EE 381K-11: Wireless Communications
Last Taught: Fall 2004
Wireless communication is fundamentally the art of communicating information without wires. In principle, wireless communication encompasses any number of techniques including underwater acoustic communication, semaphores, smoke signals, radio communication, and satellite communication, among others. The term was coined in the early days of radio, fell out of fashion for about fifty years, and was rediscovered during the cellular telephony revolution. Wireless now implies communication using electromagnetic waves -- placing it squarely within the domain of electrical engineering. This brings us to the course at hand.
Wireless communication techniques can be classified as either analog or digital. The first commercial systems were analog including AM radio, FM radio, television, and first generation cellular systems. Analog communication is gradually being replaced with digital communication. The fundamental difference between the two is that in digital communication, the source is assumed to be digital. Every major wireless system being developed and deployed is built around digital communication including cellular communication, wireless local area networking, personal area networking, and high-definition television. Thus the spotlight of this class will focus on digital wireless communication.
EE 381K-11 is an introductory graduate course that covers a variety of issues pertinent to wireless communication. Specific topics that are covered include:
- Introduction to wireless communication
- Standards
- Digital communication
- Equalization and OFDM
- Large-scale fading
- Small-scale fading
- Error rate performance in fading channels
- Frequency reuse
- Multiple-access
The Fall 2004 class met TTH 11:00-12:15 PM in ENS 116.
Fall 2004
Course Information
(check electronic course site for updates)
Electronic Course Site
The current offering of the class is available in Blackboard. It includes a weekly outline, lecture notes, project details, homework assignments, discussion groups, and chat rooms.
