Efficient complementary sequences-based architectures and their application to ranging measurements

Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado de la UAH en 2015En las últimas décadas, los sistemas de medición de distancias se han beneficiado de los avances en el área de las comunicaciones inalámbricas. En los sistemas basados en CDMA (Code-Division Multiple-Access), las propiedades de correlación de las secuencias empleadas juegan un papel fundamental en el desarrollo de dispositivos de medición de altas prestaciones. Debido a las sumas ideales de correlaciones aperiódicas, los conjuntos de secuencias complementarias, CSS (Complementary Sets of Sequences), son ampliamente utilizados en sistemas CDMA. En ellos, es deseable el uso de arquitecturas eficientes que permitan generar y correlar CSS del mayor número de secuencias y longitudes posibles. Por el término eficiente se hace referencia a aquellas arquitecturas que requieren menos operaciones por muestra de entrada que con una arquitectura directa. Esta tesis contribuye al desarrollo de arquitecturas eficientes de generación/correlación de CSS y derivadas, como son las secuencias LS (Loosely Synchronized) y GPC (Generalized Pairwise Complementary), que permitan aumentar el número de longitudes y/o de secuencias disponibles. Las contribuciones de la tesis pueden dividirse en dos bloques: En primer lugar, las arquitecturas eficientes de generación/correlación para CSS binarios, derivadas en trabajos previos, son generalizadas al alfabeto multinivel (secuencias con valores reales) mediante el uso de matrices de Hadamard multinivel. Este planteamiento tiene dos ventajas: por un lado el aumento del número de longitudes que pueden generarse/correlarse y la eliminación de las limitaciones de las arquitecturas previas en el número de secuencias en el conjunto. Por otro lado, bajo ciertas condiciones, los parámetros de las arquitecturas generalizadas pueden ajustarse para generar/correlar eficientemente CSS binarios de mayor número de longitudes que con las arquitecturas eficientes previas. En segundo lugar, las arquitecturas propuestas son usadas para el desarrollo de nuevos algoritmos de generación/correlación de secuencias derivadas de CSS que reducen el número de operaciones por muestra de entrada. Finalmente, se presenta la aplicación de las secuencias estudiadas en un nuevo sistema de posicionamiento local basado en Ultra-Wideband y en un sistema de posicionamiento local basado en ultrasonidos

Near far resistant detection for CDMA personal communication systems.

The growth of Personal Communications, the keyword of the 90s, has already the signs of a technological revolution. The foundations of this revolution are currently set through the standardization of the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), a communication system with synergistic terrestrial and satellite segments. The main characteristic of the UMTS radio interface, is the provision of ISDN services. Services with higher than voice data rates require more spectrum, thus techniques that utilize spectrum as efficiently as possible are currently at the forefront of the research community interests. Two of the most spectrally efficient multiple access technologies, namely. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) concentrate the efforts of the European telecommunity.This thesis addresses problems and. proposes solutions for CDMA systems that must comply with the UMTS requirements. Prompted by Viterbi's call for further extending the potential of CDMA through signal processing at the receiving end, we propose new Minimum Mean Square Error receiver architectures. MMSE detection schemes offer significant advantages compared to the conventional correlation based receivers as they are NEar FAr Resistant (NEFAR) over a wide range of interfering power levels. The NEFAR characteristic of these detectors reduces considerably the requirements of the power control loops currently found in commercial CDMA systems. MMSE detectors are also found, to have significant performance gains over other well established interference cancellation techniques like the decorrelating detector, especially in heavily loaded system conditions. The implementation architecture of MMSE receivers can be either Multiple-Input Multiple Output (MIMO) or Single-Input Single-Output. The later offers not only complexity that is comparable to the conventional detector, but also has the inherent advantage of employing adaptive algorithms which can be used to provide both the dispreading and the interference cancellation function, without the knowledge of the codes of interfering users. Furthermore, in multipath fading channels, adaptive MMSE detectors can exploit the multipath diversity acting as RAKE combiners. The later ability is distinctive to MMSE based receivers, and it is achieved in an autonomous fashion, without the knowledge of the multipath intensity profile. The communicator achieves its performance objectives by the synergy of the signal processor and the channel decoder. According to the propositions of this thesis, the form of the signal processor needs to be changed, in order to exploit the horizons of spread spectrum signaling. However, maximum likelihood channel decoding algorithms need not change. It is the way that these algorithms are utilized that needs to be revis ed. In this respect, we identify three major utilization scenarios and an attempt is made to quantify which of the three best matches the requirements of a UMTS oriented CDMA radio interface. Based on our findings, channel coding can be used as a mapping technique from the information bit to a more ''intelligent" chip, matching the ''intelligence" of the signal processor

