This thesis is targeted at precoding methods and resource allocation for the downlink of fixed multi-user multi-antenna broadband wireless systems. We explore different utilizations of precoders in transmission over frequency-selective channels. We first consider the weighted sum-rate (WSR) maximization problem for multi-carrier systems using linear precoding and propose a low complexity algorithm which exhibits near-optimal performance. Moreover, we offer a novel rate allocation method that utilizes the signalto- noise-ratio (SNR) gap to capacity concept to choose the rates to allocate to each data stream. We then study a single-carrier transmission scheme that overcomes known impairments associated with multi-carrier systems. The proposed scheme utilizes timereversal space-time block coding (TR-STBC) to orthogonalize the downlink receivers and performs the required pre-equalization using Tomlinson-Harashima precoding (THP).We finally discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed method.

La mayor parte de los sistemas de comunicaciones requieren el conocimiento previo del canal, el cual se suele estimar a partir de una secuencia de entrenamiento. Sin embargo, la transmisión de símbolos piloto se traduce en una reducción de la eficiencia espectral del sistema, lo que imposibilita que se alcancen los límites predichos por la Teoría de la Información. Este problema ha motivado el desarrollo de un gran número de técnicas para la estima e igualación ciega de canal, es decir, para la obtención del canal o la fuente sin necesidad de transmitir una señal de entrenamiento. Normalmente, estas técnicas se basan en el conocimiento previo de ciertas características de la señal, tales como su pertenencia a un alfabeto finito, o sus estadísticos de orden superior. Sin embargo, en el caso de sistemas de múltiples entradas y salidas (MIMO), se ha demostrado que los estadísticos de segundo orden de las observaciones proporcionan la información suficiente para resolver el problema ciego.El objetivo de esta Tesis consiste en la obtención de nuevas técnicas para la estima e igualación ciega de canales MIMO, tanto en sistemas con redundancia espacial, como en casos más generales en los que las fuentes no presentan ningún tipo particular de estructura. De manera general, los métodos propuestos se basan en los estadísticos de segundo orden de las observaciones. Sin embargo, las técnicas se presentan desde un punto de vista determinista, es decir, los algoritmos propuestos explotan directamente la estructura de las matrices de datos, lo que permite obtener resultados más precisos cuando se dispone de un número reducido de observaciones. Adicionalmente, la reformulación de los criterios propuestos como problemas clásicos del análisis estadístico de señales, ha permitido la obtención de algoritmos adaptativos eficientes para la estima e igualación de canales MIMO. En primer lugar se aborda el caso de sistemas sin redundancia. Más concretamente, se analiza el problema de igualación ciega de canales MIMO selectivos en frecuencia, el cual se reformula como un conjunto de problemas de análisis de correlaciones canónicas (CCA). La solución de los problemas CCA se puede obtener de manera directa mediante un problema de autovalores generalizado. Además, en esta Tesis se presenta un algoritmo adaptativo basado en la reformulación de CCA como un conjunto de problemas de regresión lineal acoplados. De esta manera, se obtienen nuevos algoritmos bloque y adaptativos para la igualación ciega de canales MIMO de una manera sencilla. Finalmente, el método propuesto se basa, como muchas otras técnicas ciegas, en el conocimiento a priori del orden del canal, lo que constituye un problema casi tan complicado como el de la estima o igualación ciega. Así, en el caso de canales de una entrada y varias salidas (SIMO), la combinación de la técnica propuesta con otros métodos para la estima ciega del canal permite obtener un nuevo criterio para extracción del orden de este tipo de canalesEn segundo lugar se considera el problema de estima ciega de canal en sistemas con algún tipo de redundancia o estructura espacial, con especial interés en el caso de sistemas con codificación espacio-temporal por bloques (STBC). Específicamente, se propone una nueva técnica para la estima ciega del canal, cuya complejidad se reduce a la extracción del autovector principal de una matriz de correlación modificada. El principal problema asociado a este tipo de sistemas viene dado por la existencia de ciertas ambigüedades a la hora de estimar el canal. En esta Tesis se plantea el problema de identificabilidad de una manera general, y en el caso de códigos ortogonales (OSTBCs) se presentan varios nuevos teoremas que aseguran la identificabilidad del canal en un gran número de casos. Adicionalmente, se proponen varias técnicas para