Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L27/00—Modulated-carrier systems
  • H04L27/26—Systems using multi-frequency codes
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L27/00—Modulated-carrier systems
  • H04L27/26—Systems using multi-frequency codes
  • H04L27/2601—Multicarrier modulation systems
  • H04L27/2614—Peak power aspects
  • H04L27/2621—Reduction thereof using phase offsets between subcarriers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L27/00—Modulated-carrier systems
  • H04L27/26—Systems using multi-frequency codes
  • H04L27/2601—Multicarrier modulation systems
  • H04L27/2626—Arrangements specific to the transmitter only
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L27/00—Modulated-carrier systems
  • H04L27/26—Systems using multi-frequency codes
  • H04L27/2601—Multicarrier modulation systems
  • H04L27/2647—Arrangements specific to the receiver only
  • H04L27/2655—Synchronisation arrangements

Definitions

• This invention relates to communications systems using multicarrier modulation. More particularly, the invention relates to multicarrier communications systems that lower the peak-to- average power ratio (PAR) of transmitted signals.
• PAR peak-to- average power ratio
• transmitters communicate over a communication channeLusing multicarrier modulation or Discrete Multitone Modulation (DMT).
• DMT Discrete Multitone Modulation
• Carrier signals (carriers) or sub-channels spaced within a usable frequency band of the communication channel are modulated at a symbol (i.e., block) transmission rate of the system.
• An input signal which includes input data bits, is sent to a DMT transmitter, such as a DMT modem.
• the DMT transmitter typically modulates the phase characteristic, or phase, and amplitude of the carrier signals using an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) to generate a time domain signal, or transmission signal, that represents the input signal.
• IFFT Inverse Fast Fourier Transform
• the DMT transmitter transmits the transmission signal, which is a linear combination of the multiple carriers, to a DMT receiver over the communication channel.
• the phase and amplitude of the carrier signals of DMT transmission signal can be considered random because the phase and amplitude result from the modulation of an arbitrary sequence of input data bits comprising the transmitted information. Therefore, under the condition that the modulated data bit stream is random, the DMT transmission signal can be approximated as having a Gaussian probability distribution.
• a bit scrambler is often used in the DMT transmitter to scramble the input data bits before the bits are modulated to assure that the transmitted data bits are random and, consequently, that the modulation of those bits produces a DMT transmission signal with a Gaussian probability distribution.
• generating a transmission signal with a Gaussian probability distribution is important in order to transmit a transmission signal with a low peak-to-average ratio (PAR), or peak-to-average power ratio.
• the PAR of a transmission signal is the ratio of the instantaneous peak value (i.e., maximum magnitude) of a signal parameter (e.g., voltage, current, phase, frequency, power) to the time-averaged value of the signal parameter.
• the PAR of the transmitted signal is determined by the probability of the random transmission signal reaching a certain peak voltage during the time interval required for a certain number of symbols.
• An example of the PAR of a transmission signal transmitted from a DMT transmitter is 14.5 dB, which is equivalent to having a 1E-7 probability of clipping.
• the PAR of a transmission signal transmitted and received in a DMT communication system is an important consideration in the design of the DMT communication system because the PAR of a signal affects the communication system's total power consumption and component linearity requirements of the system.
• the PAR can increase greatly. Examples of cases where the phases of the modulated carrier signals are not random are when bit scramblers are not used, multiple carrier signals are used to modulate the same input data bits, and the constellation maps, which are mappings of input data bits to the phase of a carrier signal, used for modulation are not random enough (i.e., a zero value for a data bit corresponds to a 90 degree phase characteristic of the DMT carrier signal and a one value for a data bit conesponds to a -90 degree phase characteristic of the DMT carrier signal).
• An increased PAR can result in a system with high power consumption and/or with high probability of clipping the transmission signal.
• the present invention features a system and method that scrambles the phase characteristics of the modulated carrier signals in a transmission signal.
• a value is associated with each carrier signal.
• a phase shift is computed for each carrier signal based on the value associated with that carrier signal. The value is determined independently of any input bit value carried by that carrier signal.
• the phase shift computed for each carrier signal is combined with the phase characteristic of that carrier signal to substantially scramble the phase characteristics of the carrier signals.
• the input bit stream is modulated onto the carrier signals having the substantially scrambled phase characteristic to produce a transmission signal with a reduced peak- to-average power ratio (PAR).
• the value is derived from a predetermined parameter, such as a random number generator, a carrier number, a DMT symbol count, a superframe count, and a hyperframe count.
• a predetermined transmission signal is transmitted when the amplitude of the transmission signal exceeds a certain level.
