Exploiting Image Interference in Multi-Carrier Wireless Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-carrier wireless systems suffer from performance degradation due to radio frequency (RF) front-end imperfections, leading to image interference, which degrades system performance and increases power consumption and cost.

Innovation Solution

A low-complexity method that exploits image interference in single-antenna multi-carrier systems by encoding modulated symbols at the transmitter and combining signals received at image subcarriers at the receiver, achieving diversity order of two without requiring feedback or extra transmit power, allowing the use of high-order constellations in low-cost transceivers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by stationary object

If zero-IF architecture is used to reduce power consumption and cost, then power consumption and cost are reduced, but image frequency band interference occurs that degrades system performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidimage frequency band interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the principle of converting harm into benefit by treating the harmful image interference as a useful signal source. The method encodes modulated symbols at the transmitter and combines signals received at image subcarriers at the receiver, transforming the previously harmful image interference into a beneficial diversity gain mechanism that improves system performance without requiring additional hardware or power consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If image interference compensation methods are applied to remove image components, then image interference is reduced, but system complexity increases due to additional processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage interferenceVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of attempting to remove or compensate for image interference through complex filtering and signal processing, the patent converts the harmful image interference into a beneficial diversity mechanism. The encoder processes modulated symbols and the combiner combines signals from image subcarriers, achieving diversity gain without requiring complex image rejection processing, thus maintaining low system complexity while eliminating image interference degradation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If diversity gain is achieved through multiple antennas or complex schemes, then communication quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves diversity gain without requiring multiple antennas or complex diversity schemes by exploiting the image interference phenomenon itself. The encoder and combiner work together to process signals in a way that captures diversity from the image subcarriers, providing improved communication quality while maintaining single-antenna simplicity and avoiding the complexity of traditional diversity implementations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentEP3349361B1A method for the exploitation of image interference in multi-carrier wireless systems
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI RESEARCH COMMITTEE ELKE
  • EP3349361B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3349361B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3349361B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

This invention relates to a method for exploiting the inevitable image interference in multi-carrier wireless systems, comprising a multi-carrier single-antenna transmitter, a multi-carrier single-antenna receiver, wherein the transmitter comprises an encoder and the receiver comprises a combiner capable to process the symbols received in image subcarriers in two consecutive time slots.