SNR Processing Method for DSL Subcarrier Grouping

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Solution Overview

Problem

In DSL communications systems, the SNR distribution attenuates with increasing subcarrier frequency, leading to SNR waste and reduced transmission capacity due to the limitation of maximum bits per subcarrier, where low-frequency subcarriers have excessive SNR capabilities while high-frequency subcarriers have insufficient SNRs.

Innovation Solution

The method involves combining subcarriers with high and low SNRs into groups, applying geometric mean decomposition (GMD) and singular value decomposition (SVD) to equalize SNRs across subcarriers, thereby reallocating SNR resources and improving SNR utilization without increasing transmit power or requiring higher bit-width converters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the maximum quantity of bits per subcarrier is limited to bit max, then the system maintains stable operation within规定的 parameters, but SNR resources are wasted on low-frequency subcarriers and transmission capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidtransmission capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple subcarriers with different SNR characteristics into super-subcarriers. By merging K first subcarriers (with SNR > SNR max) and K second subcarriers (with SNR ≤ SNR max) into M super-subcarriers, the system allows the total bit quantity across grouped subcarriers to exceed bit max while maintaining individual subcarrier constraints. This resolves the contradiction by enabling higher overall transmission capacity while preserving system stability through controlled grouping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of bit quantity allocation from individual subcarrier level to super-subcarrier group level. By allowing the sum of bits across K subcarriers to reach a new maximum (bit max × ⌈M/K⌉) while maintaining bit max constraint on individual subcarriers, the system optimizes SNR utilization. This parameter change enables low-frequency subcarriers to operate at SNR max rather than wasting excess SNR capability, thereby increasing transmission capacity without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If bit max is increased to utilize excess SNR capability on low-frequency subcarriers, then transmission capacity increases, but higher bit-width converters and additional hardware resources are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission capacityVSAvoidconverter bit-width requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the bit allocation problem by dividing super-subcarriers into groups of K regular subcarriers. Each group maintains the original bit max constraint on individual subcarriers, avoiding the need for higher bit-width converters. The segmentation allows the system to achieve increased total transmission capacity through intelligent grouping and SNR reallocation without requiring hardware upgrades to support higher individual bit rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If SNR reallocation is performed without subcarrier combination, then SNR utilization improves, but the system cannot achieve sufficient transmission capacity due to bit max limitation on individual subcarriers

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSNR utilization efficiencyVSAvoidtransmission capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines K first subcarriers and K second subcarriers into M super-subcarriers, where M < 2K. This merging enables the system to reallocate SNR resources across the grouped subcarriers while allowing the total bit quantity to exceed the individual bit max limitation. The combination resolves the contradiction by providing a mechanism where SNR reallocation can occur at the super-subcarrier level, achieving both improved SNR utilization efficiency and increased transmission capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3404881B1Signal to noise ratio (SNR) processing method, apparatus and system
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3404881B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3404881B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3404881B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a signal-to-noise ratio SNR processing method, an apparatus, and a system. The method includes: determining K first subcarriers having relatively high SNRs and K second subcarriers having relatively low SNRs, and combining the K first subcarriers and the K second subcarriers, to obtain M subcarrier groups, where the K first subcarriers and the K second subcarriers are obtained by dividing a bandwidth occupied by a communication channel; performing reallocation and precoding processing on L subcarriers in any subcarrier group, and sending the L subcarriers obtained after the reallocation and precoding processing to a receive end, to trigger the receive end to convert the L subcarriers obtained after the reallocation and precoding processing into L third subcarriers, where each of SNRs of channels corresponding to third subcarriers obtained after conversion is performed for each subcarrier group is equal to a product of SNRs of channels corresponding to all subcarriers in the subcarrier group raised to the power of 1/L. As can be learned, in the embodiments of the present invention, some SNRs are relocated from subcarriers whose corresponding channels have relatively high SNRs to subcarriers whose corresponding channels have relatively low SNRs, so that SNR utilization in a communications system can be improved, and further a transmission capacity of the communications system can be increased.