• the invention features a method wherein a value is associated with each carrier signal.
• the value is determined independently of any input bit value carried by that carrier WO 01/35591 PCT/TJSOO/30958
• a phase shift for each carrier signal is computed based on the value associated with that carrier signal.
• the transmission signal is demodulated using the phase shift computed for each carrier signal.
• the invention features a system comprising a phase scrambler that computes a phase shift for each carrier signal based on a value associated with that carrier signal.
• the phase scrambler also combines the phase shift computed for each carrier signal with the phase characteristic of that carrier signal to substantially scramble the phase characteristic of the carrier signals.
• a modulator in communication with the phase scrambler, modulates bits of an input signal onto the carrier signals having the substantially scrambled phase characteristics to produce a transmission signal with a reduced PAR.
• Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a digital subscriber line communications system including a DMT (discrete multitone modulation) transceiver, in communication with a remote transceiver, having a phase scrambler for substantially scrambling the phase characteristics of carrier signals; and
• Fig. 2 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a process for scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals in a transmission signal.
• DMT discrete multitone modulation
• Fig. 1 shows a digital subscriber line (DSL) communication system 2 including a discrete multitone (DMT) transceiver 10 in communication with a remote transceiver 14 over a communication channel 18 using a transmission signal 38 having a plurality of carrier signals.
• DSL digital subscriber line
• DMT discrete multitone
• the DMT transceiver 10 includes a DMT transmitter 22 and a DMT receiver 26.
• the remote transceiver 14 includes a transmitter 30 and a receiver 34.
• OFDM orthogonally multiplexed quadrature amplitude modulation
• OFDM discrete wavelet multitone modulation
• OFDM orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
• the communication channel 18 provides a downstream transmission path from the DMT transmitter 22 to the remote receiver 34, and an upstream transmission path from the remote transmitter 30 to the DMT receiver 26.
• the communication channel 18 is a pair of twisted wires of a telephone subscriber line.
• the communication channel 18 can be a fiber optic wire, a quad cable, consisting of two pairs of twisted wires, or a quad cable that is one of a star quad cable, a Dieselhorst-Martin quad cable, and the like.
• the communication channel 18 is the air through which the transmission signal 38 travels between the transceivers 10, 14.
• the DMT transmitter 22 shown in Fig. 1 includes a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) encoder 42, a modulator 46, a bit allocation table (BAT) 44, and a phase scrambler 66.
• the DMT transmitter 22 can also include a bit scrambler 74, as described further below.
• the remote transmitter 30 of the remote transceiver 14 comprises equivalent components as the DMT transmitter 22.
• this embodiment specifies a detailed description of the DMT transmitter 22, the inventive concepts apply also to the receivers 34, 36 which have similar components to that of the DMT transmitter 22, but perform inverse functions in a reverse order.
• the QAM encoder 42 has a single input for receiving an input serial data bit stream 54 and multiple parallel outputs to transmit QAM symbols 58 generated by the QAM encoder 42 from the bit stream 54.
• the QAM encoder 42 maps the input serial bit-stream 54 in the time domain into parallel QAM symbols 58 in the frequency domain.
• the QAM encoder 42 maps the input serial data bit stream 54 into N parallel quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellation points 58, or QAM symbols 58, where N represents the number of carrier signals generated by the modulator 46.
• the BAT 44 is in communication with the QAM encoder 42 to specify the number of bits carried by each carrier signal.
• the QAM symbols 58 represent the amplitude and the phase characteristic of each carrier signal.
• the modulator 46 provides functionality associated with the DMT modulation and transforms the QAM symbols 58 into DMT symbols 70 each comprised of a plurality of time- domain samples.
• the modulator 46 modulates each carrier signal with a different QAM symbol 58.
• carrier signals have phase and amplitude characteristics based on the QAM symbol 58 and therefore based on the input-bit stream 54.
• the modulator 46 uses an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) to change the QAM symbols 58 into a transmission signal 38 comprised of a sequence of DMT symbols 70.
• IFFT inverse fast Fourier transform
• the modulator 46 changes the QAM symbols 58 into DMT symbols 70 through modulation of the carrier signals.
• the modulator 46 uses the inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT) to change the QAM symbols 58 into DMT symbols 70.
• IDFT inverse discrete Fourier transform
• a pilot tone is included in the transmission signal 38 to provide a reference signal for coherent demodulation of the carrier signals in the remote receiver 34 during reception of the transmission signal 38.
