Information theory and coding

In the previous chapters, we considered the problem of digital transmission over different channels. Information sources arenot often digital, and in fact, many sources are analog. Although many channels are also analog, it is still moreefficient to convert analog sources into digital data and transmit over analog channels using digital transmissiontechniques. There are two reasons why digital transmission could be more efficient and more reliable than analogtransmission:

• Analog sources could be compressed to digital form efficiently.
• Digital data can be transmitted over noisy channels reliably.

• How can one model information?
• How can one quantify information?
• If information can be measured, does its information quantity relate to how much it can be compressed?
• Is it possible to determine if a particular channel can handle transmission of a source with a particularinformation quantity?

In other modules, we will quantify information and find efficient representation of information ( Entropy ). We will also quantify how much information can be transmitted through channels, reliably. Channel coding can be used to reduce information rate and increase reliability.