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Reduced Complexity Equalization for Data Communication

Optimal decision directed equalization techniques for time dispersive communication channels are often too complex to implement. This thesis considers reduced complexity decision directed equalization that lowers complexity demands yet retains close to optimal performance. The first part of this dissertation consists of three reduced complexity algorithms based on the Viterbi Algorithm (VA) which are: the Parallel Trellis VA (PTVA); Time Reverse Reduced State Sequence Estimation (TR-RSSE); and Forward-Backward State Sequence Detection (FBSSD). The second part of the thesis considers structural modifications of the Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE), which is a special derivative of the VA, specifically, optimal vector quantization for fractionally spaced DFEs, and extended stability regions for baud spaced DFEs using passivity analysis are investigated.¶

For a special class of sparse channels the VA can be decomposed over a number of independent parallel trellises. This decomposition will be called the Parallel Trellis Viterbi Algorithm and can have lower complexity than the VA yet it retains optimal performance. By relaxing strict sparseness constraints on the channel a sub-optimal approach is proposed which keeps complexity low and obtains good performance.¶

Reduced State Sequence Estimation (RSSE) is a popular technique to reduce complexity. However, its deficiency can be the inability to adequately equalize non-minimum phase channels. For channels that have energy peaks in the tail of the impulse response (post-cursor dominant) RSSE's complexity must be close to the VA or performance will be poor. Using a property of the VA which makes it invariant to channel reversal, TR-RSSE is proposed to extend application of RSSE to post-cursor dominant channels.¶

To further extend the class of channels suitable for RSSE type processing, FBSSD is suggested. This uses a two pass processing method, and is suited to channels that have low energy pre and post-cursor. The first pass generates preliminary estimates used in the second pass to aid the decision process. FBSSD can range from RSSE to TR-RSSE depending on parameter settings.¶

The DFE is obtained when the complexity of RSSE is minimized. Two characterizing properties of the DFE, which are addressed in this thesis, are feedback and quantization. A novel fractionally spaced (FS) DFE structure is presented which allows the quantizer to be generalized relative to the quantizer used in conventional FS-DFEs. The quantizer can be designed according to a maximum a posteriori criterion which takes into account a priori statistical knowledge of error occurrences. A radically different quantizer can be obtained using this technique which can result in significant performance improvements.¶

Due to the feedback nature of the DFE a form of stability can be considered. After a decision error occurs, a stable DFE will, after some finite time and in the absence of noise, operate error free. Passivity analysis provides sufficient conditions to determine a class of channels which insures a DFE will be stable. Under conditions of short channels and small modulation alphabets, it is proposed that conventional passivity analysis can be extended to account for varying operator gains, leading to weaker sufficient conditions for stability (larger class of channels).

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/216787
Date January 1998
CreatorsMcGinty, Nigel, nigel.mcginty@defence.gov.au
PublisherThe Australian National University. Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering
Source SetsAustraliasian Digital Theses Program
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Rightshttp://www.anu.edu.au/legal/copyrit.html), Copyright Nigel McGinty

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