IOSR Journal of Engineering (IOSRJEN) www.iosrjen.

org
ISSN (e): 2250-3021, ISSN (p): 2278-8719
Vol. 06, Issue 06 (June. 2016), ||V1|| PP 62-67

Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum with Barker Code and QPSK

Saed Thuneibat
Department of Electrical Engineering, Al-Balqa Applied University, Jordan

Abstract: - Spread Spectrum technique is a digital passband technique. It uses a special code which is known
only to the transmitter and receiver of that message. The special code appears as a noise signal to the jammer
who tries to jam the channel. In this paper, we present the Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum. Firstly, we show an
overview of Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum, then, we simulate Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum using
MATLAB. The results of simulation are presented in this paper. We are clearly demonstrating the benefits of
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum in a digital communication system in providing privacy and antijamming. The
simulation by MATLAB program simplifies the study, analysis and development of these techniques in modern
digital communication networks.

Keywords: - Spread Spectrum, DSSS, BPSK, MATLAB Simulation.

I. INTRODUCTION
In real communication system we have links with limited bandwidths. The wise use of these
bandwidths has been, and will be, one of the main challenges of electronic communications; the issue is
different in optical communications. However, the meaning of wise may depend on the application. Usually, we
need to combine several low bandwidth channels to make use of one channel with a larger bandwidth.
Sometimes we need to expand the bandwidth of a channel to achieve goals such as privacy and antijamming.
There are two broad categories of bandwidth utilization: multiplexing and spreading. In multiplexing, our goal is
efficiency; we combine several channels into one. In spreading our goals are privacy and antijamming; we
expand the bandwidth of a message signal to insert redundancy, which is necessary to achieve these goals.
In literature, last years, a number of research papers have been published. In [1], authors compared
between Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) and Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) in terms
Bit Error Rate (BER) as the performance parameter for the comparison. It was found that DSSS with different
sequence codes provides better BER than FHSS. Paper [2] discussed various techniques like Direct Sequence
(DS), Frequency Hopping (FH), pseudorandom noise (PN) sequences. MATLAB simulation is performed and a
comparative study among various techniques is achieved. For comparison the parameters discussed are error
probability, noise, power spectral density, error rate performance, interference and bandwidth. Authors
concluded that Spread Spectrum (SS) techniques become more and more popular. DS and FH are the two major
methods of SS. They have different strongpoint and are equally important. M-sequence and Gold-sequence have
almost the same performance with single information transmission. However, the multi-user situation is
demanded now days.
In paper [3], MATLAB Simulink software was used to design and simulate the operation of
equivalent base-band binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and DSSS system. The performance evaluation was
tested by simulating the design to get the received data which compared with transmitted data, and also to study
the effect of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and calculate BER. The simulation results shows that the
performance of the system in presence of AWGN is better when using Integrator and Dump in active correlator
than using digital LPF in active correlator.
II. SPREADING SPECTRUM TECHNIQUES
SS is a modulation method that spreads narrow band signals over a wide range of frequencies at the
transmitting end and then dispreads it into the original data bandwidth at the receiving end [4]. The SS
technique increases the bandwidth of the transmitting signals to a value much larger than is needed to transmit,
thus, if the required bandwidth for each station is B, SS expands it to B ss [5], Such that Bss>>B, as shown in
figure 1. The expanded bandwidth allows the source to wrap its message in protected envelope for a more
secure transmission.

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 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum with Barker code and QPSK

Fig. 1: spread spectrum

Based on the kind of spreading modulation, spread spectrum systems are broadly classified as: FHSS, DSSS
and Hybrid spread spectrum systems (HSSS).
FHSS is a transmission technology used in wireless networks. Its a technique uses M different
carrier frequencies that are modulated by the source signal, through frequency shift keying modulation (FSK)
scheme. At one moment, the signal modulates one carrier frequency; at the next moment, the signal modulates
another carrier frequency. Although the modulation is done using one carrier frequency at a time, M
frequencies are used in the long run. The bandwidth occupied by a source after spreading is B FHSS>>B.
The general layout for FHSS, explained in figure 2. A PN code creates a k-bit pattern for every
hopping period (Th). The frequency table uses the pattern to find the frequency to be used for this hopping
period and passes it to the frequency synthesizer. The frequency synthesizer creates a carrier signal of that
frequency and the source signal modulates the carrier signal.