la resolución de las ambigüedades, tanto en el caso OSTBC como para códigos más generales. En concreto, se introduce el concepto de diversidad de código, que consiste en la combinación de varios códigos STBC. Esta técnica permite resolver las indeterminaciones asociadas a un gran número de problemas, y en su versión más sencilla se reduce a una precodificación no redundante consistente en una simple rotación o permutación de las antenas transmisoras.En definitiva, en esta Tesis se abordan los problemas de estima e igualación ciega de canal en sistemas MIMO, y se presentan varias técnicas ciegas, cuyas prestaciones se evalúan mediante un gran número de ejemplos de simulación. / The majority of communication systems need the previous knowledge of the channel, which is usually estimated by means of a training sequence. However, the transmission of pilot symbols provokes a reduction in bandwidth efficiency, which precludes the system from reaching the limits predicted by the Information Theory. This problem has motivated the development of a large number of blind channel estimation and equalization techniques, which are able to obtain the channel or the source without the need of transmitting a training signal. Usually, these techniques are based on the previous knowledge of certain properties of the signal, such as its belonging to a finite alphabet, or its higher-order statistics. However, in the case of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, it has been proven that the second order statistics of the observations provide the sufficient information for solving the blind problem.The aim of this Thesis is the development of new blind MIMO channel estimation and equalization techniques, both in systems with spatial redundancy, and in more general cases where the sources do not have any particular spatial structure. In general, the proposed methods are based on the second order statistics of the observations. However, the techniques are presented from a deterministic point of view, i.e., the proposed algorithms directly exploit the structure of the data matrices, which allows us to obtain more accurate results when only a reduced number of observations is available. Additionally, the reformulation of the proposed criteria as classical statistical signal processing problems is exploited to obtain efficient adaptive algorithms for MIMO channel estimation and equalization.Firstly, we consider the case of systems without spatial redundancy. Specifically, we analyze the problem of blind equalization of frequency selective MIMO channels, which is reformulated as a set of canonical correlation analysis (CCA) problems. The solution of the CCA problems can be obtained by means of a generalized eigenvalue problem. In this Thesis, we present a new adaptive algorithm based on the reformulation of CCA as a set of coupled linear regression problems. Therefore, new batch and adaptive algorithms for blind MIMO channel equalization are easily obtained. Finally, the proposed method, as well as many other blind techniques, is based on the previous knowledge of the channel order, which is a problem nearly as complicated as the blind channel estimation or equalization. Thus, in the case of single-input multiple-output (SIMO) channels, the combination of the proposed technique with other blind channel estimation methods provides a new criterion for the order extraction of this class of channels.Secondly, we consider the problem of blind channel estimation in systems with some kind of redundancy or spatial structure, with special interest in space-time block coded (STBC) systems. Specifically, a new blind channel estimation technique is proposed, whose computational complexity reduces to the extraction of the principal eigenvector of a modified correlation matrix. The main problem in these cases is due to the existence of certain ambiguities associated to the blind channel estimation problem. In this Thesis the general identifiability problem is formulated and, in the case of orthogonal codes (OSTBCs), we present several new theorems which ensure the channel identifiability in a large number of cases. Additionally, several techniques for the resolution of the ambiguities are proposed, both in the OSTBC case as well as for more general codes. In particular, we introduce the concept of code diversity, which consists in the combination of several STBCs. This technique avoids the ambiguities associated to a large number of problems, and in its simplest version it reduces to a non-redundant precoding consisting of a single rotation or permutation of the transmit antennas.In summary, in this Thesis the blind MIMO channel estimation and equalization problems are analyzed, and several blind techniques are presented, whose performance is evaluated by means of a large number of simulation examples.

