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
  • H04L27/2601—Multicarrier modulation systems
  • H04L27/2602—Signal structure
  • H04L27/261—Details of reference signals
  • H04L27/2613—Structure of the reference signals
• • 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
  • H04L27/2656—Frame synchronisation, e.g. packet synchronisation, time division duplex [TDD] switching point detection or subframe synchronisation
• • 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
  • H04L27/2668—Details of algorithms
  • H04L27/2673—Details of algorithms characterised by synchronisation parameters
  • H04L27/2675—Pilot or known symbols
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
  • H04L5/003—Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
  • H04L5/0048—Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
  • H04L5/14—Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
  • H04L5/14—Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
  • H04L5/1438—Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
  • H04L5/14—Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
  • H04L5/1469—Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex using time-sharing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L7/00—Arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter
  • H04L7/04—Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals
  • H04L7/041—Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals using special codes as synchronising signal
  • H04L2007/045—Fill bit or bits, idle words
• • 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
  • H04L27/2602—Signal structure
  • H04L27/261—Details of reference signals
  • H04L27/2613—Structure of the reference signals
  • H04L27/26134—Pilot insertion in the transmitter chain, e.g. pilot overlapping with data, insertion in time or frequency domain
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
  • H04L5/0001—Arrangements for dividing the transmission path
  • H04L5/0003—Two-dimensional division
  • H04L5/0005—Time-frequency
  • H04L5/0007—Time-frequency the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A) or DMT
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
  • H04L5/003—Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
  • H04L5/0078—Timing of allocation
  • H04L5/008—Timing of allocation once only, on installation

