Design and evaluation of OFDM radio interfaces for high mobility communications

[Resumo] Nas dúas últimas décadas, as modulacións multiportadora emerxeron como una solución de baixa complexidade para combatir os efectos do multitraxecto en comuniacións sen fíos. Entre elas, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFOM) é posiblemente o esquema de modulación máis estudado, e tamén amplamente adoptado como alicerce de estándares da industria como WiMAX ou LTE. Sen embargo, OFDM é sensible a canles que varian ca tempo, unha característica dos escenarios con mobilidade, debido á aparición da interferencia entre portadoras (ICI). A implementación de equipamento hardware para o usuario final faise normalmente en chips dedicados, afnda que entornos de investigación, prefírense solucións máis flexibles. Unha aproximación popular é a coñecida como Software Defined Radio (SOR), onde os algoritmos de procesado de sinal se implementan en hardware reconfigurable como Digital Signal Processors (OSPs) e Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). O obxectivo deste traballo é dobre. Por un lado, definir unha arquitectura para implementacións de tempo real de capas físicas basadas en OFDM usando como referencia O estándar WiMAX, probada Dunha plataforma composta por OSPs e FPGAs. Por outra banda, estudar os efectos da selectividade en tempo no sinal OFDM, definindo métodos de estimación de canle que teñen en conta a ICI, e evaluándoos tanto en simulación como con medidas experimentais. Seguíronse dúas aproximacións para caracterizar o comportamento de formas de onda OFDM baixo condicións de mobilidade, unha basada nun emulador de canle que traballa en tempo real, e outra en inducir grandes ensanchamentos Doppler no sinal mediante a extensión da duración do símbolo OFOM.[Resumen] En las dos últimas décadas, las modulaciones multiportadora han emergido como una solución de baja complejidad para combatir los efectos del multitrayecto en comunicaciones iDalámbricas. Entre ellas, Orthogonal Frequency Division Mulriplexing (OFDM) es posiblemente el esquema de modulación más estudiado, y también ampliamente adoptado como fundamento de estándares de la industria como WiMAX o LTE. Sin embargo, OFDM es sensible a canales que varían con el tiempo, una característica de los escenarios coo movilidad, debido a la aparicióo de la interferencia entre portadoras (ICI). La implementación de equipamiento hardware para el usuario final se hace normalmente en chips dedicados, aunque eo entornos de investigación, son preferibles soluciones más Hexibles. Una aproximación popular es la conocida como Software Defined Radio (SDR), donde los algOritmos de procesado de señal se implementan en hardware reconfigurable como Digital Signa! Processors (DSPs) y Field Programmable Gate AIrays (FPGAs). El objetivo de este trabajo es doble. Por un lado. definir una arquitectura para implementaciones de tiempo real de capas ¡lSicas basadas en OFDM usando como referencia el estándar WiMAX, probada en una plataforma compuesta por DSPs y FPGAs. Por otro lado, estudiar los efectos de la selectividad en tiempo en la señal OFDM, definiendo métodos de estimacióo de canal que tengan eo cueota la ICI, y evaluándolos tanto en simulación como con medidas experimenta1es. Se han seguido dos aproximaciones para caracterizar el comportamiento de formas de onda OFDM bajo condiciones de mobilidad, una basada en un emulador de canal que trabaja en tiempo real. y otra en inducir grandes ensanchamientos Doppler en la señal mediante la extensión de la duración del símbolo OFDM.[Abstract] In Ihe last two decades, multicarrier modulations have emerged as a low complexity solulion to combal the effects of Ihe multipalh in wireless communicalions. Among Ihem, Orthogonal Frequency Division Mulliplexing (OFOM) is possibly Ihe mosl sludied modulation scheme, and has a1so been widely adopted as Ihe foundation of induslry standards such as WiMAX or LTE. However, OFOM is sensitive lo time selective channels, which are featured in mobility scenarlos, due lO Ihe appearance of Inler-Carrier Interference (ICI). Implemenlation of hardware equipmenl for Ihe end user is usually implemenled in dedicaled chips, bul in researeh environments, more flexible solutions are preferred. One popular approach is the so ealled Software Defined Radio (SOR), where the signal processing a1gorithms are implemented in reconfigurable hardware sueh as Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) and Field Prograrnmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The aim of Ibis work is two-fold. On the one hand, to define an architeclure for Ihe implementation of real-time OFOM-based physical layers, using as a reference Ihe WiMAX standard, and it is tested on a platform composed by DSPs and FPGAs. On the olher hand, to study Ihe effeets of !he time seleetivity on !he OFOM signal, defining channel estimation me!hods aware of !he ICI, and ils evaluation bo!h in simulation as well as experimental measuremenls. Two approaches have been followed to assess the behavior of OFOM waveforms under mobility conditions, one based on a real-time channel emulator, and the other on inducing large Doppler spreads in !he signal by extending the duration of Ihe OFDM symbols

Transmission of Spatio-Temporal Correlated Sources Over Fading Multiple Access Channels With DQLC Mappings

