Communications and Networking

Qualifying Exam Syllabus

Area I: Probability, Random Variables & Random Processes

Probability fundamentals, one and multiple random variables, expectations, characteristic functions, independence/uncorrelatedness.

Classification of random processes - 2nd order characterization (correlation, power spectral density), ergodicity; Filtering by LTI systems; Special Processes - Markov Chains/Processes; Gaussian Processes.

Suggested Reference (level of competency expected): current EE505 text

Area II: Communication Systems

Coherent/diff-coherent/noncoherent modulation in Gaussian noise.

Basic concepts of equalization and Multiple-access schemes (FDMA/TDMA/CDMA).

Suggested Reference (level of competency expected): current EE506 text

Area III: Communication Networks

Link-level ARQ schemes (Stop-and-wait, go-back-N, selective repeat).

Elementary queueing models for networks (M/M/1, M/G/1, M/M/K/K, etc.). Queueing networks. Random Multiaccess schemes and their performance (e.g. Aloha, CSMA, splitting algorithms).

Basic understanding of the protocols used for routing and congestion control in the Internet.

Suggested Reference (level of competency expected): current EE565 text