Fundamentals of Communications and Information Systems

by Michael J. Ryan

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. 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. The first part of the book (Chapters 1 through 12) covers basic communications a basic structure for a communications system, source coding, encryption, channel coding, modulation, multiplexing and multiple access, radio transmitters and receivers, cable-based transmission, radio wave propagation, antennas, networks, internetworking, mobile communications systems, and satellite communications. Chapters 18 through 22 describe the operation of the information systems, model for information management, the basic architecture of information systems, operating systems, software and databases.

418 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2011