© 2019 IEEE. This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/ 10.1109/TCOMM.2019.2912571.[Abstract]: The design of zero-delay Joint Source-Channel Coding (JSCC) schemes for the transmission of correlated information over fading Multiple Access Channels (MACs) is an interesting problem for many communication scenarios like Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Among the different JSCC schemes so far proposed for this scenario, Distributed Quantizer Linear Coding (DQLC) represents an appealing solution since it is able to outperform uncoded transmissions for any correlation level at high Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNRs) with a low computational cost. In this paper, we extend the design of DQLC-based schemes for fading MACs considering sphere decoding to make the optimal Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) estimation computationally affordable for an arbitrary number of transmit users. The use of sphere decoding also allows to formulate a practical algorithm for the optimization of DQLC-based systems. Finally, non-linear Kalman Filtering for the DQLC is considered to jointly exploit the temporal and spatial correlation of the source symbols. The results of computer experiments show that the proposed DQLC scheme with the Kalman Filter decoding approach clearly outperforms uncoded transmissions for medium and high SNRs.This work has been funded by Office of Naval Research Global of United States (N62909-15-1-2014), the Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2016-045, ED341D R2016/012, ED431G/01), the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of Spain (TEC2015-69648-REDC, TEC2016-75067-C4-1-R) and ERDF funds of the EU (AEI/FEDER, UE).United States. Office of Naval Research Global of United States; N62909-15-1-2014Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2016-045Xunta de Galicia; ED341D R2016/012Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/0

Analog Transmission of Spatio-Temporal Correlated Sources Over MAC With Modulo Mappings

© 2018 IEEE. This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1109/LCOMM.2018.2807427[Abstract]: Modulo mappings is an appealing scheme for the analog transmission of spatially correlated discrete-time analog source symbols over multiple access channels. In this letter, we show that the modulo mappings are also useful to exploit temporal correlation with zero-delay and without impairing encoding/decoding computational complexity. Spatio-temporal source correlation is exploited with a Kalman filter-based receiver, coupled with a sphere decoder, that takes into account the non-linearities of the modulo mappings. We also explain how to optimize the mapping parameters.This work has been funded by Office of Naval Research Global of United States (N62909-15-1-2014), the Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2016-045, ED341D R2016/012, ED431G/01), the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of Spain (TEC2015-69648-REDC, TEC2016-75067-C4-1-R) and ERDF funds of the EU (AEI/FEDER, UE). The authors thank Prof. Joaquín Míguez of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain, for his helpful suggestions.Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2016-045Xunta de Galicia; ED341D R2016/012Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/01United States. Office of Naval Research Global of United States; N62909-15-1-201

Transmission of Analog Information Over the Multiple Access Relay Channel Using Zero-Delay Non-Linear Mappings

[Abstract]: We consider the zero-delay encoding of discrete-time analog information over the Multiple Access Relay Channel (MARC) using non-linear mapping functions. On the one hand, zero-delay non-linear mappings are capable to deal with the multiple access interference (MAI) caused by the simultaneous transmission of the information. On the other, the relaying operation is a Decode-and-Forward (DF) strategy where the decoded messages are merged into a single message using a specific continuous mapping depending on the correlation level of the source information. At the receiver, an approximated Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) decoder is developed to obtain an estimate of the transmitted source symbols which exploits the information received from the relay node in combination with the messages received from the transmitters through the direct links. The resulting system provides better performance than the other alternative encoding strategies for the MARC with similar complexity and delay and also approaches the performance of theoretical strategies which require a significantly higher delay and computational cost.This work was supported in part by the Office of the Naval Research Global of United States under Grant N62909-15-1-2014, in part by the Xunta de Galicia under Grant ED431C 2016-045, Grant ED341D R2016/012, and Grant ED431G/01, in part by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of Spain under Grant TEC2015-69648-REDC and Grant TEC2016-75067-C4-1-R, and in part by the ERDF funds of the EU (AEI/FEDER, UE).Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2016-045Xunta de Galicia; ED341D R2016/012Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/0

Lattice-Based Analog Mappings for Low-Latency Wireless Sensor Networks

© 2023 IEEE. This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1109/JIOT.2023.3273194.[Abstract]: We consider the transmission of spatially correlated analog information in a wireless sensor network (WSN) through fading single-input and multiple-output (SIMO) multiple access channels (MACs) with low-latency requirements. A lattice-based analog joint source-channel coding (JSCC) approach is considered where vectors of consecutive source symbols are encoded at each sensor using an n -dimensional lattice and then transmitted to a multiantenna central node. We derive a minimum mean square error (MMSE) decoder that accounts for both the multidimensional structure of the encoding lattices and the spatial correlation. In addition, a sphere decoder is considered to simplify the required searches over the multidimensional lattices. Different lattice-based mappings are approached and the impact of their size and density on performance and latency is analyzed. Results show that, while meeting low-latency constraints, lattice-based analog JSCC provides performance gains and higher reliability with respect to the state-of-the-art JSCC schemes.This work was supported in part by the Xunta de Galicia under Grant ED431C 2020/15, and in part by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR under Grant PID2019-104958RB-C42 (ADELE), Grant TED2021-130240B-I00 (IVRY), and Grant BES-2017-081955. CITIC is funded by Xunta de Galicia through the collaboration agreement between the Consellería de Cultura, Educación, Formación Profesional e Universidades, and the Galician universities for the strengthening of the research centers of the Galician University System (CIGUS).Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2020/1

