This thesis consists of two research projects on wireless communication systems. In the first project, we propose a fast inphase and quadrature (I/Q) imbalance compensation technique for the analog quadrature modulators in direct conversion transmitters. The method needs no training sequence, no extra background data gathering process and no prior perfect knowledge of the envelope detector characteristics. In contrast to previous approaches, it uses points from both the linear and predictable nonlinear regions of the envelope detector to hasten convergence. We provide a least mean square (LMS) version and demonstrate that the quadrature modulator compensator converges. In the second project, we propose a technique to deceive the automatic gain control (AGC) block in an eavesdropper's receiver to increase wireless physical layer data transmission secrecy. By sharing a key with the legitimate receiver and fluctuating the transmitted signal power level in the transmitter side, a positive average secrecy capacity can be achieved even when an eavesdropper has the same or even better additive white gaussian noise (AWGN) channel condition. Then, the possible options that an eavesdropper may choose to fight against our technique are discussed and analyzed, and approaches to eliminate these options are proposed. We demonstrate that a positive average secrecy capacity can still be achieved when an eavesdropper uses these options.

Thesis (PhD (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The use of the quadrature mixing topology has been severely limited in the past due to its sensitivity towards mismatches between its signal paths. In recent years, researchers have suggested that digital techniques can be used to compensate for the impairments in the analogue quadrature mixing front-end. Most authors, however, focus on the modelling and compensation of frequency-independent imbalances, reasoning that this approach is sufficient for narrow band signal operation. This common assumption is, however, becoming increasing less applicable as the use of wider bandwidth signals and multi-channel systems becomes more prevalent. In this dissertation, baseband equivalent distortion models are derived, which model frequency-independent, as well as frequency-dependent contributions towards the imbalances of the front-end. Both lowpass and bandpass imbalances are modelled, which extends current modelling approaches found in literature. The resulting baseband models are shown to be capable of explaining the imbalance characteristics observed in practical quadrature mixing front ends, where existing models fail to do so. The developed imbalance models is then used to develop novel frequency-dependent imbalance extraction and compensation techniques, which directly extract the exact quadrature imbalances of the front end, using simple test tones. The imbalance extraction and compensation procedures are implemented in the digital baseband domain of the transceiver and do not require high computational complexity. The performance of these techniques are subsequently verified through simulations and a practical hardware implementation, yielding significant improvement in the image rejection capabilities of the quadrature mixing transceiver. Finally, a novel, blind imbalance compensation technique is developed. This technique is aimed at extracting frequency-independent I/Q imbalances in systems employing digital modulation schemes. No test tones are employed and the imbalances of the modulator and demodulator are extracted from the second order statistics of the received signal. Simulations are presented to investigate the performance of these techniques under various operating conditions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van die haaksfasige mengtopologie word geweldig beperk deur die sensitiwiteit vir wanbalanse wat mag bestaan tussen die twee analoog seinpaaie. In die afgelope paar jaar het navorsers digitale metodes begin voorstel om te kompenseer vir hierdie wanbalanse in die analooggebied. Meeste navorsers fokus egter op frekwensie-onafhanklike wanbalanse. Hulle staaf hierdie aanslag deur te redineer dat dit ’n aanvaarbare aaname is vir ’n nouband stelsel. Hierdie algemene aanvaarding is egter besig om minder akkuraat te raak, namate wyeband- en multikanaalstelses aan die orde van die dag raak. In hierdie tesis word basisband-ekwiwalente wanbelansmodelle afgelei wat poog om die effek van frekwensie-afhanklike en -onafhanklike wanbalanse akkuraat voor te stel. Beide laagdeurlaat- en banddeurlaatwanbalanse word gemodelleer, wat ‘n uitbreiding is op die huididge modellerings benaderings wat in literatuur gevind word. Dit word aangetoon dat die modelle van hierdie tesis daarin slaag om die karakteristieke van ’n werklike haaksfasige mengstelsel akkuraat te vervat – iets waarin huidige modelle in die literatuur nie slaag nie. Die basisband-ekwiwalente modelle word dan gebruik om nuwe digitale kompensasie metodes te ontwikkel, wat daarin slaag om die frekwensie-afhanklike wanbalanse van die haaksfasige mengstelsel af te skat, en daarvoor te kompenseer in die digitale deel van die stelsel. Hierdie kompensasiemetodes gebruik eenvoudige toetsseine om die wanbalanse af te skat. Die werksverrigting van hiedie kompensasiemetodes word dan ondersoek deur middel van simulasies en ’n praktiese hardeware-implementasie. Die resultate wys daarop dat hierdie metodes daarin slaag om ’n aansienlike verbetering in die beeldonderdrukkingsvermo¨ens van die haaksfasige mengers te weeg te bring. Laastens word daar ook ’n blinde kompensasiemetode ontwikkel, wat gemik is op frekwensie- onafhanklike wanbalanse in digital-modulasie-skama stelsels. Vir hierdie metodes is geen toetsseine nodig om die wanbalanse af te skat nie, en word dit gedoen vanuit die tweede-orde statistiek van die ontvangde sein. Die werksverrigting van hierdie tegnieke word verder bevestig deur middel van simulasies.

The Decimator, an SED Systems Ltd. product, is a PCI slot card that performs both time and frequency domain measurements of given input signals. It is essentially a more economical version of a bench spectrum analyzer or oscilloscope, with a PC interface. Several issues limit the speed and accuracy of the results of the Decimator, and the study of these issues is the focus of this thesis. These issues, including but not limited to, are as follows: 1) Imbalances between the received In-phase and Quadrature-phase channels; 2) The FFT and Windowing functions are performed by a microcontroller, but it is desired that they be migrated to an FPGA. While solutions to improve the first issue is being implemented and verified, the second issue is not one of simply reducing a source of error. The second issue requires a cost-benefit analysis on the migration of these signal processing algorithms from an ARM microcontroller to a Xilinx FPGA.

The Decimator, an SED Systems Ltd. product, is a PCI slot card that performs both time and frequency domain measurements of given input signals. It is essentially a more economical version of a bench spectrum analyzer or oscilloscope, with a PC interface. Several issues limit the speed and accuracy of the results of the Decimator, and the study of these issues is the focus of this thesis. These issues, including but not limited to, are as follows: 1) Imbalances between the received In-phase and Quadrature-phase channels; 2) The FFT and Windowing functions are performed by a microcontroller, but it is desired that they be migrated to an FPGA. While solutions to improve the first issue is being implemented and verified, the second issue is not one of simply reducing a source of error. The second issue requires a cost-benefit analysis on the migration of these signal processing algorithms from an ARM microcontroller to a Xilinx FPGA.

Tato práce se zaměřuje na klasifikaci vysokofrekvenčních vysílačů v závislosti na nedokonalostech jejich komponent pomocí algoritmu strojového učení. Práce je rozdělena na dvě části - teoretickou a praktickou.V teoretické části je nejprve popsána základní struktura vysílače s přímou konverzí a jsou uvedeny nedokonalosti rádiového front-endu, které mohou být využity ke klasifikaci. Dále jsou vysvětleny vybrané metody strojového učení s učitelem, zejména metoda support vector machines a neuronové sítě. Praktická část se zabývá implementací a dosaženými výsledky těchto dvou metod v prostředí MATLAB na problému klasifikace rádiových front-endů.