Basis of IQ modulation and IQ signals (IQ调制和IQ信号基础)

1. Overview

// Whatever you are a college student who have learnt communications principle, or you are an experienced engineer in communications industry, I guess many people including me are not fully understanding IQ signals and IQ modulation. Sometimes the more basic the knowledge, the harder it is to be understood. How I wish my teachers could give a thorough illustration of the basics in her/his lectures…

The output of IQ modulation can be represented as below,

output = I(t) * cos(2πft) + Q(t) * sin(2πft)

2. IQ Sigals

1) Quadrature sigals

Quadrature sigals: the signals are 90° apart in phase

cos(2πft) and sin(2πft) are a couple of quadrature signals.

2) I signal and Q signal

usually,

• cos(2πft) is known as ‘‘in-phase’’ signal, whose amplitude is I,
  I * cos(2πft)
• sin(2πft) is known as ‘‘quadrature’’ signal, whose amplitude is Q.
  Q * sin(2πft)

3. IQ modulation

output = input1 + input2 = I(t) * cos(2πft) + Q(t) * sin(2πft)

I and Q varying, the summarized output signal varies.

Breakdown:

if we breakdown above equation, there are actually 2 components,

• 2 quadrature carriers ( cos(2πft), sin(2πft) )
• 2 modulation signals (I, Q)

I(t) and Q(t), as the input signals, can be any signals(any waveforms) and thus realize any types of modulations, AM, FM, BPSK, QPSK, QAM, etc.

1). IQ modulation to be BPSK

IQ modulation can realize BPSK when

• I(t) varies between +1 and -1
• Q(t) = 0

now output singal = I(t) * cos(2πft), where I(t) varies between +1 and -1

2). IQ modulation to be QPSK

IQ modulation can realize BPSK when

• I(t) varies between +1 and -1
• Q(t) varies between +1 and -1

now output singal = I(t) * cos(2πft) + Q(t) *sin(2πft), where I(t) and Q(t) both vary between +1 and -1