Interference mitigation techniques for wireless OFDM

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a promising multicarrier wireless system for transmission of high-rate data stream with spectral efficiency and fading immunity. Conventional OFDM system use efficient IFFT and FFT to multiplex the signals in parallel at the transmitter and receiver respectively. On the other hand, wavelet based OFDM system uses orthonormal wavelets which are derived from a multistage tree-structured wavelet family. The Fourier based and wavelet based OFDM systems are studied in this dissertation. Two types of QAM schemes, circular and square modulations are used to compare the performance in both OFDM systems. A new approach of determining exact BER for optimal circular QAM is proposed. In addition, the presence of narrowband interference (NBI) degrades the performance of OFDM systems. Thus, a mitigation technique is necessary to suppress NBI in an OFDM system. Recent mitigation techniques can be broadly categorized into frequency domain cancellation, receiver windowing and excision filtering. However, none of the techniques considers wavelet based OFDM. Therefore, an interference cancelation algorithm has been proposed to work for both OFDM platforms. The performance results of two OFDM schemes applicable to digital video broadcasting (DVB)-terrestrial system and under the effect of impulsive noise interference are also studied. BER performances are obtained in all results. It has been shown that wavelet based OFDM system has outperformed Fourier based OFDM system in many cases

Coded-OFDM for PLC systems in non-Gaussian noise channels

PhD ThesisNowadays, power line communication (PLC) is a technology that uses the power line grid for communication purposes along with transmitting electrical energy, for providing broadband services to homes and offices such as high-speed data, audio, video and multimedia applications. The advantages of this technology are to eliminate the need for new wiring and AC outlet plugs by using an existing infrastructure, ease of installation and reduction of the network deployment cost. However, the power line grid is originally designed for the transmission of the electric power at low frequencies; i.e. 50/60 Hz. Therefore, the PLC channel appears as a harsh medium for low-power high-frequency communication signals. The development of PLC systems for providing high-speed communication needs precise knowledge of the channel characteristics such as the attenuation, non-Gaussian noise and selective fading. Non-Gaussian noise in PLC channels can classify into Nakagami-m background interference (BI) noise and asynchronous impulsive noise (IN) modelled by a Bernoulli-Gaussian mixture (BGM) model or Middleton class A (MCA) model. Besides the effects of the multipath PLC channel, asynchronous impulsive noise is the main reason causing performance degradation in PLC channels. Binary/non-binary low-density parity check B/NB-(LDPC) codes and turbo codes (TC) with soft iterative decoders have been proposed for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system to improve the bit error rate (BER) performance degradation by exploiting frequency diversity. The performances are investigated utilizing high-order quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) in the presence of non-Gaussian noise over multipath broadband power-line communication (BBPLC) channels. OFDM usually spreads the effect of IN over multiple sub-carriers after discrete Fourier transform (DFT) operation at the receiver, hence, it requires only a simple single-tap zero forcing (ZF) equalizer at the receiver. The thesis focuses on improving the performance of iterative decoders by deriving the effective, complex-valued, ratio distributions of the noise samples at the zeroforcing (ZF) equalizer output considering the frequency-selective multipath PLCs, background interference noise and impulsive noise, and utilizing the outcome for computing the apriori log likelihood ratios (LLRs) required for soft decoding algorithms. On the other hand, Physical-Layer Network Coding (PLNC) is introduced to help the PLC system to extend the range of operation for exchanging information between two users (devices) using an intermediate relay (hub) node in two-time slots in the presence of non-Gaussian noise over multipath PLC channels. A novel detection scheme is proposed to transform the transmit signal constellation based on the frequency-domain channel coefficients to optimize detection at the relay node with newly derived noise PDF at the relay and end nodes. Additionally, conditions for optimum detection utilizing a high-order constellation are derived. The closedform expressions of the BER and average BER upper-bound (AUB) are derived for a point-to-point system, and for a PLNC system at the end node to relay, relay to end node and at the end-to-end nodes. Moreover, the convergence behaviour of iterative decoders is evaluated using EXtrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) chart analysis and upper bound analyses. Furthermore, an optimization of the threshold determination for clipping and blanking impulsive noise mitigation methods are derived. The proposed systems are compared in performance using simulation in MATLAB and analytical methods.Ministry of Higher Education in Ira