Modulation, Coding, and Receiver Design for Gigabit mmWave Communication

While wireless communication has become an ubiquitous part of our daily life and the world around us, it has not been able yet to deliver the multi-gigabit throughput required for applications like high-definition video transmission or cellular backhaul communication. The throughput limitation of current wireless systems is mainly the result of a shortage of spectrum and the problem of congestion. Recent advancements in circuit design allow the realization of analog frontends for mmWave frequencies between 30GHz and 300GHz, making abundant unused spectrum accessible. However, the transition to mmWave carrier frequencies and GHz bandwidths comes with new challenges for wireless receiver design. Large variations of the channel conditions and high symbol rates require flexible but power-efficient receiver designs. This thesis investigates receiver algorithms and architectures that enable multi-gigabit mmWave communication. Using a system-level approach, the design options between low-power time-domain and power-hungry frequency-domain signal processing are explored. The system discussion is started with an analysis of the problem of parameter synchronization in mmWave systems and its impact on system design. The proposed synchronization architecture extends known synchronization techniques to provide greater flexibility regarding the operating environments and for system efficiency optimization. For frequency-selective environments, versatile single-carrier frequency domain equalization (SC-FDE) offers not only excellent channel equalization, but also the possibility to integrate additional baseband tasks without overhead. Hence, the high initial complexity of SC-FDE needs to be put in perspective to the complexity savings in the other parts of the baseband. Furthermore, an extension to the SC-FDE architecture is proposed that allows an adaptation of the equalization complexity by switching between a cyclic-prefix mode and a reduced block length overlap-save mode based on the delay spread. Approaching the problem of complexity adaptation from time-domain, a high-speed hardware architecture for the delayed decision feedback sequence estimation (DDFSE) algorithm is presented. DDFSE uses decision feedback to reduce the complexity of the sequence estimation and allows to set the system performance between the performance of full maximum-likelihood detection and pure decision feedback equalization. An implementation of the DDFSE architecture is demonstrated as part of an all-digital IEEE802.11ad baseband ASIC manufactured in 40nm CMOS. A flexible architecture for wideband mmWave receivers based on complex sub-sampling is presented. Complex sub-sampling combines the design advantages of sub-sampling receivers with the flexibility of direct-conversion receivers using a single passive component and a digital compensation scheme. Feasibility of the architecture is proven with a 16Gb/s hardware demonstrator. The demonstrator is used to explore the potential gain of non-equidistant constellations for high-throughput mmWave links. Specifically crafted amplitude phase-shift keying (APSK) modulation achieve 1dB average mutual information (AMI) advantage over quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) in simulation and on the testbed hardware. The AMI advantage of APSK can be leveraged for a practical transmission using Polar codes which are trained specifically for the constellation

Design of sequences with good correlation properties

This thesis is dedicated to exploring sequences with good correlation properties. Periodic sequences with desirable correlation properties have numerous applications in communications. Ideally, one would like to have a set of sequences whose out-of-phase auto-correlation magnitudes and cross-correlation magnitudes are very small, preferably zero. However, theoretical bounds show that the maximum magnitudes of auto-correlation and cross-correlation of a sequence set are mutually constrained, i.e., if a set of sequences possesses good auto-correlation properties, then the cross-correlation properties are not good and vice versa. The design of sequence sets that achieve those theoretical bounds is therefore of great interest. In addition, instead of pursuing the least possible correlation values within an entire period, it is also interesting to investigate families of sequences with ideal correlation in a smaller zone around the origin. Such sequences are referred to as sequences with zero correlation zone or ZCZ sequences, which have been extensively studied due to their applications in 4G LTE and 5G NR systems, as well as quasi-synchronous code-division multiple-access communication systems. Paper I and a part of Paper II aim to construct sequence sets with low correlation within a whole period. Paper I presents a construction of sequence sets that meets the Sarwate bound. The construction builds a connection between generalised Frank sequences and combinatorial objects, circular Florentine arrays. The size of the sequence sets is determined by the existence of circular Florentine arrays of some order. Paper II further connects circular Florentine arrays to a unified construction of perfect polyphase sequences, which include generalised Frank sequences as a special case. The size of a sequence set that meets the Sarwate bound, depends on a divisor of the period of the employed sequences, as well as the existence of circular Florentine arrays. Paper III-VI and a part of Paper II are devoted to ZCZ sequences. Papers II and III propose infinite families of optimal ZCZ sequence sets with respect to some bound, which are used to eliminate interference within a single cell in a cellular network. Papers V, VI and a part of Paper II focus on constructions of multiple optimal ZCZ sequence sets with favorable inter-set cross-correlation, which can be used in multi-user communication environments to minimize inter-cell interference. In particular, Paper~II employs circular Florentine arrays and improves the number of the optimal ZCZ sequence sets with optimal inter-set cross-correlation property in some cases.Doktorgradsavhandlin

