Software-Defined Radio Based Baseband Discrete Model for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing CDMA Systems

Xiaojun Wu, Bofeng Jiang, Qinye Yin Institute of Information Engineering Xian Jiaotong University, Xian 7 10049, China xiaojunwu@263.net,jiangbofeng@263.net, qyyin@xjtu.edu.cn
absence of a single global standard, exploiting the concept of SDR to enhance the flexibility of both handsets and base stations can be an attractive alternative [l]. Handset flexibility allows the handset to operate as a multimode transceiver. Base station flexibility provides an economically attractive solution to framework evolution. In both cases, the ability to assume multiple personalities via a software change overcomes many of the economic hurdles of standards evolution. Lately, third-generation (3G) wireless systems are being driven by the desire to support innovative broadband multimedia services. Anyway, air interfaces of 3G systems are required backward compatibility with existing secondgeneration (2G) air interfaces. To evolve from 2G systems to 3G systems seamlessly, the SDR technology is absolutely necessary. All scenarios to combine orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) with code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques can mitigate the hostile influence due to the frequency-selective fading while maintaining bandwidth efiiciency by minimizing the frequency separation between adjacent subcarriers [2]. Moreover, to combine OFDM with CDMA can greatly reduce the complexity of equalization or the RAKE receiver structure. Hence MCM-CDMA or OFDM-CDMA is broadly considered as an effective approach for future wireless multimedia communications. In terms of such environment, it is naturally very significant to develop the SDR implementation of OFDM-CDMA systems. Several typical OFDM-CDMA schemes are presented in literatures, such as multicarrier (MC-) CDMA [3][4], multicarrier direct sequence (DS) CDMA [5] and multitone (MT-) CDMA [6]. Moreover, MC-CDMA and MC-DS-CDMA schemes are further evolved to modified MC-CDMA [2] and modified MC-DS-CDMA [7]. In our viewpoint, variant OFDM-CDMA schemes, based on the difference among their decomposition processing to which the original data stream is subjected, can be classified into three categories, that is, the replicating model, the serial-to-parallel ( S P ) converting

Abstract
Third-generation (3G) wireless systems are being driven by the desire to support innovative broadband multimedia services. Multicarrier Modulation Code Division Multiple Access (MCM-CDMA) or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Code Division Multiple Access (OFDMCDMA) schemes can meet such demand, so they are broadly considered as effective methods for future wireless multimedia communications. Since variant OFDM-CDMA schemes will coexist for a long time, reconfigurable multimode transceivers, which are compatible with diverse OFDM-CDMA schemes, are indispensable for base station and mobile station. In this papel; by exploiting the f Software-Defined Radio (SDR), an SDR-based concept o baseband discrete model for variant OFDM-CDMA schemes is developed. Moreover; the corresponding matrix representation is addressed.

1. Introduction
Truly nomadic computing on a global scale requires mobile users to deal with a bewildering array of incompatible air interfaces in different frequency bands. Existing wireless communication standards are primarily regional rather than worldwide. This causes problems not only with international roaming, but also with multiple standards operating within the same geographical area. In order to support compatibility between standards, software-defined radios (SDRs) are shaping up to be software and hardware reconfigurable radios in the radio frequency (RF), intermediate frequency (IF), as well as baseband processing stages. The need to communicate with people using different types of equipment can also be solved with software reprogrammable radios. One software radio can communicate with many different radios with only a change in software parameters. In the
Partially supported by the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program (Log: 863-317-03-01-05-20) and the Research Fund For Doctoral Program Of Higher Education (No. 1999069808) of China.