• the modulator 46 also includes a phase scrambler 66 that combines a phase shift computed for each QAM-modulated carrier signal with the phase characteristic of that carrier signal. Combining phase shifts with phase characteristics, in accordance with the principles of the invention, substantially scrambles the phase characteristics of the carrier signals in the transmission signal 38. By scrambling the phase characteristics of the carrier signals, the resulting transmission signal 38 has a substantially minimized peak-to-average (PAR) power ratio.
• the phase scrambler 66 can be part of or external to the modulator 46.
• phase scrambler 66 include, but are not limited to, a software program that is stored in local memory and is executed on the modulator 46, a digital signal processor (DSP) capable of performing mathematical functions and algorithms, and the like.
• the remote receiver 34 similarly includes a phase scrambler 66' for use when demodulating carrier signals that have had their phase characteristics adjusted by the phase scrambler 66 of the DMT transceiver 10.
• the phase scrambler 66 associates one or more values with that carrier signal.
• the phase scrambler 66 determines each value for a carrier signal independently of the QAM symbols 58, and, therefore, independently of the bit value(s) modulated onto the carrier signal.
• the actual value(s) that the phase scrambler 66 associates with each carrier signal can be derived from one or more predefined parameters, such as a pseudo- random number generator (pseudo-RNG), a DMT carrier number, a DMT symbol count, a DMT superframe count, a DMT hyperframe count, and the like, as described in more detail below.
• a pseudo- random number generator prseudo-RNG
• the phase scrambler 66 solves a predetermined equation to compute a phase shift for the carrier signal, using the value(s) associated with that carrier signal as input that effects the output of the equation. Any equation suitable for computing phase shifts can be used to compute the phase shifts. When the equation is independent of the bit values of the input serial bit stream 54, the computed phase shifts are also independent of such bit values.
• the DMT transmitter 22 includes a bit scrambler
• the phase scrambler 66 which assures that the transmission signal 38 has a Gaussian probability distribution and, therefore, a substantially minimized PAR.
• Fig. 2 shows embodiments of a process used by the DMT transmitter 22 for adjusting the phase characteristic of each carrier signal and combining these carrier signals to produce the transmission signal 38.
• the DMT transmitter 22 generates (step 100) a value that is associated with a carrier signal. Because the value is being used to alter the phase characteristics of the carrier signal, both the DMT transmitter 22 and the remote receiver 34 must recognize the value as being associated with the carrier signal. Either the DMT transmitter 22 and the remote receiver
• the DMT transmitter 22 can derive the value from a pseudo- RNG and then transmit the generated value to the remote receiver 34.
• the remote receiver 34 similarly derives the value from the same pseudo-RNG and the same seed as used by the transmitter (i.e., the transmitter pseudo-RNG produces the same series of random numbers as the receiver pseudo-RNG).
• the DMT transmitter 22 and the remote receiver 34 can each maintain a symbol counter for coimting DMT symbols.
• the DMT transmitter 22 increments its symbol counter upon transmitting a DMT symbol; the remote receiver 34 upon receipt.
• both the DMT transmitter 22 and the remote receiver 34 both use the symbol count as a value for computing phase shifts, both the DMT transmitter 22 and remote receiver 34 "know" that the value is associated with a particular DMT symbol and with each carrier signal of that DMT symbol.
• Values can also be derived from other types of predefined parameters.
• the predefined parameter is the DMT carrier number
• the value associated with a particular carrier signal is the carrier number of that signal within the DMT symbol.
• the number of a carrier signal represents the location of the frequency of the carrier signal relative to the frequency of other carrier signals within a DMT symbol.
• the DSL communication system 2 provides 256 carrier signals, each separated by a frequency of 4.3125 kHz and spanning the frequency bandwidth from 0 kHz to 1104 kHz.
• the DMT transmitter 22 numbers the carrier signals from 0 to 255. Therefore, "DMT carrier number 50" represents the 51st DMT carrier signal which is located at the frequency of 215.625 kHz (i.e., 51 x 4.3125 kHz).
• the DMT transmitter 22 and the remote receiver 34 can know the value that is associated with the carrier signal because both the DMT transmitter 22 and the remote receiver 34 use the same predefined parameter (here, the DMT carrier number) to make the value-carrier signal association.
• the DMT transmitter 22 can transmit the value to the remote receiver 34 (or vice versa) over the communication channel 18.
• predefined parameters can be used in conjunction with the symbol count.
• One example of such a predefined parameter is the superframe count that increments by one every 69 DMT symbols.
• One exemplary implementation that achieves the superframe counter is to perform a modulo 68 operation on the symbol count.
• the DMT transmitter 22 can maintain a hyperframe counter for counting hyperframes.
• An exemplary implementation of the hyperframe count is to perform a modulo 255 operation on the superframe count.
