MODULE HANDBOOK

[Academic Year 2024/2025]

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: Aims, characteristics and learning outcomes

Mobile communication is as much a part of everyday life as TV and radio. However, mobile communications is a rapidly changing technology. This module focusses on these changes, particularly on how the technology is evolving to satisfy new needs and the shortcomings of prior art. This is a technical course in that it unpicks these technological developments by analysing past, current and future mobile technologies, including channel allocation, digital modulation, and channel coding. This module has a strong student-led focus. Coursework is undertaken as a research report, where students have to research, define and carry out their own experimental investigations. Traditional lectures are used to present and explain technical information. Tutorials are used to develop understanding and to investigate wider implications of theory and practice. Coursework is undertaken in the form. of research investigations with students being given 'briefs' and they are responsible (under the guidance of the tutor acting as 'consultant') for the design of experiments, the practical work and presentation of this.

Learning outcomes: 1) Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the key technological components of historical, contemporary and future mobile communication systems, 2) Students should be able to demonstrate skills in research and development according to a variety of briefs.

Syllabus: Characteristics of the mobile radio environment (path loss, shadow fading, multipath fading, Doppler frequency shift). Digital modulation techniques (ASK, FSK, PSK, QPSK, M-QAM, MSK, GMSK). Channel coding (Turbo coding, LDPC coding). Cell structure and traffic handling (how to partition a geographical area, SIR computation, call blocking probability).

The full module template is available in the Module Information folder.

Section 3: Module assessment description and weightings

· Phase test (weighting: 50%). Choose 4 out of 5 questions. 3 hours. Anonymous marking. Date: 15/01/25 15:00-18:00 in Q0.15. Previous papers and solutions are available in the Revision folder.

· Coursework assignment (weighting: 50%). One report based on work in MATLAB. Start date: 16/10/24. Due date: 13/12/24 noon. Feedback date: 08/01/25. Anonymous marking.

· University generic undergraduate mark descriptors: see https://www.dmu.ac.uk/documents/about-dmu-documents/quality-management-and-policy/academic-quality/learning-teaching-assessment/ug-mark-descriptors.pdf

Section 4: Module calendar

The module calendar can be found in the Module Information folder.

Section 5: References

The main references for this module are

· Mobile Wireless Communications, Mischa Schwartz, Cambridge University Press, 2005.

· Introduction to Wireless Systems, Bruce Black et al., Prentice Hall, 2008.

Section 6: Prerequisites 

A good background in the following topics is required.

· Trigonometry

· Complex numbers

· Calculus (integrals, derivation)

· Probability and random variables