• written

• telegraph

• computers

14

4/17/01

21

22

 

• software

• data com

15

4/24/01

23

Review

EPILOGUE

• future

16

5/1/01

 

 

FINAL EXAM