Direct Antenna Modulation using Frequency Selective Surfaces

In the coming years, the number of connected wireless devices will increase dramatically, expanding the Internet of Things (IoT). It is likely that much of this capacity will come from network densification. However, base stations are inefficient and expensive, particularly the downlink transmitters. The main cause of this is the power amplifier (PA), which must amplify complex signals, so are expensive and often only 30% efficient. As such, the cost of densifying cellular networks is high. This thesis aims to overcome this problem through codesign of a low complexity, energy efficient transmitter through electromagnetic design; and a waveform which leverages the advantages and mitigates the disadvantages of the new technology, while being suitable for supporting IoT devices. Direct Antenna Modulation (DAM) is a low complexity transmitter architecture, where modulation occurs at the antenna at transmit power. This means a non-linear PA can efficiently amplify the carrier wave without added distortion. Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) are presented here as potential phase modulators for DAM transmitters. The theory of operation is discussed, and a prototype DAM for QPSK modulation is simulated, designed and tested. Next, the design process for a continuous phase modulating antenna is explored. Simulations and measurement are used to fully characterise a prototype, and it is implemented in a line-of-sight end-to-end communications system, demonstrating BPSK, QPSK and 8-PSK. Due to the favourable effects of spread spectrum signalling on FSS DAM performance, Cyclic Prefix Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (CPDSSS) is developed. Conventional spreading techniques are extended using a cyclic prefix, making multipath interference entirely defined by the periodic autocorrelation of the sequence used. This is demonstrated analytically, through simulation and with experiments. Finally, CPDSSS is implemented using FSS DAM, demonstrating the potential of this new low cost, low complexity transmitter with CPDSSS as a scalable solution to IoT connectivity

Approximation of L\"owdin Orthogonalization to a Spectrally Efficient Orthogonal Overlapping PPM Design for UWB Impulse Radio

In this paper we consider the design of spectrally efficient time-limited pulses for ultrawideband (UWB) systems using an overlapping pulse position modulation scheme. For this we investigate an orthogonalization method, which was developed in 1950 by Per-Olov L\"owdin. Our objective is to obtain a set of N orthogonal (L\"owdin) pulses, which remain time-limited and spectrally efficient for UWB systems, from a set of N equidistant translates of a time-limited optimal spectral designed UWB pulse. We derive an approximate L\"owdin orthogonalization (ALO) by using circulant approximations for the Gram matrix to obtain a practical filter implementation. We show that the centered ALO and L\"owdin pulses converge pointwise to the same Nyquist pulse as N tends to infinity. The set of translates of the Nyquist pulse forms an orthonormal basis or the shift-invariant space generated by the initial spectral optimal pulse. The ALO transform provides a closed-form approximation of the L\"owdin transform, which can be implemented in an analog fashion without the need of analog to digital conversions. Furthermore, we investigate the interplay between the optimization and the orthogonalization procedure by using methods from the theory of shift-invariant spaces. Finally we develop a connection between our results and wavelet and frame theory.Comment: 33 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication 9 Sep 201

Techniques in secure chaos communication

In today's climate of increased criminal attacks on the privacy of personal or confidential data over digital communication systems, a more secure physical communication link is required. Chaotic signals which have bifurcation behavior (depending on some initial condition) can readily be exploited to enhance the security of communication systems. A chaotic generator produces disordered sequences that provide very good auto- and cross- correlation properties similar to those of random white noise. This would be an important feature in multiple access environments. These sequences are used to scramble data in spread spectrum systems as they can produce low co-channel interference, hence improve the system capacity and performance. The chaotic signal can be created from only a single mathematical relationship and is neither restricted in length nor is repetitive/ cyclic. On the other hand, with the progress in digital signal processing and digital hardware, there has been an increased interest in using adaptive algorithms to improve the performance of digital systems. Adaptive algorithms provide the system with the ability to self-adjust its coefficients according to the signal condition, and can be used with linear or non-linear systems; hence, they might find application in chaos communication. There has been a lot of literature that proposed the use of LMS adaptive algorithm in the communication arena for a variety of applications such as (but not limited to): channel estimation, channel equalization, demodulation, de-noising, and beamforming. In this thesis, we conducted a study on the application of chaos theory in communication systems as well as the application of adaptive algorithms in chaos communication. The First Part of the thesis tackled the application of chaos theory in com- munication. We examined different types of communication techniques utilizing chaos theory. In particular, we considered chaos shift keying (CSK) and mod- ified kind of logistic map. Then, we applied space-time processing and eigen- beamforming technique to enhance the performance of chaos communication. Following on, we conducted a study on CSK and Chaos-CDMA in conjunction with multi-carrier modulation (MCM) techniques such as OFDM (FFT/ IFFT) and wavelet-OFDM. In the Second Part of the thesis, we tried to apply adaptivity to chaos com- munication. Initially, we presented a study of multi-user detection utilizing an adaptive algorithm in a chaotic CDMA multi-user environment, followed by a study of adaptive beamforming and modified weight-vector adaptive beam- forming over CSK communication. At last, a study of modified time-varying adaptive filtering is presented and a conventional adaptive filtering technique is applied in chaotic signal environment. Twelve papers have been published during the PhD candidature, include two journal papers and ten refereed conference papers

Ultra Wideband

Ultra wideband (UWB) has advanced and merged as a technology, and many more people are aware of the potential for this exciting technology. The current UWB field is changing rapidly with new techniques and ideas where several issues are involved in developing the systems. Among UWB system design, the UWB RF transceiver and UWB antenna are the key components. Recently, a considerable amount of researches has been devoted to the development of the UWB RF transceiver and antenna for its enabling high data transmission rates and low power consumption. Our book attempts to present current and emerging trends in-research and development of UWB systems as well as future expectations