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model and the mixing model of replicating and SE converting. In a sense, models that embody replicating operation provide frequency diversity, so they can well combat fading. Meanwhile, models that only simply process S/P converting operation must exploit channel coding to improve the fading resistance performance. In contrast, reference 123 categorizes combinations of OFDM and CDMA into two groups according to the difference of spread spectral (SS) operation, namely, the frequency-domain SS and the time-domain SS. According to our classification, MC-CDMA scheme belongs to the replicating model; MC-DS-CDMA and MT-CDMA schemes reside in the S/P converting model; modified MC-CDMA and modified MC-DS-CDMA schemes belong to the mixing model of replicating and SA converting. Meantime, MC-CDMA and modifiedMC-CDMA schemes pertain to frequency-domain SS, while MC-DS-CDMA, modified-MC-DS-CDMA and MT-CDMA schemes fall into the time-domain SS. Since variant OFDM-CDMA schemes will coexist for a long time, reconfigurable multimode transceivers, which are compatible with diverse OFDM-CDMA schemes, are indispensable for base station and mobile station. Upon such requirement, we abstract aforementioned decomposition processing and the spread spectral operation via neglecting their idiographic differentia in each case, and derive an SDR based baseband discrete model for variant OFDM-CDMA schemes. Furthermore, to realize the SDR based reprogrammable target, matrix representation for such SDR-based baseband discrete model is addressed. Both the SDR-based baseband discrete model and the matrix representation are of significance to design generic multimode transceivers, and are of attraction for SDRs based implementation of the
high data rate wireless communications systems.

fj,m

- fj.,,, = ( j - j)Af

+ (m- m)Af J

(1)

where Af

denotes the frequency separation between

adjacent subcarriers. In (l), let j = j . Then the frequency separation between adjacent subcarries bearing cloning data stream is
fjSm-

f. /.m =(m-m).Af.J

(2)

Equation (2) reveals underlying fact: the frequency separation between adjacent subcarriers bearing cloning data stream must be maximized. Owing to the frequency separation between adjacent subcarriers is big enough, they are subject to uncorrelated fading and provide frequency diversity gain. Note that, some system parameters are essential to the SDR-based baseband discrete model for variant OFDMCDMA schemes: J is the SIP converting factor. M denotes the replicating factor. N,, describes the number of subcarriers and equals to J M . To represents the symbol duration of the original data stream, while TsD denotes the symbol duration of the descendant data stream. Tc expresses the chip duration of the spread sequence. Af is the frequency separation between adjacent subcarriers. B , shows the bandwidth of the system.
CF,m ( t ) represents the spread sequence for descendant

data streams, w h e r e j = l , . . . , J a n d m = l , . . . , M . Gss expresses the length of the spread sequence, that is, the spread processing gain. B, is key to measure the spectral efficiency of variant OFDM-CDMA schemes, and is given by
Bw = (Nsc -1)Af + (1 +a)1

(3)

T C

2. System Parameters Essential to Variant OFDM-CDMA Schemes

Generally, in the transmitter end of variant OFDMCDMA schemes, the original data stream (the symbol , ) for each user is first S/P converted to J duration is Z branches of new distinct sibling data streams, of which the symbol duration equals to 57,. Each sibling data stream is further replicated to M branches of identical cloning data streams. In this phase, MJ branches of descendant data streams can be obtained. They huther are subjected to spreading operation in the frequency-domain or in the time-domain, then they are mapped over MJ subcarriers, respectively. If we assume
fj,m

where a denotes the roll-off factor of Nyquist shaping filter. In Table 1, system parameters for several OFDMCDMA schemes are shown. In order to focus much attention on the difference among these schemes, corresponding system parameters for DS-CDMA are also presented. Table 1 does not assign signature waveforms to spread ( t ) for descendant data streams, where sequence Cj,,T, j = l,...,J and m = l , . . . , M. Signature waveforms assignation is described in detail successively. Firstly, it is assumed that the spread sequence for the

Mh useris C k ( t ) = C:

to denote the

subcamer frequency, the frequency separation between two arbitrary subcarriers is

Then, spread sequences for descendant data streams of MC-CDMA scheme are designed such that C:(t) = C: , for m = 1,. -., , G . In the meantime, spread sequences for

Ci

... C & ] .

