Advanced constellation and demapper schemes for next generation digital terrestrial television broadcasting systems

206 p.Esta tesis presenta un nuevo tipo de constelaciones llamadas no uniformes. Estos esquemas presentan una eficacia de hasta 1,8 dB superior a las utilizadas en los últimos sistemas de comunicaciones de televisión digital terrestre y son extrapolables a cualquier otro sistema de comunicaciones (satélite, móvil, cable¿). Además, este trabajo contribuye al diseño de constelaciones con una nueva metodología que reduce el tiempo de optimización de días/horas (metodologías actuales) a horas/minutos con la misma eficiencia. Todas las constelaciones diseñadas se testean bajo una plataforma creada en esta tesis que simula el estándar de radiodifusión terrestre más avanzado hasta la fecha (ATSC 3.0) bajo condiciones reales de funcionamiento.Por otro lado, para disminuir la latencia de decodificación de estas constelaciones esta tesis propone dos técnicas de detección/demapeo. Una es para constelaciones no uniformes de dos dimensiones la cual disminuye hasta en un 99,7% la complejidad del demapeo sin empeorar el funcionamiento del sistema. La segunda técnica de detección se centra en las constelaciones no uniformes de una dimensión y presenta hasta un 87,5% de reducción de la complejidad del receptor sin pérdidas en el rendimiento.Por último, este trabajo expone un completo estado del arte sobre tipos de constelaciones, modelos de sistema, y diseño/demapeo de constelaciones. Este estudio es el primero realizado en este campo

Probabilistically Bounded Soft Sphere Detection for MIMO-OFDM Receivers: Algorithm and System Architecture

Iterative soft detection and channel decoding for MIMO OFDM downlink receivers is studied in this work. Proposed inner soft sphere detection employs a variable upper bound for number of candidates per transmit antenna and utilizes the breath-first candidate-search algorithm. Upper bounds are based on probability distribution of the number of candidates found inside the spherical region formed around the received symbol-vector. Detection accuracy of unbounded breadth-first candidate search is preserved while significant reduction of the search latency and area cost is achieved. This probabilistically bounded candidate-search algorithm improves error-rate performance of non-probabilistically bounded soft sphere detection algorithms, while providing smaller detection latency with same hardware resources. Prototype architecture of soft sphere detector is synthesized on Xilinx FPGA and for an ASIC design. Using area-cost of a single soft sphere detector, a level of processing parallelism required to achieve targeted high data rates for future wireless systems (for example, 1 Gbps data rate) is determined.NokiaNational Science Foundatio

Soft Sphere Detection with Bounded Search for High-Throughput MIMO Receivers

We propose a soft sphere detection algorithm where search-bounds are determined based on the distribution of candidates found inside the sphere for different search levels. Detection accuracy of unbounded search is preserved while significant saving of memory space and reduction of latency is achieved. This probabilistic search algorithm provides significantly better frame-error rate performance than the soft K-best solution and has comparable performance and smaller computational complexity than the bounded depth-first search method. Techniques for efficient and flexible architecture design of soft sphere detectors are also presented. The estimated hardware cost is lower than the hardware cost of other soft sphere detectors from the literature, while high detection throughput per channel use is achieved

Turbo codes and turbo algorithms

In the first part of this paper, several basic ideas that prompted the coming of turbo codes are commented on. We then present some personal points of view on the main advances obtained in past years on turbo coding and decoding such as the circular trellis termination of recursive systematic convolutional codes and double-binary turbo codes associated with Max-Log-MAP decoding. A novel evaluation method, called genieinitialised iterative processing (GIIP), is introduced to assess the error performance of iterative processing. We show that using GIIP produces a result that can be viewed as a lower bound of the maximum likelihood iterative decoding and detection performance. Finally, two wireless communication systems are presented to illustrate recent applications of the turbo principle, the first one being multiple-input/multiple-output channel iterative detection and the second one multi-carrier modulation with linear precoding

Non-linear echo cancellation - a Bayesian approach

Echo cancellation literature is reviewed, then a Bayesian model is introduced and it is shown how how it can be used to model and fit nonlinear channels. An algorithm for cancellation of echo over a nonlinear channel is developed and tested. It is shown that this nonlinear algorithm converges for both linear and nonlinear channels and is superior to linear echo cancellation for canceling an echo through a nonlinear echo-path channel

