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IK2520 Software Defined Radio 7.5 credits

Administer About course

This is a hands-on course that teaches students the basic principles on how to develop and implement digital communication systems on software defined radio (SDR) platforms by comprehensive integration of theory and practice. In this course the student will explore a communication system from a practical point of view. The basic tasks that the students will perform in creating a workable digital radio system are: i) building the basic components, ii) assessing their performance, and iii) integrating the components. The focus is on PHY layer baseband functionalities and basic medium access schemes.

Information per course offering

Course offerings are missing for current or upcoming semesters.

Course syllabus as PDF

Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.

Course syllabus IK2520 (Autumn 2021–)
Headings with content from the Course syllabus IK2520 (Autumn 2021–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

  • Platforms for software defined radio: Architecture, flexibility, limitations and current development in the industry and the academia.
  • Development environment for digital transceiver design: the framework GNU Radio and different hardware platforms.
  • Generation of random number and of sinusoidal signals by means of component based design tools.
  • Modulation and decoding: Line code and quadrature modulation, pulse shaping, demodulation with adapted filters, decoding.
  • Synchronisation and channel estimation: The AWGN channel, methods for energy maximization, linear equalisation, smoothing parameters, computational techniques.
  • Frame detection and frequency correction: correlation based methods, Moose algorithm, use of training sequences.
  • Error detection and error correction: Parity codes, check sums, cyclic codes, correction (repetition and redundancy encoding).
  • MAC frames, ACK.
  • MAC schemes: ALOHA, CSMA/CA, TDMA.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • identify all relevant components of a digital transceiver for software defined radio (SDR) and their relationship
  • implement algorithms for basic functionality of a digital transceiver with GNU Radio
  • identify performance and hardware requirements for relevant digital transceiver components and through practical testing assess the possibility to implement these in software
  • assess performance of different components in a digital communication system and the different algorithms that they are built of
  • integrate and test a digital transceiver over antennas with commercial hardware
  • design and assess basic algorithms for media access (MAC) and build an own wireless local network
  • work and interact in groups.

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

Completed courses in the following fields:

  • signals and systems equivalent to II1303 or EQ1120
  • mobile networks and services equivalent to IK2560 or wireless communication systems equivalent to IK2507.

Active participation in a course offering where the final examination is not yet reported in LADOK is considered equivalent to completion of the course.

Registering for a course is counted as active participation.

The term 'final examination' encompasses both the regular examination and the first re-examination.

Recommended prerequisites

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Equipment

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Literature

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Examination and completion

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Grading scale

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Examination

  • INL1 - Assignments, 2.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
  • PRO1 - Project, 5.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

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Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

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Examiner

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Ethical approach

  • All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
  • In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
  • In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information

Course room in Canvas

Registered students find further information about the implementation of the course in the course room in Canvas. A link to the course room can be found under the tab Studies in the Personal menu at the start of the course.

Offered by

EECS/Computer Science

Main field of study

Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Education cycle

Second cycle

Add-on studies

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