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Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

Tutorials: 1 session / week, 1.5 hours / session

Prerequisites

6.011 and 6.111

Topics

The course will focus on four major categories as outlined below:

  1. Introduction to digital communications
    • Modulation and detection, vector channel representation
    • Equalization
    • Multi-channel systems (modulation methods, waterfiling, bit loading)
    • Practical examples including 802.11a
    • Coding – sequence detection, gap, convolutional and block codes
  2. ASIC design fundamentals
    • ASIC design flow, tools, system-on-a-chip design issues
    • Micro-architectures and transformations (parallelism, pipelining, folding, time-multiplexing)
    • Hardware description languages: introduction to Bluespec™ and Verilog® review
  3. Theory and building blocks
    • Fast fourier transform (theory, fast algorithms and VLSI implementations)
    • Convolutional and Trellis codes, and Viterbi algorithm (theory, algorithms and VLSI implementations)
    • Synchronization (phase and frequency tracking loops, algorithms and VLSI implementations)
    • Block codes (Hamming, BCH, Reed-Solomon), basic theory and VLSI implementations
  4. Wireless channel fundamentals
    • Properties and modeling (fading, Doppler effect,...)
    • Channel estimation (theory and VLSI implementations)

Grading

ACTIVITIES PERCENTAGES
Midterm 15%
Final 25%

Four major homeworks (10% each)

FFT
Viterbi
Synchronization
Channel estimation

 40%
Two minor problem sets (5% each) 10%
Final presentation and write-up 10%

Calendar

The calendar below provides information on the courses lectures (L) and Tutorials (T) sessions.

SES # TOPICS KEY DATES
L1 Course overview
T1 CppSim
L2 Introduction to practical digital communications
L3 Multi-tone systems Problem set 1 out
T2 Verilog® review
L4 802.11a transceiver architecture
L5 ASIC design

Problem set 1 due

Problem set 2 out
T3 802.11a PHY standard
L6 Micro-architectures and transformations
L7 Bluespec™ overview Problem set 2 due
T4 Bluespec™
L8 Fast fourier transform: theory and algorithms Problem set 3 out
L9 Fast fourier transform: practical aspects and basic architectures
T5 Design flow, part 1
L10 Fast fourier transform: advanced VLSI architectures Problem set 3 due
L11 Convolutional codes
T6 Design flow, part 2
L12 Trellis codes
Exam 1
L13 Viterbi algorithm
L14 Viterbi algorithm (cont.)
L15 Viterbi algorithm (cont.)
L16 Viterbi algorithm (cont.)
L17 Synchronization introduction
L18 Synchronization OFDM
L19 Synchronization: implementations
L20 Wireless channels
L21 Channel estimation
L22 Block codes: introduction
L23 Block codes: code classes and Reed-Solomon codes
L24 Block codes: implementations
Exam 2