Spectrally and Energy Efficient Wireless Communications: Signal and System Design, Mathematical Modelling and Optimisation

This thesis explores engineering studies and designs aiming to meeting the requirements of enhancing capacity and energy efficiency for next generation communication networks. Challenges of spectrum scarcity and energy constraints are addressed and new technologies are proposed, analytically investigated and examined. The thesis commences by reviewing studies on spectrally and energy-efficient techniques, with a special focus on non-orthogonal multicarrier modulation, particularly spectrally efficient frequency division multiplexing (SEFDM). Rigorous theoretical and mathematical modelling studies of SEFDM are presented. Moreover, to address the potential application of SEFDM under the 5th generation new radio (5G NR) heterogeneous numerologies, simulation-based studies of SEFDM coexisting with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) are conducted. New signal formats and corresponding transceiver structure are designed, using a Hilbert transform filter pair for shaping pulses. Detailed modelling and numerical investigations show that the proposed signal doubles spectral efficiency without performance degradation, with studies of two signal formats; uncoded narrow-band internet of things (NB-IoT) signals and unframed turbo coded multi-carrier signals. The thesis also considers using constellation shaping techniques and SEFDM for capacity enhancement in 5G system. Probabilistic shaping for SEFDM is proposed and modelled to show both transmission energy reduction and bandwidth saving with advantageous flexibility for data rate adaptation. Expanding on constellation shaping to improve performance further, a comparative study of multidimensional modulation techniques is carried out. A four-dimensional signal, with better noise immunity is investigated, for which metaheuristic optimisation algorithms are studied, developed, and conducted to optimise bit-to-symbol mapping. Finally, a specially designed machine learning technique for signal and system design in physical layer communications is proposed, utilising the application of autoencoder-based end-to-end learning. Multidimensional signal modulation with multidimensional constellation shaping is proposed and optimised by using machine learning techniques, demonstrating significant improvement in spectral and energy efficiencies

