PRINCIPLES OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The course is one of the compulsory educational activities of the Bachelor Degree Programme in Physical Engineering, and allows the student to acquire the basics of signal analysis and the transmission of information via cable and radio. In the first part of the course, the theoretical bases are provided, and the mathematical tools for the analysis of signals in the time and frequency domain are introduced. In the second part of the course, the basics of fixed and mobile telecommunications are introduced, the analog and digital telecommunication systems are described, and the main telecommunication services are reviewed. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the topics dealt with at the theoretical level, the knowledge acquired is useful in many courses subsequently dealt with by the student.

Knowledge and understanding
- Understand the relationships between the different scientific disciplines for the study of complex phenomena and in the development of new materials, devices and systems
- Understand the importance of scientific culture in the innovation processes of modern technologies
- Knowledge of the different signal classifications. Knowledge of frequency analysis, both continuous and discrete-time. Knowledge of time-invariant linear systems, and their representation in time and frequency. Knowledge of basic types of filters.
- Knowledge of analog and digital transmission systems, and of the main telecommunication services

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
- Ability to classify signals based on their properties, to transform and analyze a signal in the frequency domain. Ability to classify and analyze a system in the domain of time and frequency.
- Preliminary design skills and related performance calculation and ability to identify the most suitable communication system based on the characteristics of the chosen service
- To combine in-depth knowledge in natural sciences and in particular in physics, with the "engineering method", which allows to transform natural phenomena and abstract concepts into new methods, devices and real systems

Judgment autonomy
- Knowing how to evaluate the logical consistency of the results to which the application of the knowledge learned leads, both in the theoretical field and in the case of experimental data.
- Knowing how to recognize any errors through a critical analysis of the applied method

Communication skills
- Knowing how to communicate the knowledge learned and the result of their application using appropriate terminology, both in the oral and written fields
- Knowing how to interact with the teacher and with fellow students in a respectful and constructive way

Learning ability
- Knowing how to take notes, selecting and collecting information according to their importance and priority
- Knowing how to be sufficiently independent in the collection of data and information relevant to the problem investigated

Having achieved the educational objectives of the previous Mathematics courses. In particular, the student should be able to master the concepts and methods relating to numerical series and integral calculus.

Signal theory: Signals and linear systems; signal transit in low-pass systems; calculation of the convolution; Fourier series development; Parseval theorem; Fourier transform and its properties; Laplace transform and its properties; applications of Fourier and Laplace transforms; band of a signal; transfer function; filters, linear and permanent systems; sampling; analog-digital conversion; the sampling operation and theory, analog-to-digital conversion, the main issues at the 2nd-3rd-4th ISO-OSI layer (MAC algorithms, addressing and routing, TCP/UDP protocols). Fixed and mobile telecommunications: Principles of electrical engineering in telecommunications; telecommunications multiplexing; transmission media: from copper cable to optical fiber; switching in cable telecommunications; architectures for IP networks: LAN, MAN, WAN; introduction to mobile and wireless networks; Wi-Fi networks; notes to GSM and GPRS networks, UMTS-3G network, 4G-LTE system, 5G systems and the Internet of Things.

Main text:
L.W. Couch, Fondamenti di telecomunicazioni, PEARSON, 2008.

Other suggested text:
G. Cancellieri, Telecomunicazioni: Servizi, Sistemi, Segnali, Pitagora, 2000.

The achievement of the teaching objectives is assessed through participation in the activities and exercises assigned during the course and a final written exam (the oral exam is not mandatory and the professor will give indications about it).

The final written exam consists of problems similar to those carried out in the classroom during group work. During the task, the use of notes, books and other teaching materials is not allowed (the professor, eventually, will give details about the set of equations and formulas that can be used during the task). A facsimile of the task will be made available.

Seminars: limited lectures, group work (peer-teaching, problem solving)
Exercises: group work (peer-teaching, problem solving)

Italian

written and oral