Information Theory Overview

Data Communication Basics

• Words are translated into binary using formats like ASCII code, transmitted via analog or digital signals.
• Information theory, developed by Claude Shannon, examines conditions and limitations influencing information transmission and processing.
• Communication theory overlaps with information theory but focuses more on the limitations rather than device operations.

Data Communication Definition

• Data communication involves the exchange of information between a source and a receiver within a network.
• It facilitates the transfer of electronic or digital data between multiple nodes, regardless of their location or the medium used.

Types of Networks

• Personal Area Networks (PANs): Cover devices within approximately 10 meters, typically personal devices like smartphones and tablets.
• Local Area Networks (LANs): Span small geographical areas, usually within a building or campus; examples include Ethernet and Token Ring.
• Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs): Connect multiple LANs over a larger campus or city area; an example is the Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI).
• Wide Area Networks (WANs): Extend across larger regions such as countries or globally; examples include the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the Internet.

Components of Data Communication

• Source: Generates information (e.g., computers, tablets).
• Source Encoder: Converts information into an electrical format (e.g., modem).
• Transmitter: Converts message signals into a channel-acceptable form (e.g., amplifiers and antennas).
• Channel: Represents the pathway linking transmitter and receiver, can be physical (wires) or RF signals.
• Receiver: Functions inversely to the transmitter to retrieve the message signal (e.g., filters and antennas).
• Source Decoder: Converts back the electrical signal to a receiver-acceptable form (e.g., modem).
• Sink: End-user of the generated information (e.g., computers, smartphones).

Network Topology

• Point-to-Point (P2P): Direct link connecting two nodes or devices permanently.
• Point-to-Multipoint: One node linked to multiple nodes, where each connection is P2P.
• Tree Topology: Configured by connecting multiple buses in a branching structure without closed loops.

Explore the basics of information theory, focusing on how words are translated into binary through coding systems like ASCII. Understand the principles outlined by Claude Shannon regarding the transmission and processing of information, and how this intersects with communication theory.