Phase Noise Compensation in 60 GHz OFDM Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving high data rates due to phase noise, especially in high-frequency bands, which limits signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and increases hardware costs and energy usage, particularly in millimeter wave frequencies where oscillator-induced phase noise is significant.

Innovation Solution

The method involves identifying a pilot component in the received signal, estimating phase noise realization, and compensating the signal for phase noise on a sample-by-sample basis in the time domain, using phase-noise pilots to quantify distortion and smoothening the phase-noise estimate through sliding-window averaging, applicable to both transmitter and receiver-side phase noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If higher order modulation and more MIMO streams are used to increase data rates, then spectral efficiency improves, but hardware cost and energy usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata rateVSAvoidhardware cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of subcarrier spacing from conventional values to specifically 7.5 MHz or 10 MHz in the 60 GHz band, optimizing the OFDM system parameters to achieve better performance with lower complexity hardware

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If bandwidth is increased to improve data rates, then spectral capacity improves, but frequency availability decreases due to reserved bands

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata rateVSAvoidfrequency availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent targets the 60 GHz frequency band which is available for unlicensed use, and optimizes OFDM parameters (subcarrier spacing of 7.5 MHz or 10 MHz) to achieve high data rates in this specific frequency range without requiring additional licensed spectrum

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If millimeter wave frequencies are used to find available bandwidth, then frequency availability improves, but phase noise increases quadratically with carrier frequency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency availabilityVSAvoidphase noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes subcarrier spacing to 7.5 MHz or 10 MHz specifically for 60 GHz operation, and implements enhanced phase noise compensation algorithms that are tailored to the characteristics of millimeter wave oscillators, thereby mitigating the quadratic phase noise increase

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses dedicated phase noise pilot signals inserted in the OFDM structure to measure and compensate phase noise, converting the harmful phase noise effect into a measurable parameter that can be corrected through signal processing

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

4Ease of operation

If conventional OFDM is used in high frequency bands, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but signal to noise ratio saturates due to phase noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplementation simplicityVSAvoidsignal to noise ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces phase noise pilot signals as intermediary elements that mediate between the transmitted and received signals, allowing the receiver to measure and compensate phase noise without fundamentally changing the OFDM modulation scheme

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the receiver measures phase noise using pilot signals and feeds back compensation information to correct the received signal, maintaining OFDM simplicity while improving SNR through active phase noise management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

5Reliability

If subcarrier spacing is increased to 5 MHz or above to cope with phase noise, then phase noise tolerance improves, but cyclic prefix overhead increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephase noise toleranceVSAvoidcyclic prefix overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes subcarrier spacing to specific values of 7.5 MHz or 10 MHz in the 60 GHz band, finding an optimal balance between phase noise tolerance and cyclic prefix overhead that is better than conventional 5 MHz spacing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3161979B1Phase noise estimation and compensation
Publication Date: 2019.11.13 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3161979B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3161979B1 patent drawingFigure 3A
  • EP3161979B1 patent drawingFigure 3B

AI summary

Methods of reducing phase noise in a received signal include identifying a pilot component in the received signal and determining an expected pilot component that would have been received in the absence of phase noise. Based on the received pilot component and the expected pilot component, an estimate is generated of the phase noise realization for different parts of an OFDM symbol in the received signal, and based on the estimate of the phase noise realization, the received signal is compensated for the phase noise. Related base stations and user equipment nodes are disclosed.