On Combined Coding and Modulation

In the treatment of channel coding as a separate operation independent of the modulation, the coded set of sequences generally has a smaller channel symbol duration than the uncoded set of sequences for the same information rate. Accordingly, the power spectrum density (PSD) of the channel signals changes essentially. On the other hand, if the modulation is designed in conjunction with the channel coding, error correction can be achieved without leading to any essential changes in the PSD. In this thesis, two combined coding and modulation schemes are studied. Narrowband powerline communication (PLC) is considered as a practical application. The thesis can be divided into two parts. In the first part, combined coding and modulation scheme based on the single carrier modulation is proposed. An run-length limited (RLL) encoder is introduced between the channel encoder and the constant envelope modulator to control the minimum channel symbol duration (the minimum duration in which the channel symbol stays constant) of a set of block waveforms defined in a constant time. As a single carrier modulation, noncoherent FSK and PSK are considered. Accordingly, it is shown that high coding gains can be achieved at the same information rate without leading to an essential change in the PSD. The maximum-likelihood (ML) receiver structures are derived and investigated for the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and the impulsive noise channel models. In the second part of the thesis, OFDM modulation is considered. If the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the transmitted OFDM symbol contains a small number of zeros or known data, there is a similarity between the inverse DFT (IDFT) and RS encoder. In practice, not all subcarriers are used to carry information. Some subcarriers are set to zero or known data (pilot symbols) for different purposes, that include channel estimation, synchronization or cancelation of the DC value. An iterative impulsive noise suppression algorithm is proposed, which exploits the impulsive noise structure in the time and frequency domain and uses the existing redundancy to decode the errors. The simulation results show that the influence of impulsive noise can be essentially reduced.Bei der klassischen Kanalcodierung wird die Datenrate durch Einfügen von Redundanzen bewusst erhöht, um dadurch eine Absicherung gegen auftretende Fehler zu erreichen. Die Erhöhung der Datenrate erfordert eine wesentliche Änderung im Power-Spektrum. Aber bei vielen Anwendungen ist eine möglichst effiziente Nutzung des Power-Spektrums gefordert. In dieser Arbeit werden Codierung und Modulation gemeinsam betrachtet, so dass die Verbesserung der Übertragungsqualität keine wesentliche Änderung in dem Power-Spektrum erfordert. Das Power-Spektrum wird durch Power-Spektrum-Dichte analysiert. Als praktische Anwendung der Arbeit wird die Schmalband-Powerline-Kommunikation (Narrowband Power Line Communication) betrachtet. Powerline ist der Begriff für die Übertragung von Daten über Stromkabel. Im Gegensatz zu konventionellen Kommunikationskanälen kann die Störung auf Stromnetze nicht als additives weißes Gaußsches Rauschen (AWGN) modelliert werden. Das ist darauf zurückzuführen, dass neben Hintergrundrauschen auch Schmalbandstörungen und insbesondere Impulsstörungen vorkommen. Beim Auftreten eines Impulses sind Bit- oder Burstfehler bei einer Datenübertragung sehr wahrscheinlich. Im ersten Teil werden Einzelträgerverfahren betrachtet. Ein sogenannter RLL- (Run-length Limited) Code wird verwendet, um die Anzahl aufeinanderfolgender Symbole mit gleichem Wert nach unten zu begrenzen. Dementsprechend wird gezeigt, dass im gemeinsamen blockweisen RLL Encoder/Modulator der minimale euklidische Abstand erhöht werden kann, ohne wesentliche Änderung in der Power-Spektrum-Dichte. Im Empfänger erfolgen Demodulation und Decodierung nicht getrennt, sondern in einem Schritt, wobei alle Vorteile der Maximum-Likelihood-Decodierung mit Verwendung von Soft-Decision erhalten bleiben. Ein wesentlich größerer Codierungsgewinn ergibt sich bei der Verkettung mit einem RS- (Reed-Solomon) Code. Zunächst werden die Auswirkungen von Impulsstörungen auf RLL-codierte Einzelträgerverfahren erläutert. Die Modellierung von Impulsstörungen als nicht-Gauß'sche Verteilungen wurde in der Literatur durch verschiedene Ansätze vorgestellt. In der Arbeit wird das Klasse-A Modell von Middleton angewendet. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit wird OFDM- (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) Verfahren betrachtet. Insbesondere durch die Impulsstörungen werden in der Datenübertragung erhebliche Störeffekte hervorgerufen. In OFDM werden die Modulation bzw. Demodulation mit Hilfe einer IDFT bzw. DFT (Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform, Discrete Fourier Transform) ausgeführt. Die bisherigen Überlegungen zur Kompensation von Impulsstörungen behandeln nur das OFDM-Verfahren mit einer großen Anzahl von Unterträgern (>256). In diesem Fall wird die Energie des Störimpulses durch die DFT auf viele Unterträger verteilt. Wenn die Anzahl der Unterträger kleiner als 256 ist, ist die Verteilung der Störung nicht uniform. Wenn die DFT der gesendeten OFDM-Symbol eine kleine Anzahl von Nullen oder bekannten Daten enthält, gibt es eine Ähnlichkeit zwischen der IDFT und RS-Encoder. Die OFDM-Signale beinhalten häufig Pilotinformationen und zu Null gesetzte Träger in der Signalstruktur. Es werden Verfahren zur Kompensation von Impulsstörungen durch Pilotinformationen und zu Null gesetzte Träger untersucht bzw. entwickelt, die eine Steigerung der Robustheit der Datenübertragung ermöglichen. Als Zielkriterium wird dabei die Senkung der Bitfehlerrate bei einer impulsgestörten Übertragung herangezogen. Für die Modellierung von Impulsstörungen wird das vereinfachte "Klasse-A"\, Modell von Middleton verwendet