• the hyperframe count increments by one each time the superframe count reaches 255.
• some predefined parameters produce values that vary from carrier signal to carrier signal.
• the predefined parameter is the DMT carrier number
• values vary based on the frequency of the carrier signal.
• the pseudo-RNG generates a new random value for each carrier signal.
• predefined parameters produce values that vary from DMT symbol 70 to DMT symbol 70.
• the predefined parameter is the symbol count, the superframe count, or hyperframe count
• values vary based on the numerical position of the DMT symbol 70 within a sequence of symbols, superframes, or hyperframes.
• Predefined parameters such as the pseudo-RNG, symbol count, superframe count, and superframe can also be understood to be parameters that vary values over time. Any one or combination of the predefined parameters can provide values for input to the equation that computes a phase shift for a given carrier signal.
• the phase scrambling is used to avoid clipping of the transmission signal 38 on a DMT symbol 70 by DMT symbol 70 basis.
• the DMT transmitter 22 uses a value based on a predefined parameter that varies over time, such as the symbol count, to compute the phase shift. It is to be understood that other types of predefined parameters that vary the values associated with carrier signals can be used to practice the principles of the invention.
• the transceivers 10, 14 may communicate (step 110) the values to synchronize their use in modulating and demodulating the carrier signals.
• the DMT transmitter 22 then computes (step 115) the phase shift that is used to adjust the phase characteristic of each carrier signal. The amount of the phase shift combined with the phase characteristic of each QAM-modulated carrier signal depends upon the equation used and the one or more values associated with that carrier signal.
• the DMT transmitter 22 then combines (step 120) the phase shift computed for each carrier signal with the phase characteristic of that carrier signal.
• the phase scrambler 66 reduces (with respect to unscrambled phase characteristics) the combined PAR of the plurality of carrier signals and, consequently, the transmission signal 38.
• Phase shifting example #1 conesponds to adjusting the phase characteristic of the
• a carrier signal having a carrier number ⁇ equal to 50 has a phase shift added to ⁇ 2 the phase characteristic of that earner signal equal to 50 ⁇ — ( ⁇ ⁇ 2 ⁇ ) -— ⁇ .
• Phase shifting example #2 conesponds to adjusting the phase characteristic of the jr
• a carrier signal having a carrier number ⁇ equal to 50 on DMT symbol count M equal to 8 has a phase shift added to the phase characteristic of that
• Phase shifting example #3 conesponds to adjusting the phase characteristic of the
• X N is an array of N pseudo-random numbers.
• a carrier signal having a carrier number N equal to 5 and X equal to [3, 8, 1 , 4, 9, 5, ...] has a phase shift added to the phase
• the carrier signal with a carrier number N equal to 6 has a phase shift added to the
• the DMT transmitter 22 then combines (step 130) the carrier signals to form the transmission signal 38. If the transmission signal is not clipped, as described below, the DMT transmitter 22 consequently transmits (step 160) the transmission signal 38 to the remote receiver 34.
• a transmission signal 38 that has high peak values of voltage can induce non-linear distortion in the DMT transmitter 22 and the communication channel 18.
• One form of this non-linear distortion of the transmission signal 38 that may occur is the limitation of the amplitude of the transmission signal 38 (i.e., clipping).
• clipping the amplitude of the transmission signal 38
• a particular DMT symbol 70 clips in the time domain when one or more time domain samples in that DMT symbol 70 are larger than the maximum allowed digital value for the DMT symbols 70.
• the transmission signal 38 does not accurately represent the input serial data bit signal 54.
• the DSL communication system 2 avoids the clipping of the transmission signal 38 on a DMT symbol 70 by DMT symbol 70 basis.
• the DMT transmitter 22 detects (step 140) the clipping of the transmission signal 38. If a particular DMT symbol 70 clips in the time domain to produce a clipped transmission signal 38, the DMT transmitter 22 substitutes (step 150) a predefined transmission signal 78 for the clipped transmission signal 38.
• the predefined transmission signal 78 has the same duration as a DMT symbol 70 (e.g., 250 ms) in order to maintain symbol timing between the DMT transmitter 22 and the remote receiver 34.
• the predefined transmission signal 78 is not based on (i.e., independent of) the modulated input data bit stream 54; it is a bit value pattern that is recognized by the remote receiver 34 as a substituted signal.
• the predefined transmission signal 78 is a known pseudo-random sequence pattern that is easily detected by the remote receiver 34.
