Network December 30, 2025

The Foundation of Information Theory: A Complete Guide to Shannon's Communication Model

📌 Summary

Claude Shannon's communication model is the cornerstone of modern information theory. Explore Shannon's model in detail, covering current trends, practical applications, and expert insights.

Introduction: The Innovation of Information Communication, Shannon's Communication Model

Modern information and communication technology is constantly evolving, and at the heart of this evolution lies Claude Shannon's communication model. Shannon's model provides profound insights into efficient information transmission and error control, going beyond a simple communication process. This article analyzes Shannon's communication model in depth and examines how it is applied to real-world communication systems.

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Core Concepts and Principles

Shannon's communication model consists of an information source, transmitter, channel, receiver, and destination. The message generated by the information source is converted into a signal by the transmitter and transmitted through the channel. The channel can add noise to the signal, and the receiver is responsible for recovering the original message from this noise.

Information Source

The information source is the entity that generates the message. The message can take various forms, such as text, images, or audio. The efficient representation of the information source is closely related to data compression.

Transmitter

The transmitter converts the message from the information source into a signal suitable for transmission through the channel. Processes such as modulation and encoding occur in the transmitter.

Channel

The channel is the physical medium between the transmitter and the receiver. There are various types of channels, such as wireless channels and wired channels. The channel can add noise to the signal. The characteristics of the channel significantly affect the performance of the communication system.

Receiver

The receiver receives the signal transmitted through the channel and restores it to the original message. Processes such as demodulation and decoding occur in the receiver. The performance of the receiver is determined by its ability to remove noise.

Destination

The destination is the entity that ultimately uses the received message. The message can be delivered to the user or transmitted to another system.

Latest Trends and Changes

Recently, Claude Shannon's information theory has moved beyond a simple communication theory to provide the core foundation for modern information society (m.blog.naver.com, 2025. 2. 2.). Furthermore, Shannon's information capacity theory is a mathematical principle that underlies all information flow constituting the digital society and is used for data compression and transmission (itpe.jackerlab.com, 2025. 4. 20.). According to National Radio Research Agency Notice No. 2025-15, the national standards for information and communication have been revised (7 days ago) and complies with the Industrial Standardization Act.

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Practical Application Methods

The Shannon-Hartley theorem is a fundamental theoretical law in the field of information and communication that defines the mathematical limit on the communication capacity of a particular channel. This law serves as an important guideline in the design of communication systems and is used to determine the maximum transmission rate based on the bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio of the channel. In addition, error correction coding technology is developed based on Shannon's information theory and is used in various fields such as wireless communication and data storage devices.

Expert Advice

💡 Technical Insight

Precautions When Introducing Technology: Shannon's communication model assumes an ideal environment, so various constraints must be considered in actual communication systems. The system must be designed considering channel characteristic changes, interference, and hardware limitations.

Outlook for the Next 3-5 Years: Next-generation communication systems such as 5G and 6G require even higher data transmission rates and lower latency. Shannon's information theory will play an important role in developing core technologies to meet these requirements. In particular, more efficient communication systems are expected to be developed through the convergence with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

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Conclusion

Shannon's communication model is the core of information theory and has greatly influenced the development of modern information and communication technology. This model provides the basic principles for efficient information transmission and error control and serves as an important guideline in the design of communication systems. Shannon's information theory is expected to continue playing a key role in the development of next-generation communication systems. A deep understanding of information theory is essential for leading future communication technologies.

🏷️ Tags
#Shannon #InformationTheory #CommunicationModel #DataTransmission #Network
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