Automatic classification of digital communication signal modulations

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel UniversityAutomatic modulation classification detects the modulation type of received communication signals. It has important applications in military scenarios to facilitate jamming, intelligence, surveillance, and threat analysis. The renewed interest from civilian scenes has been fuelled by the development of intelligent communications systems such as cognitive radio and software defined radio. More specifically, it is complementary to adaptive modulation and coding where a modulation can be deployed from a set of candidates according to the channel condition and system specification for improved spectrum efficiency and link reliability. In this research, we started by improving some existing methods for higher classification accuracy but lower complexity. Machine learning techniques such as k-nearest neighbour and support vector machine have been adopted for simplified decision making using known features. Logistic regression, genetic algorithm and genetic programming have been incorporated for improved classification performance through feature selection and combination. We have also developed a new distribution test based classifier which is tailored for modulation classification with the inspiration from Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The proposed classifier is shown to have improved accuracy and robustness over the standard distribution test. For blind classification in imperfect channels, we developed the combination of minimum distance centroid estimator and non-parametric likelihood function for blind modulation classification without the prior knowledge on channel noise. The centroid estimator provides joint estimation of channel gain and carrier phase o set where both can be compensated in the following nonparametric likelihood function. The non-parametric likelihood function, in the meantime, provide likelihood evaluation without a specifically assumed noise model. The combination has shown to have higher robustness when different noise types are considered. To push modulation classification techniques into a more timely setting, we also developed the principle for blind classification in MIMO systems. The classification is achieved through expectation maximization channel estimation and likelihood based classification. Early results have shown bright prospect for the method while more work is needed to further optimize the method and to provide a more thorough validation.School of Engineering and Design Brunel University London, the Faculty of Engineering University of Liverpool, and the University of Liverpool Graduate Association (Hong Kong)