Approximate inference in massive MIMO scenarios with moment matching techniques

Mención Internacional en el título de doctorThis Thesis explores low-complexity inference probabilistic algorithms in high-dimensional Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems and high order M-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) constellations. Several modern communications systems are using more and more antennas to maximize spectral efficiency, in a new phenomena call Massive MIMO. However, as the number of antennas and/or the order of the constellation grow several technical issues have to be tackled, one of them is that the symbol detection complexity grows fast exponentially with the system dimension. Nowadays the design of massive MIMO low-complexity receivers is one important research line in MIMO because symbol detection can no longer rely on conventional approaches such as Maximum a Posteriori (MAP) due to its exponential computation complexity. This Thesis proposes two main results. On one hand a hard decision low-complexity MIMO detector based on Expectation Propagation (EP) algorithm which allows to iteratively approximate within polynomial cost the posterior distribution of the transmitted symbols. The receiver is named Expectation Propagation Detector (EPD) and its solution evolves from Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) solution and keeps per iteration the MMSE complexity which is dominated by a matrix inversion. Hard decision Symbol Error Rate (SER) performance is shown to remarkably improve state-of-the-art solutions of similar complexity. On the other hand, a soft-inference algorithm, more suitable to modern communication systems with channel codification techniques such as Low- Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes, is also presented. Modern channel decoding techniques need as input Log-Likehood Ratio (LLR) information for each coded bit. In order to obtain that information, firstly a soft bit inference procedure must be performed. In low-dimensional scenarios, this can be done by marginalization over the symbol posterior distribution. However, this is not feasible at high-dimension. While EPD could provide this probabilistic information, it is shown that its probabilistic estimates are in general poor in the low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) regime. In order to solve this inconvenience a new algorithm based on the Expectation Consistency (EC) algorithm, which generalizes several algorithms such as Belief. Propagation (BP) and EP itself, was proposed. The proposed algorithm called Expectation Consistency Detector (ECD) maps the inference problem as an optimization over a non convex function. This new approach allows to find stationary points and tradeoffs between accuracy and convergence, which leads to robust update rules. At the same complexity cost than EPD, the new proposal achieves a performance closer to channel capacity at moderate SNR. The result reveals that the probabilistic detection accuracy has a relevant impact in the achievable rate of the overall system. Finally, a modified ECD algorithm is presented, with a Turbo receiver structure where the output of the decoder is fed back to ECD, achieving performance gains in all block lengths simulated. The document is structured as follows. In Chapter I an introduction to the MIMO scenario is presented, the advantages and challenges are exposed and the two main scenarios of this Thesis are set forth. Finally, the motivation behind this work, and the contributions are revealed. In Chapters II and III the state of the art and our proposal are presented for Hard Detection, whereas in Chapters IV and V are exposed for Soft Inference Detection. Eventually, a conclusion and future lines can be found in Chapter VI.Esta Tesis aborda algoritmos de baja complejidad para la estimación probabilística en sistemas de Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) de grandes dimensiones con constelaciones M-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) de alta dimensionalidad. Son diversos los sistemas de comunicaciones que en la actualidad están utilizando más y más antenas para maximizar la eficiencia espectral, en un nuevo fenómeno denominado Massive MIMO. Sin embargo los incrementos en el número de antenas y/o orden de la constelación presentan ciertos desafíos tecnológicos que deben ser considerados. Uno de ellos es la detección de los símbolos transmitidos en el sistema debido a que la complejidad aumenta más rápido que las dimensiones del sistema. Por tanto el diseño receptores para sistemas Massive MIMO de baja complejidad es una de las importantes líneas de investigación en la actualidad en MIMO, debido principalmente a que los métodos tradicionales no se pueden implementar en sistemas con decenas de antenas, cuando lo deseable serían centenas, debido a que su coste es exponencial. Los principales resultados en esta Tesis pueden clasificarse en dos. En primer lugar un receptor MIMO para decisión dura de baja complejidad basado en el algoritmo Expectation Propagation (EP) que permite de manera iterativa, con un coste computacional polinómico por iteración, aproximar la distribución a posteriori de los símbolos transmitidos. El algoritmo, denominado Expectation Propagation Detector (EPD), es inicializado con la solución del algoritmo Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) y mantiene el coste de este para todas las iteraciones, dominado por una inversión de matriz. El rendimiento del decisor en probabilidad de error de símbolo muestra ganancias remarcables con respecto a otros métodos en la literatura con una complejidad similar. En segundo lugar, un algoritmo que provee una estimación blanda, información que es más apropiada para los actuales sistemas de comunicaciones que utilizan codificación de canal, como pueden ser códigos Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC). La información necesaria para estos decodificadores de canal es Log-Likehood Ratio (LLR) para cada uno de los bits codificados. En escenarios de bajas dimensiones se pueden calcular las marginales de la distribución a posteriori, pero en escenarios de grandes dimensiones no es viable, aunque EPD puede proporcionar este tipo de información a la entrada del decodificador, dicha información no es la mejor al estar el algoritmo pensado para detección dura, sobre todo se observa este fenómeno en el rango de baja Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). Para solucionar este problema se propone un nuevo algoritmo basado en Expectation Consistency (EC) que engloba diversos algoritmos como pueden ser Belief Propagation (BP) y el algoritmo EP propuesto con anterioridad. El nuevo algoritmo llamado Expectation Consistency Detector (ECD), trata el problema como una optimización de una función no convexa. Esta aproximación permite encontrar los puntos estacionarios y la relación entre precisión y convergencia, que permitirán reglas de actualización más robustas y eficaces. Con la misma compleja que el algoritmo propuesto inicialmente, ECD permite rendimientos más próximos a la capacidad del canal en regímenes moderados de SNR. Los resultados muestran que la precisión tiene un gran efecto en la tasa que alcanza el sistema. Finalmente una versión modificada de ECD es propuesta en una arquitectura típica de los Turbo receptores, en la que la salida del decodificador es la entrada del receptor, y que permite ganancias en el rendimiento en todas las longitudes de código simuladas. El presente documento está estructurado de la siguiente manera. En el primer Capítulo I, se realiza una introducción a los sistemas MIMO, presentando sus ventajas, desventajas, problemas abiertos. Los modelos que se utilizaran en la tesis y la motivación con la que se inició esta tesis son expuestos en este primer capítulo. En los Capítulos II y III el estado del arte y nuestra propuesta para detección dura son presentados, mientras que en los Capítulos IV y V se presentan para detección suave. Finalmente las conclusiones que pueden obtenerse de esta Tesis y futuras líneas de investigación son expuestas en el Capítulo VI.Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Multimedia y ComunicacionesPresidente: Juan José Murillo Fuentes.- Secretario: Gonzalo Vázquez Vilar.- Vocal: María Isabel Valera Martíne

