Orthonormal Time-Frequency Shifting for Wireless Signal Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication protocols face challenges in transmitting data over limited wireless radio spectrum while maintaining low power consumption, distinguishing signals from background noise, and coping with Doppler shifts and multi-path effects caused by moving devices and environmental reflections.

Innovation Solution

The Orthonormal Time-Frequency Shifting and Spectral Shaping (OTFSSS) method spreads data across a larger range of times, frequencies, and spectral shapes, using novel time-frequency shifting and spectral shaping codes to enhance resistance to interference and noise, and employs convolution and deconvolution schemes to maintain data transmission rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If low power transmission is used to extend battery life, then energy consumption is reduced, but signal distinguishability from background noise deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsignal distinguishability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The data transmission is segmented into multiple time slots and frequency subcarriers. Each data symbol is transmitted across multiple segments rather than concentrated in a single transmission, allowing the use of lower power per segment while maintaining overall signal integrity through combiner at the receiver

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from traditional time-domain or frequency-domain spreading to a two-dimensional time-frequency grid structure. Data symbols are mapped to specific time-frequency resource elements, creating a structured distribution that improves signal distinguishability through the combined time and frequency diversity without requiring high peak power

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If data is spread across broader spectrum to resist noise, then noise resistance is improved, but data transmission rate deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise resistanceVSAvoiddata transmission rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically allocates time-frequency resources based on channel conditions and data rate requirements. The spreading factor and resource allocation can be adjusted to balance between noise resistance and transmission rate, allowing adaptive optimization rather than fixed trade-off

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of how spreading is implemented - instead of traditional code-based spreading that uniformly spreads across frequency, it uses time-frequency shifting that distributes symbols across both time and frequency dimensions with controllable density, allowing flexible adjustment of the noise resistance versus rate trade-off

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If time-frequency spreading is used to resist Doppler shifts, then reliability under mobility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance to Doppler shiftsVSAvoidtransceiver complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces complex signal processing mechanisms with simpler operations. Instead of requiring complex equalization or synchronization mechanisms to handle Doppler effects, it uses straightforward time-frequency shifting and resource element mapping that are computationally efficient and easier to implement in practical devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2578004B1Orthonormal time-frequency shifting and spectral shaping communications method
Publication Date: 2018.05.02 COHERE TECHNOLOGIES INC
  • EP2578004B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2578004B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2578004B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A wireless combination time, frequency and spectral shaping communications method that transmits data in convolution unit matrices (data frames) of NxN (N2), where generally either all N2 data symbols are received over N spreading time intervals (each composed of N time slices), or none are. To transmit, the N2 sized data frame matrix is multiplied by a first NxN time-frequency shifting matrix, permuted, and multiplied by a second NxN spectral shaping matrix, thereby mixing each data symbol across the entire resulting N x N matrix (TFSSS data matrix). Columns from this N2 TFSSS data matrix are selected, modulated, and transmitted, on a one element per time slice basis. At the receiver, the replica TFSSS matrix is reconstructed and deconvoluted, revealing the data. The method can accommodate multiple users at once, can adapt to changing channel conditions, and is particularly useful for coping with channel impairments such as Doppler shifts.