Channel estimation techniques for filter bank multicarrier based transceivers for next generation of wireless networks

A dissertation submitted to Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering (Electrical and Information Engineering), August 2017The fourth generation (4G) of wireless communication system is designed based on the principles of cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CP-OFDM) where the cyclic prefix (CP) is used to combat inter-symbol interference (ISI) and inter-carrier interference (ICI) in order to achieve higher data rates in comparison to the previous generations of wireless networks. Various filter bank multicarrier systems have been considered as potential waveforms for the fast emerging next generation (xG) of wireless networks (especially the fifth generation (5G) networks). Some examples of the considered waveforms are orthogonal frequency division multiplexing with offset quadrature amplitude modulation based filter bank, universal filtered multicarrier (UFMC), bi-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (BFDM) and generalized frequency division multiplexing (GFDM). In perfect reconstruction (PR) or near perfect reconstruction (NPR) filter bank designs, these aforementioned FBMC waveforms adopt the use of well-designed prototype filters (which are used for designing the synthesis and analysis filter banks) so as to either replace or minimize the CP usage of the 4G networks in order to provide higher spectral efficiencies for the overall increment in data rates. The accurate designing of the FIR low-pass prototype filter in NPR filter banks results in minimal signal distortions thus, making the analysis filter bank a time-reversed version of the corresponding synthesis filter bank. However, in non-perfect reconstruction (Non-PR) the analysis filter bank is not directly a time-reversed version of the corresponding synthesis filter bank as the prototype filter impulse response for this system is formulated (in this dissertation) by the introduction of randomly generated errors. Hence, aliasing and amplitude distortions are more prominent for Non-PR. Channel estimation (CE) is used to predict the behaviour of the frequency selective channel and is usually adopted to ensure excellent reconstruction of the transmitted symbols. These techniques can be broadly classified as pilot based, semi-blind and blind channel estimation schemes. In this dissertation, two linear pilot based CE techniques namely the least square (LS) and linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE), and three adaptive channel estimation schemes namely least mean square (LMS), normalized least mean square (NLMS) and recursive least square (RLS) are presented, analyzed and documented. These are implemented while exploiting the near orthogonality properties of offset quadrature amplitude modulation (OQAM) to mitigate the effects of interference for two filter bank waveforms (i.e. OFDM/OQAM and GFDM/OQAM) for the next generation of wireless networks assuming conditions of both NPR and Non-PR in slow and fast frequency selective Rayleigh fading channel. Results obtained from the computer simulations carried out showed that the channel estimation schemes performed better in an NPR filter bank system as compared with Non-PR filter banks. The low performance of Non-PR system is due to the amplitude distortion and aliasing introduced from the random errors generated in the system that is used to design its prototype filters. It can be concluded that RLS, NLMS, LMS, LMMSE and LS channel estimation schemes offered the best normalized mean square error (NMSE) and bit error rate (BER) performances (in decreasing order) for both waveforms assuming both NPR and Non-PR filter banks. Keywords: Channel estimation, Filter bank, OFDM/OQAM, GFDM/OQAM, NPR, Non-PR, 5G, Frequency selective channel.CK201