En la última década, la cooperación entre usuarios ha generado un gran interés por la posibilidad de mejorar la velocidad de transmisión en las redes de comunicaciones inalámbricas. El objetivo es formar un array con las antenas de todos los dispositivos y, de esta forma, aplicar técnicas de procesado espacio-temporal. El esquema de cooperación más sencillo es el canal con relays: todos los terminales que escuchen una comunicación entre dos puntos pueden ayudar a la fuente retransmitiendo lo que hayan recibido.En un sistema realista, los relays no disponen de información sobre el canal en trasmisión. En este escenario, los códigos espacio-temporales (STC, del inglés space-time coding) son la alternativa más eficiente para aprovechar la diversidad introducida por los relays. Sin embargo, los STC clásicos están diseñados para un número limitado y fijo de antenas transmisoras y no se adaptan bien a sistemas cooperativos donde el número de relays puede ser elevado y, sobretodo, puede variar en el tiempo, según los usuarios entren o salgan de la red. El problema principal es la necesidad de usar un código nuevo cada vez que cambie la configuración de la red, generando un importante tráfico de señalización.Esta tesis analiza un código espacio-temporal a bloques de dispersión lineal (LD-STBC, del inglés linear-dispersion space-time block coding), aleatorio y distribuido: a cada relay se le asigna una matriz aleatoria que aplica una transformación lineal al vector que contiene los símbolos de la fuente. Cada matriz se genera de forma independiente y sin ninguna relación con el número de usuarios involucrados. De esta manera, el número de nodos puede variar sin necesidad de modificar los códigos existentes.La forma más intuitiva de construir matrices de dispersión lineal independientes es que sus elementos sean variables aleatorias independientes e idénticamente distribuidas (i.i.d.). Por esta razón, se estudia primero la eficiencia espectral obtenida por este tipo de LD-STBC. Es importante remarcar que la eficiencia espectral es una cantidad aleatoria, ya que es una función de los códigos aleatorios anteriormente descritos. Sin embargo, cuando las dimensiones de las matrices crecen infinitamente pero manteniendo constante la tasa del código (relación entre número de símbolos de la fuente sobre el número de símbolos de los relays), la eficiencia espectral converge rápidamente hacia una cantidad determinista. Este resultado se demuestra usando la teoría de las matrices aleatorias. Por esta razón, el sistema se analiza aproximando la eficiencia espectral con su limite. Por ejemplo, la comparación con el canal directo entre fuente y destino permite definir unas condiciones suficientes en donde el sistema con relays es superior a la comunicación punto a punto.Posteriormente se debe analizar la probabilidad de outage, es decir la probabilidad de que, debido a la baja calidad del canal, la eficiencia espectral sea menor que la velocidad de transmisión solicitada por el sistema. Como ya se ha mencionado anteriormente, los relays se introducen para aumentar la diversidad del canal y, con ella, el número de caminos independientes entre la fuente y el receptor, reduciendo la probabilidad de outage. Para los LD-STBC i.i.d. las prestaciones en términos de outage dependen del tipo de relay (amplify and forward o decode and forward) y son función de la tasa del código, que debe ser cuidadosamente elegida para maximizar el orden de diversidad sin desperdiciar demasiados recursos.Finalmente, en el último capítulo de la tesis se considera otro tipo de LD-STBC, distinto del i.i.d. analizado hasta ahora. En este caso, las matrices de dispersión lineal siguen siendo independientes la una de la otra pero se añade la restricción de que cada una tenga columnas (o filas, según la tasa del código) ortogonales. Así, se consigue que el código siga siendo flexible con respecto a las variaciones en el número de usuarios, pero su estructura permite reducir la interferencia generada por cada relay, como se puede notar comparando su eficiencia espectral con la eficiencia espectral obtenida por el código i.i.d. Cabe destacar que el análisis asintótico de estos códigos (llamados isométricos) se basa en herramientas matemáticas más sofisticadas que las anteriores y, por lo tanto, es necesario un estudio más profundo para poder entender cómo se comporta