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The DATEx is comprised of a set of independent circuit blocks and a set of NI ELVIS blocks for access to NI ELVIS functionality. More specifically:
The DATEx is intended as a complete, stand-alone telecommunications training board when plugged into an NI ELVIS unit. The DATEx unit will not work without an NI ELVIS.
The NI ELVIS provides the necessary measurement equipment for conducting DATEx experiments.
The DATEx comes complete with the patch cords, scope leads, headphones, CD-ROM with DATEx Soft Front Panel VI and VIs for each DATEx block, User Manual and Experiment Manual.
Because the DATEx models mathematical systems using functional building blocks, the number and type of experiments is very broad.
The DATEx can implement over 30 experiments covering both analog & digital telecommunications topics, from modelling basic mathematical equations, all the way through to spread spectrum modulation.
A "channel" is the path or medium along which the modulated or coded message is transmitted. eg. radio waves, coaxial cable, telephone line, etc. In telecommunications, the characteristics of a "channel" must be known and measured, in order to ensure the message is correctly transferred from transmitter to receiver.
There are three important "channel" characteristics:
DATEx includes a selection of filter blocks which can be used to model the channel's amplitude and phase characteristics. "Channel" noise is modelled using a NOISE GENERATOR block and added using an ADDER block. This effectively models an AWGN channel.
Ideas for block diagrams are available from many sources including:
Additionally, all of the LabVIEW resources related to telecommunications.
No. A "demonstration" system is typically one box, which only outputs demonstration waveforms (eg: AM and DSB envelopes, or TDM sampled signals, etc.) The user has no real control over themethod of implementation of each experiment, other than a few gain controls.
The DATEx is a true "modelling" system. No one block has an isolated function - blocks are used together to build-up systems.
The DATEx does not include, for example, an "AM modulator" block, or an "SSB demodulator" block. These functions are patched together using independent Adder blocks, Multiplier blocks, Signal Source blocks, and so on.
MASTER SIGNALS block provides the user with a set of synchronized carrier, sampling and message signals. These synchronized signals will provide the student with clear and stable textbook-like waveforms, which will aid the student's understanding of the theory.
Using synchronized signals in experiments will allow the user to view stable, text book-like waveforms on the NI ELVIS oscilloscope.
The DATEx is a mathematical, telecommunications theory and signal processing modelling system. DATEx models the mathematics. The DATEx does not consider high frequency circuit applications because this is a separate and very specialized area of Electronics Circuit Theory.
For example, a student can model and take detailed measurements of a complete BPSK (binary phase shift keying) link. The mathematical equations behind the theory of such a satellite link will work both at 100kHz and at 10GHz. Only the circuits are different. In the DATEx, the carrier frequency has simply been scaled down to 100kHz.
The benefits of this modeling approach are: