On the outage probability in single frequency networks for digitalbroadcasting

The new digital modulation schemes (OFDM) proposed for broadcasting of sound and television allow for the use of simulcasting, i.e., letting all transmitters in a radio network transmit on the same frequency. Such single-frequency networks (SFNs) have the potential of providing good coverage and very good frequency economy in wide-area (nationwide) applications. An OFDM-based SFN is analyzed with respect to its coverage properties. The network performance is measured by the outage probability and frequency economy. Both wide and local area systems are considered. Results show that in wide-area networks, very low outage probabilities may be achieved with very modest transmitter powers. The main reason for this is the inherent diversity, the efficiency is of which is primarily dependent on the transmitter density. However, in local area systems with only a few transmitters in each region, the performance is shown to drop drastically, mainly due to the low degree of diversity. This work implies that good network planning results in low-power, closely spaced transmitters     

The simulcasting technique: An approach to total-area radio coverage

The simulcasting technique described provides total-area radio coverage on an automatic basis where the use of multiple transmitter and receiver sites is required to achieve acceptable communications coverage over rugged terrain or wide areas. In this technique the same audio information is simultaneously broadcast over several transmitters operating on a single nominal-carrier frequency. Special attention must be given to transmitter-frequency stability and audio envelope characteristics. A master tone-distribution system is essential when incorporating a continuous tone-controlled squelch system (CTCSS). Use of the simulcasting technique reduces effects of fading in a mobile environment through transmitter space diversity. An application of the simulcasting technique to a coordinated FM-UHF law-enforcement communications system in Orange County, CA, is described.     

Pulse Shaping in OFDM Based Single Frequency Networks

In systems using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) all transmitters in a radio broadcasting network may transmit identical signals in the same frequency block, forming a so called Single Frequency Network (SFN). The simultaneous transmission creates a severe artificial multipath propagation causing interference at the receiver. This interference consists not only by intersymbol interference (ISI), but also interchannel interference (ICI) due to orthogonality losses between OFDM scheme's subcarriers. A method that is often used to counter the self-interference is to insert a guard interval between consecutive OFDM frames combined with an increased symbol duration. The receiver in an SFN is normally experiencing a diversity gain of receiving several signals. Doubts concerning the performance has been raised due to the OFDM scheme's sensitivity to frequency errors. If the received signals are exposed to different carrier offsets it will lead to ICI, resulting into reduced coverage. In this paper we apply pulse shaping to reduce the effects of ISI and ICI. Pulse shaping of the transmitted OFDM signal is shown to give significant reductions in self-interference. It is hereby possible to achieve the same coverage with a reduced amount of transmitters. The system also becomes less sensitive to time and frequency synchronisation errors. A method to analyse the performance for time limited pulse shapes is presented using weight functions describing the amount of useful and interfering powers. In the receiver analysis, generalised expressions are given using Fourier transforms and series.     

On the outage probability in local/regional single frequency broadcasting networks

A receiver in an ODFM based broadcasting system allows all transmitters in a radio network to simultaneously broadcast the same information in the same frequency block. This procedure generates an artificial multipath environment at the receiver. Since the receiver is designed to overcome these problems, such a Single Frequency Network (SFN) provides good coverage and frequency economy in national applications. However, the efficiency in local SFN has been questioned. The network planning of local SFNs is a mixture of conventional frequency reuse planning and planning to avoid excessive propagation delays caused by the artificial delay spread. In this paper we propose some rules of thumb to be considered in the design of local SFNs. The coverage properties in SFNs are strongly dependent on the transmitter density which determines the degree of diversity of receiving signals from several transmitters. Results indicate that required coverage can be attained in local networks using three OFDM frequency blocks, provided that seven transmitters are used to cover each regional service area. The results also indicate that the duration of the guard interval between two consecutive OFDM signals has to be chosen with some care dependent on the size of the service area. Furthermore, we show that there exists an optimal antenna height for a given coverage area and guard interval.     

