Aspects of burst errors in digital telecommunications transmission systems.

Butler, Richard

Abstract

This work, and thesis, explores an alternative approach to the performance monitoring of digital communications systems. The objectives are to identify the structure of burst error activity and sense any subsequent changes in this structure. This research project investigates the use of the autocorrelation function of the error activity. Sources of error activity in digital transmission systems are studied and their effect on system performance identified. A new mechanism is presented which is demonstrated to detect changes in the environment of a digital transmission system from the structure of the error bursts caused. Mathematical models, measurements from practical laboratory systems and simulations all indicated that changes in system parameters and/or external interference are detectable by using a simple mean metric of the autocorrelation function. In particular, variations in system parameters such as signal to noise ratio, signal to interference ratio, decision threshold offset and linearity were found to be detectable, as were variations in interference parameters such as duration and decay time constant. Results indicated that the mean metric of bit errors behaves in a similar manner to that for code errors. It is proposed that in service, monitoring of code error mean metrics would enable changes in the environment of the system to be monitored. This would give an early indication of degradation or impending failure of a system.

Citation

BUTLER, R 1994. Aspects of burst errors in digital telecommunications transmission systems. Robert Gordon University, PhD thesis. Hosted on OpenAIR [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.48526/rgu-wt-2807313

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jun 13, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 13, 2025
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.48526/rgu-wt-2807313
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2807313
• Award Date: Mar 31, 1994