Fig. 2: FHSS.
Figure 3 illustrates the principles of FHSS. In this case, M is 8 and k is 3. The PN code generator will
create 8 different 3- bit pattern which are mapped to different frequencies in the frequency table.

Fig. 3: Frequency selection in FHSS.

When the hopping sequence is completed, it is then repeated, and this process continues until the
information being communicated has been transferred. Additionally, a dwell-time is specified, which
determines how long each frequency will be utilized before hopping to the next position in the hopping
sequence; as shown in figure 4.

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 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum with Barker code and QPSK

Fig. 4: FHSS cycles.

DSSS methods are the most frequently used spread spectrum technique and explained in the next
sectioIf we are really paranoid about being eavesdropped, we can take further steps to make signal difficult to
find. A commonly used example is that of a HSSS using both FH and DS techniques. Such schemes typically
employ FH of the carrier wave, while concurrently using a DS modulation technique to modulate the data
upon the carrier. In this technique an essentially DS modulated message is hopped about the spectrum, Figure
5 illustrated this technique. To successfully intercept such signal, first crack the FH code, and then crack the
DS code. If we want to be further secure, we encrypt data stream with a very secure crypto code before feed
into DS modulator, and employ cryptographically secure PN codes for the DS and FH operations. The
eavesdropper then has to chew his way through three levels of encoding. Such a scheme is used in the military
systems.

Fig. 5: A hybrid DS-FH spreading scheme.

III. DSSS CONSEPT, APPIICATIONS AND BENEFITS

DS modulation is achieved by modulating the carrier wave with a digital code sequence which has a
bit rate much higher than that of the message to be sent. This code sequence is typically a PN code. In effect
we are transmitting a wideband noise like signal which contains embedded message data. In
telecommunications, DSSS is a SS modulation technique. SS systems are such that they transmit the message
bearing signals using a bandwidth that is in excess of the bandwidth that is actually needed by the message
signal. In DSSS, we replace each data bit with n bits using a spreading code. In other words, each bit is
assigned a code of n bits, called chips, where the chip rate is n times that of the data bit. Figure 6 shows the
concept of DSSS.

Fig. 6: Concept of DSSS.

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 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum with Barker code and QPSK

In military communications, interception of hostile communications is commonly used for various

operations such as identification, jamming, surveillance or reconnaissance. The successful interceptor usually
measures the transmitted power in the allocated frequency band. Thus, spreading the transmitted power over a
wider band undoubtedly lowers the power spectral density, and thus hides the transmitted information within
the background noise, as shown in figure 7. The intended receiver recovers the information with the help of
system processing gain generated in the spread process. However, the unintended receiver does not get the
advantage of the processing gain and consequently will not be able to recover the information. Because of its
low power level, the spread spectrum transmitted signal is said to be a low probability of interception (LPI)
signal.

Fig. 7: Buried SS signal under the noise level.

The transmitted information over the SS system cannot be recovered without knowledge of the
spreading code sequence. Thus, the privacy of individual user communications is protected in the presence of
other users. Furthermore, the fact that spreading is independent of the modulation process gives the system
some flexibility in choosing from a variety of modulation schemes.
In a multipath propagation environment, the receiver acquires frequent copies of the transmitted
signal, as shown in figure8. These signal components often interfere with each other causing what is
commonly described as signal fading. The resistance of the SS signals to multipath fading is brought about by
the fact that multipath components are assumed to be independent. This means that if fading attenuates one
component, the other components may not be affected, so that unfaded components can be used to recover the
information.