Techniques of detection, estimation and coding for fading channels

The thesis describes techniques of detection, coding and estimation, for use in high speed serial modems operating over fading channels such as HF radio and land mobile radio links. The performance of the various systems that employ the above techniques are obtained via computer simulation tests. A review of the characteristics of HF radio channels is first presented, leading to the development of an appropriate channel model which imposes Rayleigh fading on the transmitted signal. Detection processes for a 4.8 kbit/s HF radio modem are then discussed, the emphasis, here, being on variants of the maximum likelihood detector that is implemented by the Viterbi algorithm. The performance of these detectors are compared with that of a nonlinear equalizer operating under the same conditions, and the detector which offers the best compromise between performance and complexity is chosen for further tests. Forward error correction, in the form of trellis coded modulation, is next introduced. An appropriate 8-PSK coded modulation scheme is discussed, and its operation over the above mentioned HF radio modem is evaluated. Performance comparisons are made of the coded and uncoded systems. Channel estimation techniques for fast fading channels akin to cellular land mobile radio links, are next discussed. A suitable model for a fast fading channel is developed, and some novel estimators are tested over this channel. Computer simulation tests are also used to study the feasibility of the simultaneous transmission of two 4-level QAM signals occupying the same frequency band, when each of these signals are transmitted at 24 kbit/s over two independently fading channels, to a single receiver. A novel combined detector/estimator is developed for this purpose. Finally, the performance of the complete 4.8 kbit/s HF radio modem is obtained, when all the functions of detection, estimation and prefiltering are present, where the prefilter and associated processor use a recently developed technique for the adjustment of its tap gains and for the estimation of the minimum phase sampled impulse response

Advanced methods in automatic modulation classification for emerging technologies

Modulation classification (MC) is of large importance in both military and commercial communication applications. It is a challenging problem, especially in non-cooperative wireless environments, where channel fading and no prior knowledge on the incoming signal are major factors that deteriorate the reception performance. Although the average likelihood ratio test method can provide an optimal solution to the MC problem with unknown parameters, it suffers from high computational complexity and in some cases mathematical intractability. Instead, in this research, an array-based quasi-hybrid likelihood ratio test (qHLRT) algorithm is proposed, which depicts two major advantages. First, it is simple yet accurate enough parameter estimation with reduced complexity. Second the incorporation of antenna arrays offers an effective ability to combat fading. Furthermore, a practical array-based qHLRT classifier scheme is implemented, which applies maximal ratio combining (MRC) to increase the accuracy of both carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation and likelihood function calculation in channel fading. In fact, double CFO estimations are executed in this classifier. With the first the unknown CFO, phase offsets and amplitudes are estimated as prerequisite for MRC operation. Then, MRC is performed using these estimates, followed by a second CFO estimator. Since the input of the second CFO estimator is the output of the MRC, fading effects on the incoming signals are removed significantly and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is augmented. As a result, a more accurate CFO estimate is obtained. Consequently, the overall classification performance is improved, especially in low SNR environment. Recently, many state-of-the-arts communication technologies, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulations, have been emerging. The need for distinguishing OFDM signal from single carrier has become obvious. Besides, some vital parameters of OFDM signals should be extracted for further processing. In comparison to the research on MC for single carrier single antenna transmission, much less attention has been paid to the MC for emerging modulation methods. A comprehensive classification system is proposed for recognizing the OFDM signal and extracting its parameters. An automatic OFDM modulation classifier is proposed, which is based on the goodness-of-fittest. Since OFDM signal is Gaussian, Cramer-von Mises technique, working on the empirical distribution function, has been applied to test the presence of the normality. Numerical results show that such approach can successfully identify OFDM signals from single carrier modulations over a wide SNR range. Moreover, the proposed scheme can provide the acceptable performance when frequency-selective fading is present. Correlation test is then applied to estimate OFDM cyclic prefix duration. A two-phase searching scheme, which is based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) as well as Gaussianity test, is devised to detect the number of subcarriers. In the first phase, a coarse search is carried out iteratively. The exact number of subcarriers is determined by the fine tune in the second phase. Both analytical work and numerical results are presented to verify the efficiency of the proposed scheme