Definitions

• the present invention relates to data communications, and more particularly to systems and methods to facilitate timing recovery and loop timing operations in a time division duplex transmission system.
• a goal is to define data transmission using a synchronous time division duplex (TDD) format in such a manner that allows transceiver power dissipation to scale near linearly with traffic demand.
• TDD time division duplex
• L0 state transmits data in each TDD frame.
• L2.x states where x is an indicator of the frequency in which data is sent (e.g. L.2. 1 could be a state in which data is sent in one of every two TDD frames and L.2.2 could be a state where data is sent every fourth TDD frame).
• the present invention relates to systems and methods to faci litate timing recovery and loop timing operations in a TDD communication system with significantly varying intervals of inactivity between periods of transmission.
• embodiments of the invention define a maximum period of inactivity for each mode of transmission and associated "timing keep alive" signals during and/or between transmissions to assist the timing recovery function in the receiver.
• the receiver selects the desired format of the "timing keep alive" signal.
• the timing recovery mechanisms of the invention maintain power saving objectives of G.fast or any similar TDD transmission system, where power dissipation varies near linearly with traffic demand.
• a method to facilitate timing recovery at a receiver in a time division duplex (TDD) communication system includes defining a maximum period of inactivity of downstream transmissions in a TDD frame, specifying timing keep alive signals, and transmitting the specified timing keep alive signals downstream to the receiver during the downstream transmissions.
• FIGs. 1 (A) to 1 (C) are timing diagrams illustrating an example
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example timing recovery block in a
• FIGs. 3(A) and 3(B) are timing diagrams illustrating residua! phase error of recovered clock
• FIGs. 4(A) to 4(D) are timing diagrams illustrating adaptation of various low power modes according to embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example system for implementing timing recovery mechanisms in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
• Embodiments described as being implemented in software should not be limited thereto, but can include embodiments implemented in hardware, or combinations of software and hardware, and vice-versa, as wi ll be apparent to those ski lled in the art, unless otherwise specified herein ,
• an embodiment showing a singular component should not be considered limiting; rather, the invention is intended to encompass other embodiments including a plurality of the same component, and vice-versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise herein.
• applicants do not intend for any term in the specification or claims to be ascribed an uncommon or special meaning unless explicitly set forth as such.
• the present invention encompasses present and future known equivalents to the known components referred to herein by way of il lustration.
• embodiments of the invention described below enable improved timing recovery in communications system receivers where there are extended periods of inactivity between transmissions.
• the embodiments will be described below in connection with a particular useful application to the different modes of G.fast communications,
• the invention is not limited to this example, and can apply to any similar TDD or other communication scheme with long periods of inactivity between transmissions,
• aspects of the invention include using timing "keep alive" signals during or between transmissions,
• these "keep alive" signals are implemented using pilot tones and/or pi lot symbols.
• the invention is not lim ited to this example.
• L0 operates with full quality of service (QoS) and maximum data throughput, It is expected that L0 mode will provide the smal lest periods of inactivity when compared to the expected larger inactivity periods in the various low power (L2.x) modes utilizing discontinuous operation.
• QoS quality of service
• L2.x low power
• FIG, 1 (A) is a timing diagram illustrating downstream OFDM symbols transmitted during normal (L0) data mode.
• TDD frame period Tp
• the maximum duration of the downstream transmission (TDS) is set by the provisioning of the asymmetry ratio.
• T inacUve TF - TDS
• an objective of G.fast is to have the transceiver power consumption decrease as data throughput decreases, which implies that no data symbols are being sent during the downstream transmission periods if there is no data available.
• this is indicated by the period 102 in the downstream transmission period TDS. I there is no signal energy on the line during this interval, then the downstream inactivity period is increased, which causes additional drift in the recovered clock,
• embodiments of the invention include a number of pilot tones in all data bearing OFDM symbols 104, where the indices of the specific pilot tones may be negotiated during initialization. Generally, the receiver selects the desired pilot tone indices based on the implementation of the timing recovery function. A maximum number of pilot tones and corresponding indices may be defined.
• the upstream transmitter loads the downstream OFDM symbols with only the pilot tones and all other tones are zeroed out,
• the transmit signal powers are reduced accordingly for these special symbol periods and power savings can still be achieved in accordance with G.fast, which power savings are implementation specific.
• the receiver accurately recovers the signal clock provided that enough symbols are received. Provisioning of one or more pilot tones in each OFDM symbol during this period facilitates accurate recovery of the transmit signal clock.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example timing recovery block according to embodiments of the invention, which also facilitates discussion of the key timing recovery parameters in G.fast.
• the overall structure is that of a general phase locked loop 200.
• the receiver operates on the received OFDM signal that is synchronous to the transmit clock (/, : constructive).
• the phase locked loop 200 constructs a receive clock ifo) to be both frequency and phase locked to the transmit clock f in .
• the phase detector 202 computes an estimate of the phase error between the two clocks from processing of the pilot tones in the received OFDM symbols according to embodiments of the invention,
• the loop filter 204 removes any high frequency phase variations, and its output (represented by the number N 0 in FIG. 2) controls the frequency of a local oscillator 206 (typically through use of a voltage or numerically controlled oscillator 208) so as to track the frequency and phase variations with the transmit clock frequency.
• the loop filter 204 output N 0 has two components associated with it: (1 ) the long term average, which is a measure of the nominal offset between the respective transmitter and receiver local oscillators, and (2) a variation about the long term average that represents the resulting phase jitter between the two clocks.
• the jitter is expressed as a ratio of the root-mean-square (rms) frequency variation ⁇ /to a reference frequency f 0 , namely
• FIGs, 3(A) and 3(B) are timing diagrams to illustrate the above described relationships.
• FIG, 3(A) illustrates the timing of the transmit symbol clock.
• FIG. 3(B) illustrates the timing of the receive symbol clock, showing phase error term A ⁇ p rms as a phase jitter 302 on the recovered clock.
• phase drift ⁇ ⁇ which is given in seconds by the following expression
• phase drift with respect to a given reference frequency f 0 may be expressed in radians as
• phase drift For a 12-bit-per-symbol (64 x 64 points) constellation, approximately 1 degree ( 17.5 mrad) of phase rotation causes the outer most point of the constellation to reach a decision boundary. The highest frequency tone (approximately 106 MHz) is most sensitive to phase drift. The angle rotation threshold (for a constellation point to reach the decision boundary) increases with decreasing sub-carrier frequency and with decreasing constellation size. As described by equations (1) through (3) above, the parameters impacting the phase drift during are the length of the inactivity period ( inactive) and the level of rms phase jitter at the beginning of the inactivity period.