Fig. 8: Illustration of multiple paths.

As the signal is spread over a large frequency-band, the Power Spectral Density (PSD) is getting very
small, as explained by figure 9.

Fig. 9: Power and frequency in SS.

The biggest demerit of using a SS technique is the complex circuitry involved in generation and
reception of spread signal waveforms. These results Increased cost of operation and maintenance. SS involves
using a larger bandwidth than that required to transmit the information. Thus the technique is inherently
bandwidth inefficient. But these disadvantages might be very nominal considering the unique advantages that
SS provides under certain conditions.

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 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum with Barker code and QPSK

Figure 10 depicts transmitter, channel and receiver of DSSS system. In the transmitter stage, the
baseband data signal m(t) is spread using PN-Sequence c(t) [6]. Then, the resultant spread signal s(t) is applied
to BPSK modulator. The output signal of the BPSK modulator x(t) is transmitted over AWGN channel.
Accordingly, transmitted signal is thus a direct sequence spread binary phase-shift-keyed (DS/BPSK). In the
receiver, the received signal is demodulated using coherent detector and is then multiplied again by the same
(synchronized) PN code. Another observation is that the despread operation is the same as the spread
operation.

Fig. 10: Spreading and despreading in DSSS.

IV. SIMULATION RESULTS
Based on the above information, we had developed a MATLAB cod for the simulation of DSSS [7].
Several runs of the developed program were performed. The results of simulation are presented in figures from
11 to 16.
Figure 11 shows the message signal as an input to DSSS. This signal is encoded by polar NRZ. The
original may be one of the following three types of information; analog multimedia traffic, for example voice
and video, alphabet numerical data from keyboard and digital files from a memory.

Fig. 11: Message signal.

There are different code sequences that can be used with DSSS scheme. Gold Sequences and Walsh
Codes may be used as the pseudorandom codes for transmission. In this paper, for the simulation we used
Barker code. 11 bit Barker code is encoded by polar NRZ, one example is shown as encoded sequence in
figure 12.

Fig. 12: Barker code.

The spreaded signal by DSSS is a result of multiplication of original signal by the Barker code
sequence and shown in figure 13.

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 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum with Barker code and QPSK

Fig. 13: Spreaded signal.

Usually, the DSSS spreaded signal is band passed using BPSK modulation technique for the transmission over
wireless transmission media. BPSK modulated signal is shown in figure 14.

Fig. 14: BPSK modulated signal.

At the receiver end, the signal is firstly demodulated as depicted in figure 15.

Fig. 15: Demodulated signal.

And finally despreaded by DSSS demodulator, figure 16 reflect the signal that was transmitted.

Fig. 16: Despreaded signal.

V. CONCLUSION
The goal of this paper is to explain and simulate the DSSS modulation using MATLAB environment to
simplify the analysis and design of this technique. Results of simulation are clearly demonstrates that the goal
is achieved.
REFERENCES
[1] .Vandana Nath and Abhishesh Kumar A Comparative Study of Spread Spectrum Technique Based
onVarious Pseudorandom Codes, Global Journal of researches in engineering, Volume 12, Issue 6,
Version 1.0, May 2012.
[2]. Vishal Sharma, Richa Sharma "ANALYSIS OF SPREAD SPECTRUM IN MATLAB" International
Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 5, Issue 1, January-2014.
[3] Thamer M. Jamel and Sadiq K. Gharkan "Design and simulation PN synchronization of base band direct
sequencespreadspectrumDS/SSsystem"January2009 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/212116390
[4] ." Spread spectrum concept", 2000, http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~steve/papers/concepts.pdf.
[5] Behrouz A.Forouzan "data communications and networking", 4 th edition.
[6] S. Hykin,"Communication Systems", fourth edition ,John Wiley and Sons,Inc.,2001
[7] John Ga. Proakis and Masoud Salehi, Contemporary Communication Systems Using MATLAB.

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