Transceiver Self-Interference Cancellation via Analog and Digital Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current full-duplex wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving practical self-interference cancellation, with existing techniques either being impractical for real-world implementation or failing to meet the requirements for efficient spectrum reuse due to limitations in antenna placement, noise canceling chips, and phase noise issues.

Innovation Solution

A transceiver architecture that performs sequential self-interference cancellation in both the analog RF domain and digital domain, using an antenna arrangement with an analog domain filter and an auxiliary transmitter to generate interference cancellation signals, allowing for low or vanishing self-interference levels and enabling efficient frequency and time resource utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If experimental testbeds demonstrate almost perfect self-interference cancellation levels, then self-interference cancellation performance is improved, but practical implementation feasibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-interference cancellation levelVSAvoidpractical implementation feasibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the self-interference cancellation process into three distinct domains: RF domain cancellation using passive/active elements, hybrid domain cancellation combining RF and digital processing, and digital domain cancellation using signal processing algorithms. This segmentation allows each domain to address specific aspects of self-interference, making the overall system practical for implementation while achieving high cancellation levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by adjusting cancellation coefficients, filter characteristics, and signal processing parameters across different domains. The system dynamically modifies these parameters to optimize performance for varying channel conditions, maintaining practical implementation while achieving superior cancellation levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If directional antennas and physical separation are used for RF attenuation cancellation, then passive cancellation results are improved for line-of-sight, but vulnerability to multipath wireless channel components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassive cancellation resultsVSAvoidvulnerability to multipath components
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite cancellation system that combines multiple cancellation techniques across different domains (RF passive elements, active signal injection, digital processing). This composite approach leverages the strengths of each domain while compensating for their individual weaknesses, particularly protecting against multipath effects that undermine simple directional antenna approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system continuously monitors the self-interference signal characteristics and adjusts cancellation parameters accordingly. This feedback loop enables the system to adapt to changing channel conditions including multipath components, maintaining reliability while achieving good passive cancellation results.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If signal-injection self-interference cancellation is implemented with antenna placement calibration, then self-interference suppression at center frequency is improved, but frequency drift performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-interference suppression at center frequencyVSAvoidfrequency drift performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the static antenna placement calibration into a dynamic system that continuously adapts to frequency changes. By implementing adaptive signal processing and real-time parameter adjustment across RF and digital domains, the system maintains effective self-interference suppression even when frequency drift occurs, converting a frequency-specific solution into a broadly adaptive one.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary calibration and characterization of the self-interference channel across a range of frequencies, storing this information for use during operation. This preliminary action enables the system to quickly adapt to frequency drift without requiring complex real-time recalibration, maintaining both center frequency suppression and frequency drift performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If in-band full-duplex operation is implemented, then spectrum resource efficiency is improved, but self-interference cancellation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectrum resource efficiencyVSAvoidself-interference cancellation requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex self-interference cancellation task across multiple domains (RF, hybrid, digital) and multiple processing stages. This segmentation distributes the computational and hardware complexity, making in-band full-duplex operation feasible by preventing any single component from becoming prohibitively complex while still achieving the required cancellation levels for efficient spectrum reuse.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3323204B1Transceiver and method for reducing a self-interference of a transceiver
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV
  • EP3323204B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3323204B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3323204B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A transceiver (1000) comprises an antenna arrangement (100) configured for interfacing a wireless transmission channel and comprising an interface (110) for receiving a sending signal (202) and an interface for providing a receiving signal (106). The transceiver comprises a main transmitter (200), an analog domain filter (300; 300'; 300"; 300"'), an auxiliary transmitter (400), a radio frequency interference removal stage (500), a main receiver (600), a feedback receiver (700) and a processor (800; 800') configured performing digital signal operations. The transceiver (1000) is configured for performing interference cancellation on a receiving signal in a radio frequency domain and in a digital domain.