Data communication Concepts

What is Data?

– Elements that can be represented by a finite set of symbols, such as digits or alphabets

What Is Communication?

- Transmission of information between two parties.

4 Basic Elements involved in communication

Sender – initiates the communication.

Medium – is the mechanism by which the communication is conveyed to the receiver.

Receiver – receives the communication.

Message – is the information content that is transferred between the sender and the
receiver via the medium.

(e.g. telephone conversation)

Human Communication vs. Data Communication

Human communication is richer, less predictable

–Words vary in meaning with context
–Many factors influence meaning and perception of message

Data communication is more precise

–Exact replication of information

Telecommunication

Is a general term for the electronic transmission of information in any type including
television, pictures, sound and facsimiles and data in the form of electronic signals or
impulses, sent as an individual message between two parties or as a broadcast to be
received at many locations.

Data Communication Concepts

Data Communication is the process of transferring digital information (usually in binary

form) between two or more points.

Simplified Block Diagram of Data Communication System

Information Information
Transmission Medium
Source Destination
General Description of a Data Communications System

A data communications system can be described simply in terms of three

components.

Transmitter – A transmitter can be any circuit or electronic device designed to send

electronically encoded data to another location. Transmitter can also be called as the source.

Transmission Path or Channel – A path or a link through which information passes between
two devices. In communications, a medium for transferring information also known as a line
or a circuit. A communication channel can carry information in many forms such as data,
sound and/or video in either digital or analog form.

Receiver – In data communications sense, a receiver could be any device designed to

receive any conveyed message from the transmitter or the source. (occasionally called as
sink)

2 Types of Communication

One-way communication - the role of the source and the sink may not interchange.

Two-way communication – the source and the sink may interchange roles that is, the same
piece of equipment may transmit and receive data simultaneously.

Therefore, it is easier to think of a data communication system between point A and

B in terms of The Universal Seven-Part Circuit of Data Communication System.

The Universal Seven-Part Circuit of Data Communication System

POINT A POINT B

DTE DCE DCE DTE

DTE–DCE INTERFACE DCE–DTE INTERFACE

Transmission Channel

1. The Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) at point A

2. The interface between the DTE and the Data Circuit-terminating Equipment (DCE or
often Data communication Equipment) at point A
3. The DCE at point A
4. The transmission channel between points A and B
5. The DCE at point B
6. The DCE-DTE interface at point B
7. The DTE at point B
Data Terminal Equipment (DTE)

Equipment that constitutes the data source, data sink or both. It includes any piece
of equipment (at which communication path begins or ends) or any device that transmits or
receives data.

Ex. Terminal or PC

Data Communication Equipment (DCE)

Equipment that provides all the functions required establishing, maintaining and
terminating a connection. It also provides signal conversion and coding conversion between
DTE and the common carrier’s lines.

Ex. MODEMS

MODEMS

The term MODEM is an acronym for modulator/demodulator. The primary modem

function is to convert digital data into analog form, which is suitable for transmission on
common carrier circuits. Modulation is the Digital-to-Analog conversion in which the digital is
placed on the transmission line by modulation of a tone or carrier. Demodulation is the
reverse process.

DTE-DCE Interface

The DTE-DCE interfaces consist of several input/output circuitries in the DCE and in the DTE,
and the connectors and cables that connect them. In most systems, this interface conforms
to the RS-232C standard as publish BY Electronics Industries Association (EIA) in the DCE
interface.
Closed Systems vs. Open Systems

Closed Systems

A term used to describe any computer design whose specifications are not freely available.
Such proprietary specifications make it difficult or impossible for third party vendors to
create auxiliary devices that worked correctly with a closed- architecture machine.

Closed systems resulted in the proliferation of proprietary systems where only products
coming from the same manufacturers could work.

Open Systems

A term used to describe any computer or peripheral design that has published specifications.
It is designed to incorporate all devices – regardless of manufacturer or model that can use
the same communications facilities and protocols.

Open systems enable equipment produced by one vendor to be used with equipment from
any vendor that complies with the standards.

Data Communications Standard

Data communications standards or protocols are simply a set of rules that were established
for use in the computer industry by the various international bodies. It is concerned
primarily with either the internal operation of the computer or the connection of local
peripheral devices.

Standards Organizations

Because of the wide number of hardware manufacturers, a standard is essential in order to

connect one computer to another computer if a different type. There are recognized and
widely accepted standards governing how data is to be transmitted, whether
asynchronously, parallel, or synchronously. Standards govern the format of the data, and
also specify the hardware details like voltages to use, bit durations, speeds etc.

The major organizations responsible for standards are:

• Electronics Industries Association (EIA) Made up by manufacturers in the USA.

Responsible for RS232 and similar standards.
• Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Professional organization
of engineers. An example is the IEEE-754 standard for representing floating point
numbers.
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Represents a number of US
standards organizations. Member organizations submit their standards for
acceptance. An example is the ANSI standards for representing ASCII characters.
• Consultative Committee on International Telephone and Telegraph (CCITT)
International committee concerned with telecommunications. These standards deal
with telephone and data traffic. An example is X.25
• International Organization for Standards (ISO) Has standards covering a wide
range of computer related topics. The US representative is ANSI. An example is
ISO9000 standard for quality assurance.