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As
the use of information gathered across communications networks becomes
all-pervasive in the office, factory and home, a basic understanding of the
underlying technology is becoming ever more important. This book sets out to
explain the basic technology of communications and information systems.
The
first part of the book (Chapters 1 through 12) is covers basic communications
technology. Chapter 1 sets up a basic structure for a communications system,
with each of the following chapters explaining the operation of one block.
This ensures that the whole operation of the system from the information
source to its final destination is covered, including source coding,
encryption, channel coding, modulation, multiplexing and multiple access. The
operation of radio transmitters and receivers is described in Chapter 9.
Chapters 10 and 11 describe the major communications channels currently in
use, with Chapter 10 concentrating on cable-based transmission and Chapter 11
on radio wave propagation. Finally, Chapter 12 describes the operation of
antennas.
The
second part of the book (Chapters 13 through 15) is concerned with the
construction of networks, which are based on the basic technologies described
in the first part of the book. Chapter 13 describes the three basic types of
communications systems: simplex, half duplex and full duplex, before
discussing the basic concepts of switching. Chapters 14 and 15 describe the
operation of communications networks, with Chapter 14 concentrating on local
area networks, with Chapter 15 extending these concepts to wide area networks
and internetworking.
Chapters
16 and 17 look at two important practical example of communications systems:
mobile communications systems (which concentrates on cellular mobile telephone
networks) and satellite communications. Each of these chapters builds on the
concepts of the first 15 chapters.
Chapters
18 through 22 describe the operation of the information systems that provide
the source and destination for most information carried on modern
communications networks. Chapter 18 introduces a model for information
management. Chapter 19 describes the basic architecture of information
systems, leading to more specific descriptions of operating systems and
software in Chapters 20 and 21. The operation of databases, arguably the most
important application provided by information systems, is described in Chapter
22.
While
it provides technical descriptions of the operation of communications and
information systems, this book is not aimed primarily at the technical reader.
Rather, it aims to provide an accessible source of information for the lay
reader, but without resorting to explanations that are either trivial or
misleading. Electrical engineers may find this book useful, however, as a
complement to the mathematical explanations of communications technology
emphasised in university engineering courses.
Michael
Ryan
Michael Frater
Canberra
January 2002
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