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descendant data streams of modified MC-CDMA scheme are programmed to CF,,(t)=C: for j = l , - . . , J and m = 1,... GMMC .
9

exp(j2nAfIri) = expfi2nA fI i ) A f Tc
BW

Spread sequences for descendant data streams of MCDS-CDMA technology are assigned in order that C;(t) = C k ( t ) for j = l,..., J , while spread sequences for descendant data streams of modified MC-DS-CDMA C ,; (t) = Ck (t) for j = 1,. -, J scheme are designed to , and m = l , - - . , G M M D , Spread sequences for descendant data streams of MTCDMA scheme, alike with MC-DS-CDMA scheme, are allocated such that C t ( t )= C k ( t ) for j = l,..., J .

=exp@r- Af 2Tcli) B F V Upon (6),the IDFT points can be written by

(7)
1 Af Tc All in all, equation (4) prescribes sampling points during each chip, and (7) determines the IDFT points. Fig. 1 shows the block diagram of the SDR-based baseband discrete model for transmitters of variant OFDM-CDMA schemes. In Fig. 1, the transmitting symbol block interlacing processor simultaneously performs replicating and spread operations on the Mh users original data stream. Fig. 2 depicts its specific structure. Clearly, it consists of a copier, a block transformer and M spread processors, which locate between the copier and the block transformer. They together interlace the users original data stream block by block. Fig. 3 illustrates the block diagram of the SDRbased baseband discrete model for receivers of variant OFDM-CDMA schemes. where y=-.

3. SDR-Based Baseband Discrete Model for Variant OFDM-CDMA Systems

Based on [SI, an Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) based representation is available for variant OFDM-CDMA schemes, while the IDFT points and the object subjected to IDFT are different in respective cases. However, if the nth transmitting symbol block of the Mh user is elaborately. interlaced (namely, including both replicating and spreading operation), they can be unified, and an SDR-based baseband discrete model for variant OFDM-CDMA schemes can be derived. Firstly, it is necessary to determine the IDFT points essential to the SDR-based baseband discrete model. To reach this goal, it need be focused much attention on two key systemparameters: BW and Af. Sampling points during each chip is given by
LI = B,

4. Matrix Representation of SDR-Based Baseband Discrete Model

Based on the SDR-based baseband discrete model for variant OFDM-CDMA schemes, we derive a corresponding matrix representation for such SDR-based baseband discrete model. For clarity, we introduce a novel spread matrix for each user. Definitely, the spread matrix for the Mh user can be

1 = (Nsc - 1) + (1 + a ) Af

Accordingly, the sampling rate c and the sampling described as A = A; ... A; interval r meet 1 1 1 1 1 =-=Bw-=(Nsc-l)-+(l + a ) (5) sub-matrix A; is given by 5 AfTc T C A f Tcz From (5), sampling time is written as ri. Substituting s i into exp(j2nAfIt), we obtain Table 1 System parameters comparison. Gss J M TSD TC Af

A f Tc

(4)

... A:],

where each

DS-CDMA MC-CDMA Modified MCCDMA MC-DS-CDMA Modified MC-DS-CDMA MT-CDMA

GDS

1
1

I
GMC

-_-

Nsc
1
GMC

GMC

TD

TD
JTD

GMMC
GMD

J
J

GMMC 1

JTD JTD
JTD

JTD I G M D
JTD IGMMD

l/( JTD GMD /(JTD )

GMA4D /(nD

JGMMC

J
)

GMMD
GM

M
t

JTD

JTD l G A 4 T

l/( JTD

JM J

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the kth u s e r s data stream

1b(n)
M .J

Tranmitting Symbol Block Interlacing Processor

I I

Zeros Padding
U .Y

IFFT
U

.v

Truncating

I 1

vectors. Likewise, in MC-CDMA scheme, due to J = 1 , the spread matrix for user k is further degraded to a column vector. Starting from the above spread matrix, we develop the matrix representation for the SDR-based baseband discrete model. For convenience, some definitions need be described first. The nth symbol block of the kth users original data stream is written as