• the predefined transmission signal 78 is an "all zeros" signal, which is a zero voltage signal produced at the DMT transmitter 22 output (i.e., zero volts modulated on all the carrier signals). In addition to easy detection by the remote receiver 34, the zero voltage signal reduces the power consumption of the DMT transmitter 22 when delivered by the DMT transmitter 22.
• a pilot tone is included in the predefined transmission signal 78 to provide a reference signal for coherent demodulation of the carrier signals in the remote receiver 34 during reception of the predefined transmission signal 78.
• the remote receiver 34 determines if the transmission signal 38 is equivalent to the predefined transmission signal 78. In one embodiment, when the remote receiver 34 identifies the predefined transmission signal 78, the remote receiver 34 ignores (i.e., discards) the predefined transmission signal 78. Following the transmission of the predefined transmission signal 78, the phase scrambler
• step 120 shifts (step 120) the phase characteristic of the QAM-modulated carrier signals (based on one of the predefined parameters that varies over time). For example, consider that a set of QAM symbols 58 produces a DMT symbol 70 comprising a plurality of time domain samples, and that one of the time domain samples is larger than the maximum allowed digital value for the DMT symbol 70. Therefore, because the transmission signal 38 would be clipped when sent to the remote receiver 34, the DMT transmitter 22 sends the predefined transmission signal 78 instead.
• the DMT transmitter 22 After transmission of the predefined transmission signal 78, the DMT transmitter 22 again attempts to send the same bit values that produced the clipped transmission signal 38 in a subsequent DMT symbol 70'. Because the generation of phase shifts in this embodiment is based on values that vary over time, the phase shifts computed for the subsequent DMT symbol 70' are different than those that were previously computed for the DMT symbol 70 with the clipped time domain sample. These different phase shifts are combined to the phase characteristics of the modulated carrier signals to produce carrier signals of the subsequent DMT symbol 70' with different phase characteristics than the carrier signals of the DMT symbol 70 with the clipped time domain sample.
• DMT communication systems 2 infrequently produce transmission signals 38 that clip (e.g., approximately one clip every 10 7 time domain samples 70). However, if the subsequent DMT symbol 70' includes a time domain sample that clips, then the predefined transmission signal 78 is again transmitted (step 150) to the remote receiver 34 instead of the clipped transmission signal 38.
• the clipping time domain sample may be on the same or on a different carrier signal than the previously clipped DMT symbol 70.
• the DMT transmitter 22 repeats the transmission of the predefined transmission signal 78 until the DMT transmitter 22 produces a subsequent DMT symbol 70' that is not clipped. When the DMT transmitter 22 produces a DMT symbol 70' that is not clipped, the DTM transmitter 22 transmits (step 160) the transmission signal 38 to the remote receiver 34.
• the probability of a DMT symbol 70 producing a transmission signal 38 that clips in the time domain depends on the PAR of the transmission signal 38.
• phase shifting example illustrates the method used by the phase scrambler 66 to combine a different phase shift to the phase characteristic of each carrier signal to avoid the clipping of the transmission signal 38.
• Phase shifting example #4 conesponds to adjusting the phase characteristic of the
• the DMT transmitter 22 sends the transmission signal 38. If one of the time domain samples in the different set of time domain samples 70 (and consequently the transmission signal 38) is clipped, then the DMT transmitter 22 sends the predefined transmission signal 78 again.
• the transmitter 22 stops attempting to produce a non-clipped DMT symbol 70' for the particular set of QAM symbols 58 after generating a predetermined number of clipped DMT symbols 70'. At that moment, the transmitter 22 can transmit the most recently produced clipped DMT symbol 70' or the predetermined transmission signal 78.
• the PAR of the DSL communication system 2 is reduced because the predefined transmission signal 78 is sent instead of the transmission signal 38 when the DMT symbol 70 clips.
• a DMT communication system 2 that normally has a clipping probability of 10 "7 for the time domain transmission signal 38 can therefore operate with a 10 '5 probability of clipping and a lower PAR equal to 12.8 dB (as compared to 14.5 dB).
• a 10 '5 probability of clipping assuming a DMT symbol 70 has 512 time-domain samples 70, the

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Citations (6)

• 2000
  • 2000-11-09 KR KR1020027005830A patent/KR20020049025A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-11-09 CA CA002387812A patent/CA2387812A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-11-09 JP JP2001537217A patent/JP2003514444A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-11-09 WO PCT/US2000/030958 patent/WO2001035591A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-11-09 EP EP00978507A patent/EP1228615A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-11-09 AU AU15964/01A patent/AU1596401A/en not_active Abandoned
• 2006
  • 2006-12-22 JP JP2006345675A patent/JP2007129755A/ja not_active Withdrawn

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