一种应用于地面数字电视单频网系统中的时钟锁频技术

晶振自身的频率老化会使得晶振的输出频率与标称频率具有较大的偏差,晶振频率的稳定度和准确度会影响地面数字电视单频网发射机的性能,导致单频网环境下的动态多径情况,从而影响接收机的接收性能。通过和外部卫星频标的比对,可以在开始阶段对发射器的晶振输出频率进行良好的校准,从而保证单频网环境下各个发射器的一致性,实现各个发射机信号的绝对同步。该方法实现复杂度低,完全可以利用发射机现有的资源实现。     

DECODE: Exploiting Shadow Fading to DEtect COMoving Wireless DEvices

We present the DECODE technique to determine whether a set of transmitters are comoving, i.e., moving together in close proximity. Comovement information can find use in applications ranging from inventory tracking to social network sensing and to optimizing mobile device localization. The positioning errors from indoor RSS-based localization systems tend to be too large, making it difficult to detect whether two devices are moving together based on the interdevice distances. DECODE achieves accurate comovement detection by exploiting the correlations in positioning errors over time. DECODE can not only be implemented in the position space but also in the signal space where a correlation in shadow fading due to objects blocking the path between the transmitter and receiver exists. This technique requires no change in or cooperation from the tracked devices other than sporadic transmission of packets. Using experiments from an office environment, we show that DECODE can achieve near-perfect comovement detection at walking speed mobility using correlation coefficients computed over approximately 60-second time intervals. We further show that DECODE is generic and could accomplish detection for mixed mobile transmitters of different technologies (IEEE 802.11b/g and IEEE 802.15.4), and our results are not very sensitive to the frequency at which transmitters communicate.     

Topography based design of the T-DAB SFN for a mountainous area

A method for designing a terrestrial digital audio broadcasting single frequency network (T-DAB SFN) for a mountainous region is proposed. A computer database and the digital terrain elevation data are used in designing the network. Two fundamental approaches are compared; first, utilization of the existing transmitter sites is maximized by applying the initial cost constraint; then, the coverage percent of the service is forced to approach to 100% by applying the coverage efficiency constraint. Finally, a T-DAB SFN hybrid design procedure optimizing both constraints is proposed. The three design approaches are illustrated on the coverage of the mountainous Istanbul-Ankara highway. The results are compared using a reference cost look up table. The hybrid approach is shown to optimize the initial cost and the coverage efficiency, and can be applied to similar networking problems     

Reception Power Estimation Using Transmitter Identification Signal for Single Frequency Network

In a single frequency network (SFN) based on the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) terrestrial digital television (DTV) system, receivers inevitably suffer from the interference generated by using the same frequency among multiple transmitters or repeaters. The amount of the interference can be handled by adjusting transmit power and time of each transmitter and repeater. Hence, it is crucial to estimate the individual reception power from each transmitter or repeater at the given point of interest. This paper presents an efficient method to estimate the individual reception power from each transmitter or repeater. The field test results are provided to evaluate the proposed method. The proposed method exploits the transmitter identification (TxID) signals which are embedded in existing 8-VSB signals.      

Signal design for transmitter diversity wireless communicationsystems over Rayleigh fading channels

Transmitter diversity wireless communication systems over Rayleigh fading channels using pilot symbol assisted modulation (PSAM) are studied. Unlike conventional transmitter diversity systems with PSAM that estimate the superimposed fading process, we are able to estimate each individual fading process corresponding to the multiple transmitters by using appropriately designed pilot symbol sequences. With such sequences, special coded modulation schemes can then be designed to access the diversity provided by the multiple transmitters without having to use an interleaver or expand the signal bandwidth. The code matrix notion is introduced for the coded modulation scheme, and its design criteria are also established. In addition to the reduction in receiver complexity, simulation results are compared to, and shown to be superior to, that of an intentional frequency offset system over a wide range of system parameters     

A general SFN structure with transmit diversity for TDS-OFDM system

In the digital television terrestrial broadcasting, the Single Frequency Network (SFN) has much advantage. SFN can serve an arbitrary large area with the same information broadcasted at the same frequency, resulting in the potential diversity gain. To improve the transmission performance of the Time Domain Synchronous-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (TDS-OFDM) system in SFN, a general SFN structure with transmit diversity is introduced, theoretically analyzed and computer simulated. The proposed SFN structure is flexible to set up. Simulations show that this method can greatly improve the reliability of the signal transmission over the frequency selective fading channels and is suitable for the TDS-OFDM system in SFN.     