en términos de outage. / In the last decade, cooperation among multiple terminals has been seen as one of the more promising strategies to improve transmission speed in wireless communications networks. Basically, the idea is to mimic an antenna array and apply distributed versions of well-known space-diversity techniques. In this context, the simplest cooperative scheme is the relay channel: all the terminals (relays) that overhear a point-to-point communication between a source and a destination may decide to aid the source by forwarding (relaying) its message.In a mobile system, it is common to assume that the relays do not have any information about the channel between them and the destination. Under this hypothesis, the best solution to exploit the diversity offered by multiple transmitting antennas is to use space-time coding (STC). However, classical STC's are designed for systems with a fixed and usually low number of antennas. Thus, they are not suitable for relaying in most mobile communications systems where the number of terminals is potentially large and may vary as users join or leave the network. For each new configuration, a new code has to be chosen and notified to the relays, introducing a set-up overhead of signaling traffic.In this dissertation we will propose and analyze a randomized distributed linear-dispersion space-time block code (LD-STBC): each relay is assigned a specific matrix which linearly transforms (left-multiplies) the column vector of source symbols. Each matrix is independently generated and does not depend on the total number of transmitters, which can thus change without interrupting data transmission for a new code--relay assignment.The more intuitive way to build independent linear-dispersion matrices is to fill them with independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random variables. Therefore, we will first consider these i.i.d. codes and characterize the resulting spectral efficiency. In order to analyze the performance achieved by the system, we consider a large-system analysis based on random matrix theory. We will show that the random spectral efficiency (function of the random linear-dispersion matrices) converges almost surely to a deterministic quantity when the dimensions of the code grow indefinitely while keeping constant the coding rate. Since convergence is very fast, the random spectral efficiency will be approximated by the deterministic limit in the subsequent analysis. By comparison with the direct link, sufficient conditions are derived for the superiority of relaying.Next, we will analyze the outage probability of the system, that is the probability that the spectral efficiency falls below a given target rate due to channel fading. The main purpose of diversity techniques is to introduce alternative paths from the source to the destination, so that data transmission does not fail when the direct link undergoes deep fading. We will show that the diversity behavior of LD-STBC relaying mainly depends on both the coding rate and the relaying strategy (amplify and forward or decode and forward). It is then important to choose the coding rate that maximizes the diversity order without wasting too many resources.To conclude the dissertation, we will consider a different code based on independent isometric Haar-distributed random linear-dispersion matrices. Thenew code maintains the flexibility of the previous one with respect to variations in the number of relays. However, the more complex structure of the codes allows a noticeable reduction of the interference generated by the relays. Unfortunately, isometric codes also require more sophisticated mathematical tools for their asymptotic analysis. For this reason, we simply introduce the problem by showing that it is possible to have some spectral-efficiency gain with respect to i.i.d. codes. The outage-probability analysis requires a more thorough understanding and will be the subject of future work.

No / A new approach for implementing QO-STBC and DHSTBC over OFDM for four, eight and sixteen transmitter antennas is presented, which eliminates interference from the detection matrix and improves performance by increasing the diversity order on the transmitter side. The proposed code promotes diversity gain in comparison with the STBC scheme, and also reduces Inter Symbol Interference.

