Simulation of Communication Systems

Abstract

Simulation of Communication Systems By Xiaoyuan Wu Committee Chair: Dr. William H. Tranter

Abstract Digital communications and computers are having a tremendous impact on the world today. In order to meet the increasing demand for digital communication services, engineers must design systems in a timely and cost-effective manner. The number of technologies available for providing a given service is growing daily, covering transmission media, devices, and software. The resulting design, analysis, and optimization of performance can be very demanding and difficult. Over the past decades, a large body of computer-aided engineering techniques have been developed to facilitate the design process of complex technological systems. These techniques rely on models of devices and systems, both analytic and simulation, to guide the analysis and design throughout the life cycle of a system. Computer-aided design, analysis, and simulation of communication systems constitute a new and important part of this process. This thesis studies different aspects of the simulation of communication systems by covering some basic ideas, approaches, and methodologies within the simulation context. Performance measurement of a digital communication is the main focus of this thesis. However, some popular visual indicators of signal quality, which are often generated in a simulation to provide a qualitative sense of the performance of a digital system, are also considered. Another purpose of this thesis is to serve as a model for developing simulations or template of other systems. In other words, students learning to simulate a system can use the work presented here as a starting point.