Measurement of angular and distance correlation properties oflog-normal shadowing at 1900 MHz and its application to design of PCSsystems

This paper investigates the correlation properties of shadow fading as a function of the angle between two PCS base stations over urban, light urban, and suburban terrain. Results from this study are relevant to the analysis of interference, handoff gain, and to various frequency planning applications in modern cellular and PCS systems. Using a significantly larger data set than previous experiments, we observed that on the average, the shadow fading components of the signals are not correlated, even at small angles. Our results contradict the conventional wisdom, as expressed in several papers, which says that there is relatively high correlation at small angles. Our results indicate that a mathematically simpler uncorrelated model for the relationship between signals from multiple base stations at small angles can be used in analysis tools. Distance correlation measurements computed by forming the autocorrelation function on a large number of data sets showed that the correlation distance of the shadowing process ranges from about 25 to 100 m     

小功率DVB-T单频网覆盖分析

介绍了国际上流行的一些单频网覆盖优化方法,并提出了采用对人体辐射影响较小的小功率发射机进行信号覆盖的方案.     

Improving the Reception Performance of Legacy T‐DMB/DAB Receivers in a Single‐Frequency Network with Delay Diversity

This paper describes a simple delay diversity technique for terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (T‐DMB) and digital audio broadcasting in a single‐frequency network (SFN). For the diversity technique, a delay diversity scheme is adopted. In the delay diversity scheme, a non‐delayed signal is transmitted in the first antenna, and delayed versions of the signal are transmitted in each additional antenna. For an SFN environment with multiple transmitters, delay diversity can be executed by controlling the emission times of the transmitters. This SFN delay diversity scheme does not require any hardware changes in either the transmitter or receiver, and perfect backward compatibility can be acquired. To evaluate the performance improvement, laboratory tests are executed with various types of commercial T‐DMB receivers as well as a measurement receiver. The improvement in the bit error rate performance is evaluated using a measurement receiver, and an improvement of the threshold of visibility value is evaluated for commercial receivers. Test results show that the T‐DMB system can obtain diversity gain using the described technique.     

Single frequency networks in DTV

Single Frequency Networks (SFNs) offer many advantages including better coverage, less interference, less power, and higher reliability. SFNs can also free up extra TV channels, resulting in more efficient use of the spectrum. The paper presents an overview of the advantages of SFNs and some basics about how to implement them. The significantly improved Signal to Interference performance and less radiated power in SFNs are derived from simple propagation models. Some potential problems that must be considered are discussed, including limitations due to receiver performance. Several simple formulas that should be helpful in quickly estimating and evaluating an SFN system are also presented. Finally, the likely implications of SFNs are covered, in particular the need for changed FCC rules and increased competition through a higher frequency reuse. The idea of the FCCs only limiting the power outside of the service area and letting the broadcasters decide on transmitter locations, number of transmitters and power levels is proposed.     

Minimal cost coverage planning for single frequency networks

OFDM based single frequency networks (SFNs) have been standardized for terrestrial broadcasting systems, for digital audio broadcasting (DAB) as well as for digital video broadcasting (DVB). Due to the multipath tolerance of the OFDM scheme, the receiver is able to combine signals coming from several transmitters, despite of the varying propagation delays, i.e., heavy artificial multipath propagation. In order to take full advantage of the diversity gain provided by the SFN architecture, proper network design is required. We focus on the cost efficient design of an SFN providing broadcasting services over a predefined service area with requirements both on the received signal quality and on the allowable interference level experienced by existing services in the same spectrum. We formulate the problem as a discrete optimization problem, where the network design parameters such as power, antenna heights and transmitter locations are the decision variables. The general stochastic optimisation algorithm simulated annealing has been adapted for solving the above problem. The novelty of our method is that cost factors and interference constraints are embedded in the optimisation procedure. Through numerical examples we demonstrate that significant reduction in network cost can be achieved by our approach     