No / An investigation into the wavelet packet transform (WPT) modulation scheme for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) band-limited systems is presented. The implementation involves using the WPT as the base multiplexing technology at baseband, instead of the traditional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) common in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems. An investigation for a WPT-MIMO multicarrier system, using the Alamouti diversity technique, is presented. Results are consistent with those in the original Alamouti work. The scheme is then implemented for WPT-MIMO and FFTMIMO cases with extended receiver diversity, namely 2 ×Nr MIMO systems, where Nr is the number of receiver elements. It is found that the diversity gain decreases with increasing receiver diversity and that WPT-MIMO systems can be more advantageous than FFT-based MIMO-OFDM systems.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This thesis investigates the simulation performance of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems utilizing Alamoutibased space-time block coding (STBC) technique. The MIMO communication systems using STBC technique employing both single- carrier modulation and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) are simulated in Matlab. The physical layer part of the IEEE 802.16a standard is used in constructing the simulated OFDM schemes. Stanford University Interim (SUI) channel models are selected for the wireless channel in the simulation process. The performance results of the simulated MIMO systems are compared to those of conventional single antenna systems. / Lieutenant Junior Grade, Turkish Navy

This work concentrates on the application of diversity techniques and space time block coding for future mobile wireless communications. The initial system analysis employs a space-time coded OFDM transmitter over a multipath Rayleigh channel, and a receiver which uses a selection combining diversity technique. The performance of this combined scenario is characterised in terms of the bit error rate and throughput. A novel four element QOSTBC scheme is introduced, it is created by reforming the detection matrix of the original QOSTBC scheme, for which an orthogonal channel matrix is derived. This results in a computationally less complex linear decoding scheme as compared with the original QOSTBC. Space time coding schemes for three, four and eight transmitters were also derived using a Hadamard matrix. The practical optimization of multi-antenna networks is studied for realistic indoor and mixed propagation scenarios. The starting point is a detailed analysis of the throughput and field strength distributions for a commercial dual band 802.11n MIMO radio operating indoors in a variety of line of sight and non-line of sight scenarios. The physical model of the space is based on architectural schematics, and realistic propagation data for the construction materials. The modelling is then extended and generalized to a multi-storey indoor environment, and a large mixed site for indoor and outdoor channels based on the Bradford University campus. The implications for the physical layer are also explored through the specification of antenna envelope correlation coefficients. Initially this is for an antenna module configuration with two independent antennas in close proximity. An operational method is proposed using the scattering parameters of the system and which incorporates the intrinsic power losses of the radiating elements. The method is extended to estimate the envelope correlation coefficient for any two elements in a general (N,N) MIMO antenna array. Three examples are presented to validate this technique, and very close agreement is shown to exist between this method and the full electromagnetic analysis using the far field antenna radiation patterns.

This work concentrates on the application of diversity techniques and space time block coding for future high speed mobile wireless communications on multicarrier systems. At first, alternative multicarrier kernels robust for high speed doubly-selective fading channel are sought. They include the comparisons of discrete Fourier transform (DFT), fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) and wavelet transform (WT) multicarrier kernels. Different wavelet types, including the raised-cosine spectrum wavelets are implemented, evaluated and compared. From different wavelet families, orthogonal wavelets are isolated from detailed evaluations and comparisons as suitable for multicarrier applications. The three transforms are compared over a doubly-selective channel with the WT significantly outperforming all for high speed conditions up to 300 km/hr. Then, a new wavelet is constructed from an ideal filter approximation using established wavelet design algorithms to match any signal of interest; in this case under bandlimited criteria. The new wavelet showed better performance than other traditional orthogonal wavelets. To achieve MIMO communication, orthogonal space-time block coding, OSTBC, is evaluated next. First, the OSTBC is extended to assess the performance of the scheme over extended receiver diversity order. Again, with the extended diversity conditions, the OSTBC is implemented for a multicarrier system over a doubly-selective fading channel. The MIMO-OFDM systems (implemented using DFT and WT kernels) are evaluated for different operating frequencies, typical of LTE standard, with Doppler effects. It was found that, during high mobile speed, it is better to transmit OFDM signals using lower operating frequencies. The information theory for the 2-transmit antenna OSTBC does not support higher order implementation of multi-antenna systems, which is required for the future generation wireless communications systems. Instead of the OSTBC, the QO-STBC is usually deployed to support the design of higher order multi-antenna systems other than the 2-transmit antenna scheme. The performances of traditional QO-STBC methods are diminished by some off-diagonal (interference) terms such that the resulting system does not attain full diversity. Some methods for eliminating the interference terms have earlier been discussed. This work follows the construction of cyclic matrices with Hadamard matrix to derive QO-STBC codes construction which are N-times better than interference free QO-STBC, where N is the number of transmit antenna branches.