Design of Linear Precoders for Correlated Sources in MIMO Multiple Access Channels

© 2018 IEEE. This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1109/TCOMM.2018.2863362[Abstract]: This paper focuses on distributed linear precoding when users transmit correlated information over a fading multiple-input and multiple-output multiple access channel. The precoders are optimized in order to minimize the sum-mean square error (MSE) between the source and the estimated symbols. When sources are correlated, minimizing the sum-MSE results in a non-convex optimization problem. The precoders for an arbitrary number of users and transmit and receive antennas are thus obtained via a projected steepest-descent algorithm and a low-complexity heuristic approach. For the more restrictive case of two single-antenna users, a closed-form expression for the minimum sum-MSE precoders is derived. Moreover, for the scenario with a single receive antenna and any number of users, a solution is obtained by means of a semi-definite relaxation. Finally, we also consider precoding schemes where the precoders are decomposed into complex scalars and unit norm vectors. Simulation results show a significant improvement when source correlation is exploited at precoding, especially for low signal-to-noise ratios and when the number of receive antennas is lower than the number of transmitting nodes.This work has been funded by Office of Naval Research Global of United States (N62909-15-1-2014), the Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2016-045, ED341D R2016/012, ED431G/01), the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of Spain (TEC2015-69648-REDC, TEC2016-75067-C4-1-R) and ERDF funds of the EU (AEI/FEDER, UE).United States. Office of Naval Research Global of United States; N62909-15-1-2014Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2016-045Xunta de Galicia; ED341D R2016/012Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/0

Environmental Cross-Validation of NLOS Machine Learning Classification/Mitigation with Low-Cost UWB Positioning Systems

[Abstract] Indoor positioning systems based on radio frequency inherently present multipath-related phenomena. This causes ranging systems such as ultra-wideband (UWB) to lose accuracy when detecting secondary propagation paths between two devices. If a positioning algorithm uses ranging measurements without considering these phenomena, it will face critical errors in estimating the position. This work analyzes the performance obtained in a localization system when combining location algorithms with machine learning techniques applied to a previous classification and mitigation of the propagation effects. For this purpose, real-world cross-scenarios are considered, where the data extracted from low-cost UWB devices for training the algorithms come from a scenario different from that considered for the test. The experimental results reveal that machine learning (ML) techniques are suitable for detecting non-line-of-sight (NLOS) ranging values in this situation.Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2016-045Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/01Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España; TEC2016-75067-C4-1-

Multi-Sensor Accurate Forklift Location and Tracking Simulation in Industrial Indoor Environments

[Abstract] Location and tracking needs are becoming more prominent in industrial environments nowadays. Process optimization, traceability or safety are some of the topics where a positioning system can operate to improve and increase the productivity of a factory or warehouse. Among the different options, solutions based on ultra-wideband (UWB) have emerged during recent years as a good choice to obtain highly accurate estimations in indoor scenarios. However, the typical harsh wireless channel conditions found inside industrial environments, together with interferences caused by workers and machinery, constitute a challenge for this kind of system. This paper describes a real industrial problem (location and tracking of forklift trucks) that requires precise internal positioning and presents a study on the feasibility of meeting this challenge using UWB technology. To this end, a simulator of this technology was created based on UWB measurements from a set of real sensors. This simulator was used together with a location algorithm and a physical model of the forklift to obtain estimations of position in different scenarios with different obstacles. Together with the simulated UWB sensor, an additional inertial sensor and optical sensor were modeled in order to test its effect on supporting the location based on UWB. All the software created for this work is published under an open-source license and is publicly available.Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2016-045Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/01Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España; TEC2016-75067-C4-1-

FDD Channel Estimation Via Covariance Estimation in Wideband Massive MIMO Systems

[Abstract] A method for channel estimation in wideband massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output systems using hybrid digital analog architectures is developed. The proposed method is useful for Frequency-Division Duplex at either sub-6 GHz or millimeter wave frequency bands and takes into account the beam squint effect caused by the large bandwidth of the signals. To circumvent the estimation of large channel vectors, the posed algorithm relies on the slow time variation of the channel spatial covariance matrix, thus allowing for the utilization of very short training sequences. This is possibledue to the exploitation of the channel structure. After identifying the channel covariance matrix, the channel is estimated on the basis of the recovered information. To that end, we propose a novel method that relies on estimating the tap delays and the gains as sociated with each path. As a consequence, the proposed channel estimator achieves low computational complexity and significantly reduces the training overhead. Moreover, our numerical simulations show better performance results compared to the minimum mean-squared error solution.Xunta de Galicia; ED431G2019/01Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España; TEC2016-75067-C4-1-RAgencia Estatal de Investigación de España; RED2018-102668-TAgencia Estatal de Investigación de España; PID2019-104958RB-C4