Telecommunication Protocols

Subject description

Telecommunication service (user, provider, service specification, quality of service, service access point, primitives). Protocol (protocol as a service implementation, protocol entities, protocol as a language, protocol specification). Protocol messages and their structure . Protocol elements and properties. Protocol stack (principles, OSI model, TCP/IP, ATM, LTE, communication planes, tunnelling). Protocol and protocol stack efficiency. Basic protocol tasks. PDU formatting and synchronisation (synchronous and asynchronous transmission, transparent transmission). Providing reliable transmission (error detection and correction, forward error correction (FEC), automatic repeat request (ARQ), hybrid ARQ). ARQ protocols (stop and wait protocol, sliding window protocols). Flow and congestion control. Segmentation and reassembly. Connection management (two-way handshake, three-way handshake, collision resolution). Transport layer in TCP/IP (TCP, UDP and SCTP protocols). Internet layer protocols (IPv4, IPv6, ICMP). Media access control mechanisms (Aloha, CSMA/CA, CSMA/CD). Local area network protocols (Ethernet, WLAN). Mobile network protocols (LTE radio access network). Application protocols (DNS, DHCP, HTTP and others).

The subject is taught in programs

Electrical engineering 1st level

Objectives and competences

The aim of the course is to introduce the principles and methods of transmitting messages through a communication system. The student will learn the role of telecommunication services and protocols, protocol stacks, and protocol specification and design techniques.

Special emphasis is placed on the mechanisms used to ensure reliable message transmission. Some of the most important protocols are discussed in detail. The knowledge acquired will serve as a basis for selecting or designing a protocol suitable for solving the given communication problems.

Teaching and learning methods

The lectures provide a theoretical background illustrated with numerous examples. In laboratory, practical aspects of protocols are studied based on protocol specifications, protocol efficiency simulations, experimentation with some application-layer protocols of the TCP/IP stack, and protocol analysis with Wireshark software. Students must work on a homework assignment (implementation of an application protocol and its specification using a formal language). The assignment must be defended, which is a prerequisite for a successful completion of laboratory exercises.

Expected study results

After successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

explain general principles and concrete methods of message transmission through
a communication system
recognize the role of layers in protocol stacks and their specific tasks
identify the characteristics of a protocol suitable for carrying out a particular communication task
evaluate the traffic characteristics of the given protocol

Basic sources and literature

Jakus, G., Komunikacijski protokoli, učbenik v pripravi
Stallings, W., Data and Computer Communications, 10th Ed., Pearson, 2014
Kurose, J., Ross, K., Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 8th Ed., Pearson, 2022
Hercog, D., Communication Protocols: Principles, Methods and Specifications, 1st Ed., Springer, 2020
Jakus, G., Tomažič, S., Long term evolution (LTE) of mobile radio communications. V: Furht, B (ur.). Encyclopedia of wireless and mobile communications. Boca Raton; New York: Taylor & Francis, cop. 2008.