This work concentrates on the application of diversity techniques and space time block coding for future high speed mobile wireless communications on multicarrier systems. At first, alternative multicarrier kernels robust for high speed doubly-selective fading channel are sought. They include the comparisons of discrete Fourier transform (DFT), fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) and wavelet transform (WT) multicarrier kernels. Different wavelet types, including the raised-cosine spectrum wavelets are implemented, evaluated and compared. From different wavelet families, orthogonal wavelets are isolated from detailed evaluations and comparisons as suitable for multicarrier applications. The three transforms are compared over a doubly-selective channel with the WT significantly outperforming all for high speed conditions up to 300 km/hr. Then, a new wavelet is constructed from an ideal filter approximation using established wavelet design algorithms to match any signal of interest; in this case under bandlimited criteria. The new wavelet showed better performance than other traditional orthogonal wavelets. To achieve MIMO communication, orthogonal space-time block coding, OSTBC, is evaluated next. First, the OSTBC is extended to assess the performance of the scheme over extended receiver diversity order. Again, with the extended diversity conditions, the OSTBC is implemented for a multicarrier system over a doubly-selective fading channel. The MIMO-OFDM systems (implemented using DFT and WT kernels) are evaluated for different operating frequencies, typical of LTE standard, with Doppler effects. It was found that, during high mobile speed, it is better to transmit OFDM signals using lower operating frequencies. The information theory for the 2-transmit antenna OSTBC does not support higher order implementation of multi-antenna systems, which is required for the future generation wireless communications systems. Instead of the OSTBC, the QO-STBC is usually deployed to support the design of higher order multi-antenna systems other than the 2-transmit antenna scheme. The performances of traditional QO-STBC methods are diminished by some off-diagonal (interference) terms such that the resulting system does not attain full diversity. Some methods for eliminating the interference terms have earlier been discussed. This work follows the construction of cyclic matrices with Hadamard matrix to derive QO-STBC codes construction which are N-times better than interference free QO-STBC, where N is the number of transmit antenna branches.

This work concentrates on the application of diversity techniques and space time block coding for future mobile wireless communications. The initial system analysis employs a space-time coded OFDM transmitter over a multipath Rayleigh channel, and a receiver which uses a selection combining diversity technique. The performance of this combined scenario is characterised in terms of the bit error rate and throughput. A novel four element QOSTBC scheme is introduced, it is created by reforming the detection matrix of the original QOSTBC scheme, for which an orthogonal channel matrix is derived. This results in a computationally less complex linear decoding scheme as compared with the original QOSTBC. Space time coding schemes for three, four and eight transmitters were also derived using a Hadamard matrix. The practical optimization of multi-antenna networks is studied for realistic indoor and mixed propagation scenarios. The starting point is a detailed analysis of the throughput and field strength distributions for a commercial dual band 802.11n MIMO radio operating indoors in a variety of line of sight and non-line of sight scenarios. The physical model of the space is based on architectural schematics, and realistic propagation data for the construction materials. The modelling is then extended and generalized to a multi-storey indoor environment, and a large mixed site for indoor and outdoor channels based on the Bradford University campus. The implications for the physical layer are also explored through the specification of antenna envelope correlation coefficients. Initially this is for an antenna module configuration with two independent antennas in close proximity. An operational method is proposed using the scattering parameters of the system and which incorporates the intrinsic power losses of the radiating elements. The method is extended to estimate the envelope correlation coefficient for any two elements in a general (N,N) MIMO antenna array. Three examples are presented to validate this technique, and very close agreement is shown to exist between this method and the full electromagnetic analysis using the far field antenna radiation patterns.