Antenna Port EVM Calculation Using Unbiased MMSE Equalizer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in measuring Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) independently for antenna connectors due to leakage between antennas, which affects the accuracy of transmitter performance measurements.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves using a linear unbiased MMSE equalizer to calculate EVM at the transmitter antenna connectors, independent of the propagation channel, by employing expressions that depend on the noise covariance at the connectors and applying unbiased linear MMSE receivers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If EVM is measured without addressing leakage between antennas, then measurement process is simple, but EVM requirement cannot be met and measurement accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveEVM measurement accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the multi-antenna system into individual antenna connectors for independent EVM measurement. By using separate measurement paths and isolating each antenna connector, the system can measure EVM for each antenna independently despite the presence of leakage between antennas, thus improving measurement accuracy without requiring complete system redesign

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary measurement approach that accounts for leakage effects between antennas. By modeling and compensating for the leakage paths as intermediary elements, the system can extract accurate per-antenna EVM measurements from the coupled multi-antenna system, resolving the contradiction between measurement simplicity and accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional EVM measurement is used in multi-antenna systems, then implementation is straightforward, but leakage between antennas affects measurement accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement implementation easeVSAvoidEVM measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the measurement parameters by introducing leakage compensation factors and using modified measurement equations that account for inter-antenna coupling. By adjusting these parameters, the system maintains ease of implementation while significantly improving EVM measurement accuracy in multi-antenna configurations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where leakage measurements are taken and used to compensate for inter-antenna coupling effects in the final EVM calculation. This feedback approach allows the system to maintain simple measurement hardware while achieving high measurement accuracy through iterative compensation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4193578B1Calculating an EVM of an antenna port
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
  • EP4193578B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4193578B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4193578B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for calculating an EVM of a transmitter. One apparatus (600) includes a processor (605) and a receiver (635) that receives (905) a signal (210) via a propagation channel from an antenna port (207) at a transmitter (205), the antenna port (207) comprising multiple antennas and with an antenna connector for each antenna. The processor (605) measures (910) the received signal (210) using an unbiased linear MMSE equalizer (230) and calculates (915) an EVM of the antenna port, where the EVM is calculated as 100 times the square root of the mean square error of the symbol estimate at the output of the unbiased linear MMSE equalizer (230).