Récepteur itératif pour les systèmes MIMO-OFDM basé sur le décodage sphérique : convergence, performance et complexité

Recently, iterative processing has been widely considered to achieve near-capacity performance and reliable high data rate transmission, for future wireless communication systems. However, such an iterative processing poses significant challenges for efficient receiver design. In this thesis, iterative receiver combining multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detection with channel decoding is investigated for high data rate transmission. The convergence, the performance and the computational complexity of the iterative receiver for MIMO-OFDM system are considered. First, we review the most relevant hard-output and soft-output MIMO detection algorithms based on sphere decoding, K-Best decoding, and interference cancellation. Consequently, a low-complexity K-best (LCK- Best) based decoder is proposed in order to substantially reduce the computational complexity without significant performance degradation. We then analyze the convergence behaviors of combining these detection algorithms with various forward error correction codes, namely LTE turbo decoder and LDPC decoder with the help of Extrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) charts. Based on this analysis, a new scheduling order of the required inner and outer iterations is suggested. The performance of the proposed receiver is evaluated in various LTE channel environments, and compared with other MIMO detection schemes. Secondly, the computational complexity of the iterative receiver with different channel coding techniques is evaluated and compared for different modulation orders and coding rates. Simulation results show that our proposed approaches achieve near optimal performance but more importantly it can substantially reduce the computational complexity of the system. From a practical point of view, fixed-point representation is usually used in order to reduce the hardware costs in terms of area, power consumption and execution time. Therefore, we present efficient fixed point arithmetic of the proposed iterative receiver based on LC-KBest decoder. Additionally, the impact of the channel estimation on the system performance is studied. The proposed iterative receiver is tested in a real-time environment using the MIMO WARP platform.Pour permettre l’accroissement de débit et de robustesse dans les futurs systèmes de communication sans fil, les processus itératifs sont de plus considérés dans les récepteurs. Cependant, l’adoption d’un traitement itératif pose des défis importants dans la conception du récepteur. Dans cette thèse, un récepteur itératif combinant les techniques de détection multi-antennes avec le décodage de canal est étudié. Trois aspects sont considérés dans un contexte MIMOOFDM: la convergence, la performance et la complexité du récepteur. Dans un premier temps, nous étudions les différents algorithmes de détection MIMO à décision dure et souple basés sur l’égalisation, le décodage sphérique, le décodage K-Best et l’annulation d’interférence. Un décodeur K-best de faible complexité (LC-K-Best) est proposé pour réduire la complexité sans dégradation significative des performances. Nous analysons ensuite la convergence de la combinaison de ces algorithmes de détection avec différentes techniques de codage de canal, notamment le décodeur turbo et le décodeur LDPC en utilisant le diagramme EXIT. En se basant sur cette analyse, un nouvel ordonnancement des itérations internes et externes nécessaires est proposé. Les performances du récepteur ainsi proposé sont évaluées dans différents modèles de canal LTE, et comparées avec différentes techniques de détection MIMO. Ensuite, la complexité des récepteurs itératifs avec différentes techniques de codage de canal est étudiée et comparée pour différents modulations et rendement de code. Les résultats de simulation montrent que les approches proposées offrent un bon compromis entre performance et complexité. D’un point de vue implémentation, la représentation en virgule fixe est généralement utilisée afin de réduire les coûts en termes de surface, de consommation d’énergie et de temps d’exécution. Nous présentons ainsi une représentation en virgule fixe du récepteur itératif proposé basé sur le décodeur LC K-Best. En outre, nous étudions l’impact de l’estimation de canal sur la performance du système. Finalement, le récepteur MIMOOFDM itératif est testé sur la plateforme matérielle WARP, validant le schéma proposé