Transmitter and receiver optimization in multicarrier CDMA systems

We consider transmitter and receiver optimization in multicarrier code-division multiple-access (MC-CDMA) systems under Rayleigh fading channels. Receiver optimization is performed in a decentralized manner, while transmitter optimization can be performed through either centralized or decentralized control of the powers of different carriers. Results show that when the number of users is smaller than or equal to the number of carriers, each transmitter often tends to concentrate its power on a different carrier which does not suffer deep fading. The MC-CDMA system then tends to a frequency-division multiple-access system with near-optimal frequency assignment. When the number of users gets large, each user tends to choose more than one carrier, which do not suffer deep fading, while interference suppression is performed across the chosen carriers by the corresponding receiver     

Necessary and sufficient conditions for full diversity order in correlated Rayleigh fading beamforming and combining systems

Transmit beamforming and receive combining are low complexity, linear techniques that make use of the spatial diversity advantage provided by transmitters and/or receivers employing multiple antennas. There has been a growing interest in designing beamforming schemes for frequency division duplexing systems that use a limited amount of feedback from the receiver to the transmitter. This limited feedback conveys a beamforming vector chosen from a finite set known to both the transmitter and receiver. These techniques often use a set of beamforming vectors where the probability of error expression can not be easily formulated or bounded. It is of utmost importance to guarantee that the sets of beamforming and combining vectors are chosen such that full diversity order is achieved. For this reason, necessary and sufficient conditions on the sets of possible beamformers and combiners are derived that guarantee full diversity order in correlated Rayleigh fading.     

Obtaining diversity gain for DTV by using MIMO structure in SFN

In Digital TV Broadcasting, the Scheme of Single Frequency Network (SFN) has nontrivial advantages. By forming a SFN, a broadcasting system is able to serve an arbitrary large area with the same program within the same frequency block. At the mean time, the SFN structure provides the receiver with a potential of yielding the space diversity gain, while the power in every single transmitter is not increased. However, there are heavy artificial multipath propagation in the area covered by the SFN broadcasting. Traditionally, a transversal equalizer is used at the receiver to remove the SFN interference. The equalizer always cannot converge properly due to the over-long time delay and the over-large magnitude of the different paths from each transmitter of the SFN. To solve the problem, a new model based on the MIMO structure of the SFN is proposed in this paper, where the signal's space information is exploited. With the model in mind, a new receiving scheme is derived. By using a beamformer, signals with different incident angles are separated, so the problem caused by the over-long delay and the over-large magnitude is avoided. A bank of parallel sub-filters are used to remove the residual multipath spread. The space diversity gain is obtained at the output of a combiner.     

Capacity limits of spectrum‐sharing systems over hyper‐fading channels

Cognitive radio (CR) with spectrum‐sharing feature is a promising technique to address the spectrum under‐utilization problem in dynamically changing environments. In this paper, the achievable capacity gain of spectrum‐sharing systems over dynamic fading environments is studied. To perform a general analysis, a theoretical fading model called hyper‐fading model that is suitable to the dynamic nature of CR channel is proposed. Closed‐form expressions of probability density function (PDF) and cumulative density function (CDF) of the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) for secondary users (SUs) in spectrum‐sharing systems are derived. In addition, the capacity gains achievable with spectrum‐sharing systems in high and low power regions are obtained. The effects of different fading figures, average fading powers, interference temperatures, peak powers of secondary transmitters, and numbers of SUs on the achievable capacity are investigated. The analytical and simulation results show that the fading figure of the channel between SUs and primary base‐station (PBS), which describes the diversity of the channel, does not contribute significantly to the system performance gain. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inter-Carrier Interference Cancellation for OFDM Systems with Macrodiversity and Multiple Frequency Offsets

Macrodiversity provides improved coverage in wireless communications. It isused in single frequency networks (SFN), and in some cellular systems, whena mobile is in a soft handoff. The combination of OFDM and macrodiversity isvery attractive for the ability of OFDM to cope with delay spread resultingfrom macrodiversity. However, such system is very sensitive to poor frequencysynchronization among transmitters, which results in multiple frequencyoffsets. These cause inter-carrier interference (ICI), which severely degradesperformance. In this paper we quantify the degradation, providing expressionsfor the receiver SINR, and find the optimum receiver frequencysynchronization. Furthermore, we propose to mitigate ICI degradation usinglinear and decision feedback interference cancellation. In each case, weprovide a solution using both the decorrelating and the MMSE criteria.Simulation results show that, for macrodiversity OFDM, our approach resultsin significantly improved performance and robustness to frequency offsets.