Segmented Interference Whitening for Channel Estimation Errors

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems with long delay spreads or high Doppler frequencies, channel estimation errors lead to increased noise plus interference variance, making it difficult to effectively compensate for performance degradation using conventional interference whitening operations.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication device that segments resource elements into distinct areas based on channel estimation errors, calculates tailored whitening filters for each area, and performs interference whitening operations to compensate for these errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a single whitening filter is applied to all resource blocks in the same group, then the interference whitening operation can be performed uniformly, but it becomes difficult to appropriately compensate for channel estimation errors in environments with long delay spreads or high Doppler frequencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of interference whitening operationVSAvoidchannel estimation error compensation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the resource block group into multiple sub-groups based on delay spread and Doppler frequency characteristics. Each sub-group is then assigned a separate whitening filter tailored to its specific channel conditions, allowing differential compensation for channel estimation errors while maintaining structured organization of the resource blocks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different whitening filter characteristics to different sub-groups of resource blocks based on their local channel conditions (delay spread and Doppler frequency). This local quality approach ensures that each sub-group receives interference whitening optimized for its specific environmental characteristics, improving overall compensation accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If interference whitening is performed using the same filter across all resource blocks, then the processing complexity is reduced, but the noise plus interference variance cannot be effectively compensated in challenging channel conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing complexity of whitening filter calculationVSAvoidnoise plus interference variance compensation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the resource block group into multiple sub-groups with distinct whitening filters, where each filter is calculated based on the specific noise covariance characteristics of its sub-group. This segmentation enables precise compensation of noise plus interference variance for each sub-group while maintaining manageable processing complexity through structured division

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters of the whitening filter (specifically the noise covariance matrix) based on the delay spread and Doppler frequency characteristics of each sub-group. By adapting filter parameters to match local channel conditions, the system achieves accurate noise plus interference variance compensation without requiring overly complex processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4697658A1Wireless communication device configured to perform interference whitening operation and operating method thereof
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4697658A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4697658A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4697658A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A wireless communication device includes a transceiver configured to receive a wireless signal, and a processor configured to in a time-frequency domain, in which resources are allocated across subcarriers and symbols in a given time slot for data transmission, determine a first area and a second area within a resource element (RE) area including a plurality of REs, segment the second area into a plurality of segmentation areas, calculate a first adjustment whitening filter and a plurality of segmentation adjustment whitening filters to be respectively applied to the first area and the plurality of segmentation areas, and perform an interference whitening operation on the first area and the plurality of segmentation areas, based on the first adjustment whitening filter and the plurality of segmentation adjustment whitening filters, respectively.