OFDM Basics for

Wireless
Communications

Institute of Darmstadt
Microelectronic University of
MES Systems Technology
 Single Carrier vs. Multicarrier

Data
Single Carrier
Data
bits Noise bitsL <
_i
TX h(t, T) |—*(+}-► RX
—► MOD \ —► DEMOD
Filter | Filter |
e.g., QAM
Wireless Channel

Multicarrier

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 2 L.D. Kabulepa

 Multicarrier Transmission

Basic principle:
• Split the transmision bandwidth
into many narrow subchannels
which are transmitted in parallel

• (Ideally) Each subchannel is

narrow enough so that it
experiences a flat fading
although the overall radio
propagation environment is
frequency-selective.

The time dispersion effects are

less significant as the
symbol duration increases

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities

 Benefit of Multicarrier Transmission
The multicarrier transmission allows to achieve high data rate in
frequency-selective radio propagation environment

By assuming the same data rate:

• Single-Carrier
1
> BC ^ Distortion, interference (ISI)
symb,SC

Large amount of signal processing

required in the equalizer
• Multicarrier
1 < BC ^ No interference
N T symb,SC - Data rate can be increased by using
a larger number of subcarriers
- Less equalization effort (as ISI is reduced
(BC = Coherence bandwidth) VLSI by a factor N)
4 L.D. Kabulepa
 Benefit of Multicarrier Transmission: Example

• A data rate of 10 Mbit/s is targeted in a multipath radio environment by

using the BPSK modulation. Maximum spread delay = 5 ps

5 Mbit/s with BPSK ^ Bandwidth = 5 MHz

• Single Carrier Scenario

T
symb,SC = 0 2 ps TmaX = 25 Tsymb,SC
^ Intersymbol-Interference (ISI) is extended over 25 symbols

• Multicarrier Scenario
Number of subcarriers: 128
y
S mb(
° duration = N Tsymb,SC ^ Tmax = 0 039 NTsymb,SC
^ ISI significantly reduced

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 5 L.D. Kabulepa

 Orthogonal Multicarrier

Orthogonality between the sub -

carriers allows their overlapping
while disabling the occurrence of
crosstalks.

Thus, a significant power saving

can be achieved by using an
orthogonal multicarrier technique

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 6 L.D. Kabulepa

 Orthogonal Multicarrier (cont'd)

The orthogonality between the subcarriers can be achieved by letting the

transmit filters gi(t) and the receive filters ri(t) fulfill the following conditions
(i e {1, ... , N})

1. Matched filter condition

1 (t )=K • g * (T0 -1)

2. Convolution condition

C l
j,n ( =
0)=
f.l gj
(T) h l - T dT
^ n( )

= £1 gj ^ gn (t) (l - T)dT
=j 1, j
=n
(Assumption: Perfect synchronization, T0 = 0, K = 1) 0, j*n

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 7 L.D. Kabulepa

 Conventional OFDM
OFDM = Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing

• In a conventional OFDM system, the orthogonality between the subcarriers is

achieved by means of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT)

• Baseband OFDM signal

N-1
j2n k Af t

• Passband OFDM signal

s(t)
= Z k
a
,0 < t < T

N-1k=0
j2n (fC + k Af )t
S(t) Re a
k >
,0<t<T
k=0
ak = complex-valued modulated symbols (e.g., QAM)
N = number of subcarriers
fC = carrier frequency 1 1
Ts = sampling period, Af = subcarrier spacing Af = =
The inverse DFT is used at the transmitter side T NT S
VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 8 L.D. Kabulepa
 Conventional OFDM(cont'd)
1 subcarrier

6 subcarriers

• The receiver is expected to compute the spectra values at those points

corresponding to the maxima of individual subcarriers
• As a maximum of a subcarrier corresponds to zeros of other subcarrier, each
subcarrier can demolutated independently of the others (by assuming a
perfect synchronization)
VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 9 L.D. Kabulepa
 Impact of a Wireless Channel

i-1 i i+1 i+2

OFDM Symbol OFDM Symbol OFDM Symbol OFDM Symbol
t
Channel Power i , , ,\2 Delay
Profile
-W'

__Interference
Symbol (i-1)

Symbol (i)

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 10 L.D. Kabulepa

 Cyclic Extension
Cyclic Extension

i-1 i i+1
•
G OFDM Symbol G OFDM Symb G OFDM Symbol G
ol •
W
t

—w A
C
D
Interference induced by the
.
. channel are canceled by
. inserting a cylic extension
. with Tg > Tmax
. (at the expense of the data
. Rate)
.
.
.
VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 11 . L.D. Kabulepa
 Circular Convolution

• In the presence of interference induced by the channel

DFT {h(k> * s(k)}N * DFT{h(k)}N » DFT{s(k)}N

• The cyclic extension (with Tg > Tmax) allows to apply the circular
convolution
DFT {h(k) * s(k)N = DFT{h(k)}N * DFT{s(k)}N

* = Circular Convolution
This property allows the use of a simple equalization scheme in the
receiver
Relationship between transmitted
y(n)
= H(n) • y(n)
and detected symbol

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 12 L.D. Kabulepa

 OFDM Transceiver

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 13 L.D. Kabulepa

 OFDM Drawbacks
1. High sensitivity to synchronization errors
Synchronization errors ^ Interference, loss of orthogonality

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 14 L.D. Kabulepa

 OFDM Drawbacks(cont'd)
2. Occurrence of very high peak values

Amplitude A reduction of the PAPR is

Peak amplitude
highly desirable. The
RMS amplitude higher the PAPR, the
lower The efficiency of
V
9
•
•
•
• J circuits such as power
•

:
• •
: ••• / ::: ::
• • • • • • • • y
• •
* •* * • •• •
; ••• • •••
amplifiers and analog-to-
• • V * •

digital converters
•
• • ^ . • • • • • • • •
•• •• • • • ••• • • • • •
*: * • •• *• • • •

......
H *• • •
* •
• • • ' * • ••
# •
•
••
->
time
• • 999•
•
• »
•
•
•

Peak amplitude PAPR = CR2 = Peak power

RMS amplitude Average power

CR: Crest Factor PAPR: Peak-to-Average Power Ratio

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 15 L.D. Kabulepa

 OFDM Drawbacks(cont'd)
Append
Tx Analog
Cyclic i

Prefix Append
Preambles DAC
i

Mapping

Nonlinear effects generated

by the power amplifier may
introduce intercarrier-
interfrence and thus destroy
the orthogonality

VLSI Comms WS03-04/Generalities 16 L.D. Kabulepa