• phase jitter and inactivity interval To help understand the level of phase jitter and inactivity interval, consider the following example: a 2048 sub-carrier system with a sub-carrier spacing of 5 1 .75 kHz (bandwidth is approximately MHz). If there is a 400 ⁇ isec inactivity period and a reference sub-carrier frequency of 106 MHz, TABLE 1 below gives the level of phase drift at the end of the inactivity for a given rms phase j itter at the beginning of the inactivity period from equation (3).
• Normal data (L0) mode is expected to contain the shortest inactivity period compared to the various low power (L2.x) modes. It is understood that, in accordance with G.fast, if no data is available for transmission during any TDD frame, no data bearing OFDM symbols are transmitted so as to reduce transmit power and reduce power dissipation accordingly.
• Embodiments of the invention therefore perform the following tasks during the L0 state to facilitate maintenance of loop timing:
• the system defines a maximum period of downstream inactivity T iMC ,i ve within a TDD frame. This period may be based on the provisioning o f the asymmetry ratio that corresponds to the shortest interval TDS for downstream data transmission.
• the transmitter fills the remaining portion of TDS with OFDM symbols containing only pilot tones and all other sub-carriers in the symbols are zeroed out. This mechanism assures that there is some minimum energy on the line in each TDD frame to keep loop timing operating properly. It should be noted that pilot tones can also be included in data bearing symbols during L0 in some embodiments,
• timing recovery can be performed within the necessary accuracy during the L0 state as set forth above.
• the timing diagrams in FIG. 4 give an example of the line activity for normal data mode L0 and various low power modes; the shaded slots 402 indicate periods of downstream transmission and the shaded slots 404 indicate periods of upstream transmission.
• FIG. 4(A) in the LO state, data is transmitted in all TDD frames; as shown in FIG. 4(B), in L2.1 data is transmitted in alternate frames; as shown in FIG. 4(C), in L2.2 data is transmitted every 4th frame; as shown in FIG. 4(D), in L2.3 data is transmitted every 8th frame, and so on.
• the downstream transmission interval 408 is filled with the designated pilot tones in each of the symbol periods and all other sub-carriers are zeroed out.
• FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a system for implementing the timing recovery mechanisms for various modes of G. fast as described above.
• the system includes an upstream modem 502 in a CO, for example, and a downstream modem 504 in a customer premises, for example (i.e. CPE).
• Modems 502 and 504 can be any DSL modem that is compatible with G.fast or similar TDD technology, such as those including DSL modem chipsets and associated software/firmware provided by Ikanos Communications, Inc.
• G.fast or similar TDD technology such as those including DSL modem chipsets and associated software/firmware provided by Ikanos Communications, Inc.
• the symbol generator 514 of upstream modem 502 has been adapted to form symbols using both data 5 1 6 as is conventionally done, as well as from pilot tone information in memory 506.
• Receiver 520 in downstream modem 504 has been adapted to use the pilot tones and pilot symbols to update the receive clock 524 using PLL 522 as described above.
• simi lar functionality shown in upstream modem 502 can be included in downstream modem 504, and vice-versa.
• modems 502 and 504 can include additional components and functionality not shown in FIG. 5.
• the formation of symbols carrying only pilot tones by symbol generator 514 may be implemented using a memory 506 (RAM or ROM) lookup technique in the upstream modem 502, where the DSP performing the normal transmit and receive function may be disabled.
• RAM random access memory
• ROM read-only memory
• CPE modem 504 specify the maximum duration of a downstream inactivity interval in a TDD frame (i.e. ⁇ inactive) in a standard or interoperability specification, For example, during initialization, the downstream receiver may specify the number of pilot symbols needed per TDD frame during periods of inactivity to maintain timing recovery. The downstream receiver may also specify the bit loading in the downstream transm itter commensurate with the period of inactivity to assure error free transmission in the presence of extended tim ing drift,
• the downstream modem 504 selects the number of pilot tones for the upstream modem 502 to include in a downstream data symbol, as well as their indices, and communicates them to the upstream modem 502,
• the robustness of the timing recovery may be enhanced during L0 modes by using one or more pilot symbols prior to transmitting data symbols in the downstream transmission portion of the TDD frame.
• the downstream modem 504 may communicate the preferred pilot tones and number of symbols to the upstream modem 502 at initialization.
• timing recovery assist mechanisms may be configured during at initialization. Note that each low power state may be configured with a different timing recovery assist method; the selection may be based on the implementation of the actual timing recovery function used in the downstream modem 504 and the number of no data (i.e. intermediate) TDD frames between the data bearing frames.
• All the downstream symbols in a designated data transmission frame may be configured as data bearing symbols either with or without pilot tones. This may be the same configuration as in the normal data (L0) state. The selection may be made by the downstream modem 504 during initialization.
• pilot symbols are transmitted downstream by modem 502 prior to the transmission of normal data bearing data symbols.
• the pilot symbols may be data bearing and configured with an equal or greater number of pilot tones as a data symbol in normal data (L0) state.
• the pilot symbol may be configured to contain only pilot tones up to the maximum number of available tones.
• the configuration may be selected by downstream modem 504 during initialization.
• the upstream modem 502 transmits pilot tones in the downstream transmission time slots. In this configuration, it may not be necessary to configure pilot symbols in the designated data transmission frame.
• pi lot tones may be transmitted by downstream modem 504 in the upstream direction.
• Use of upstream pilot tones and/or pilot symbols depends on the implementation of the timing recovery function in the upstream modem 502, so the use and configuration of the upstream pilot tones and/or pilot symbols may be configured by the upstream modem 502 during initialization,
• a logical low speed communication channel 508 to the downstream modem 504 may be provided in addition to the regular DSL channel 5 10 to
• Channel 508 may be implemented by inserting the information within the first downstream symbol in the next dedicated data transmission frame, for example,

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Quality & Reliability (AREA)
• Synchronisation In Digital Transmission Systems (AREA)
• Time-Division Multiplex Systems (AREA)
• Bidirectional Digital Transmission (AREA)

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• 2013
  • 2013-10-29 US US14/065,888 patent/US20140119250A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-10-29 WO PCT/US2013/067247 patent/WO2014070728A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2013-10-29 KR KR1020157013588A patent/KR20150080549A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-10-29 CN CN201380058900.5A patent/CN104813601A/zh active Pending
  • 2013-10-29 JP JP2015540725A patent/JP2016507913A/ja active Pending
  • 2013-10-29 EP EP13852329.5A patent/EP2912792A4/en not_active Ceased

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