Frequency-domain receiver design for doubly-selective channels

This work is devoted to the broadband wireless transmission techniques, which are serious candidates to be implemented in future broadband wireless and cellular systems, aiming at providing high and reliable data transmission and concomitantly high mobility. In order to cope with doubly-selective channels, receiver structures based on OFDM and SC-FDE block transmission techniques, are proposed, which allow cost-effective implementations, using FFT-based signal processing. The first subject to be addressed is the impact of the number of multipath components, and the diversity order, on the asymptotic performance of OFDM and SC-FDE, in uncoded and for different channel coding schemes. The obtained results show that the number of relevant separable multipath components is a key element that influences the performance of OFDM and SC-FDE schemes. Then, the improved estimation and detection performance of OFDM-based broadcasting systems, is introduced employing SFN (Single Frequency Network) operation. An initial coarse channel is obtained with resort to low-power training sequences estimation, and an iterative receiver with joint detection and channel estimation is presented. The achieved results have shown very good performance, close to that with perfect channel estimation. The next topic is related to SFN systems, devoting special attention to time-distortion effects inherent to these networks. Typically, the SFN broadcast wireless systems employ OFDM schemes to cope with severely time-dispersive channels. However, frequency errors, due to CFO, compromises the orthogonality between subcarriers. As an alternative approach, the possibility of using SC-FDE schemes (characterized by reduced envelope fluctuations and higher robustness to carrier frequency errors) is evaluated, and a technique, employing joint CFO estimation and compensation over the severe time-distortion effects, is proposed. Finally, broadband mobile wireless systems, in which the relative motion between the transmitter and receiver induces Doppler shift which is different or each propagation path, is considered, depending on the angle of incidence of that path in relation to the direction of travel. This represents a severe impairment in wireless digital communications systems, since that multipath propagation combined with the Doppler effects, lead to drastic and unpredictable fluctuations of the envelope of the received signal, severely affecting the detection performance. The channel variations due this effect are very difficult to estimate and compensate. In this work we propose a set of SC-FDE iterative receivers implementing efficient estimation and tracking techniques. The performance results show that the proposed receivers have very good performance, even in the presence of significant Doppler spread between the different groups of multipath components

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT SCHEMES FOR TRANSMISSION OF WATERMARKED MEDICAL IMAGES OVER FADING CHANNELS

ABSTRACT Performance Analysis of Different Schemes for Transmission of Watermarked Medical images over Fading Channels Praveen Kumar Korrai In this thesis, we investigate different types of robust schemes for transmission of medical images with concealed patient information as a watermark. In these schemes, spatial domain digital watermarking technique is adapted to embed the patient information as a watermark into the lower order bits of the medical images to reduce the storage and transmission overheads. The watermark, which comprises text data, is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access of data. To enhance the robustness of the embedded information, the encrypted watermark is coded by concatenation of Reed Solomon (RS) and low density parity check (LDPC) codes. A robust scheme for transmission of watermarked images over impulsive noisy wireless channels is first proposed and its performance analyzed. In this scheme, the bursty wireless channel is simulated by adding impulse noise to the watermark embedded image. Furthermore, turbo channel coding is used to correct the transmission errors over impulsive noisy wireless channels. However, single input single output (SISO) channel capacity is not enough to provide modern wireless services such as data and multimedia messaging services. Further, it is not reliable due to multipath fading. To overcome these problems, a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission scheme in which multiple antennas are used at both the transmitter and the receiver has emerged as one of the most significant technical breakthroughs in modern wireless communications. MIMO can improve the channel capacity and provide diversity gain. Hence, a scheme with a MIMO channel is proposed for the transmission of watermarked medical images over Rayleigh flat fading channels and its performance analyzed using MIMO maximum likelihood detector at the receiver. We present another scheme, namely, MIMO space frequency block coded OFDM (MIMO SFBC OFDM) in this thesis for transmission of watermarked medical images over Rayleigh fading channels to mitigate the detrimental effects due to frequency selective fading. The performance of this MIMO SFBC OFDM scheme is analyzed and compared with that of SISO-OFDM using minimum mean square error V-BLAST- based detection at the receiver. The efficacy of the different proposed schemes is illustrated through implementation results on watermarked medical images