Bf: = Bt,, B,,,

... L ? : , . ]

. The length of block is J ,

and B t , j denotes the j t h symbol within the nth symbol block of the Mh users original data stream. While Bt
t h e kth users effective
baseband OFDM-CDMA transmitting signal

= b;++l),J

... b,k.., , where

describes the n t h symbol of the Mh users original data stream. When J = 1 , Bi = b,k holds. As shown in Fig. 2, the inputs of the block transformer can be written as

b:

Fig. 1. SDR-based baseband discrete model for transmitters of variant OFDM-CDMA schemes.

(10)

where r is a M x Gis matrix in which all elements are one, E3 denotes the Kroneckem product of two matrices, and denotes the Hadamard product of two matrices. The outputs of the block transformer are expressed by

Fig. 2. Structure of the transmitting symbol block

H k = rs-(rs(Ak), Cis) (11) where rs(Mutrix) is a row-spreading operator, namely, it converts its operand Matrix to a row vector. rs-(Row Vector,columns) denotes an inverse rowspreading operator, which converts its operand Row Vector to a matrix with the operand columns as the column dimension of this matrix. In conclusion, the interlacing processing for the nth transmitting symbol block of the Mh user are expressed
by H ~ rs-(rs = ( (B: gr)*Ak), G,,) (12) After the interlacing processing for the nth transmitting symbol block of the kth user, column vectors of the matrix H are subjected to IDFT one by one. Notice that, the dimension of column vectors of matrix Hk is MJ . If it is less than the IDFT points in (7), zeros padding operation is necessary. Such zeros padding operation is performed according to (7), then the IDFT is done. Afterwards, based on the constraint in ( 4 ) ,the IDFT result is truncated. The truncated result is successively P/S converted. The real part of this P/S converted result is further digital-to-analog (D/A) converted, and then the

where j = 1,. ..,J ,and Cis is constrained by

G , ={
1, MC CDMA ,modified MC CDMA

G,, Otherwise

Since MC-CDMA and modified MC-CDMA schemes do spread operation in frequency-domain, their spread processing gain are mapped into M = G s s . Surely,

G , = 1 for them.
In addition, with respect to modified MC-CDMA scheme, when the spread matrix for every user is constructed, its all sub-matrices are degraded to column

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D/A converted signal is feed into the analog low-pass filter. The output of the analog low-pass filter is the effective baseband OFDM-CDMA signal for user k , which is further simply modulated by a single RF carrier, then the actual RF OFDM-CDMA signal for the kth user is obtained. Notice that, the bandwidth of the analog lowpass filter in Fig. 1 is constrained by ( 4 ) .Concretely, according to Sample Theorem, the. bandwidth of the 2 2AfTc In Fig. 3, the received analog signal is first sampled, where the sampling rate is prescribed by (5), and the width of the sampling time-window is f l D. Sampling sequence during each chip comprises a set of sampling blocks. These sampling blocks are S/P converted to column vectors block by block, and the dimension of column 4 ) . If this dimension is less than vectors is expressed in ( the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) points in ( 7 ) , zeros padding operation is required. After zeros padding, DFT is performed in order to implement the frequency downconverting mixer bank. Furthermore, based on the number of input branches that the block transformer requires, the DFT result is truncated to column vector that the dimension is MJ. After sampling serial blocks of all chips within the sampling time-window are performed above operations, a set of column vectors is obtained and they comprise the input matrix R of the block transformer. Then, the output of the block transformer is denoted as analog low-pass filter is given by

5 =L!!Li.

[2] S. Hara and R. Prasad. Overview of multicarrier CDMA. IEEE Commun. Magn., 35(12): 126-133, Dec. 1997. [3] N.Yee, J-P. Linnartz and G. Fettweis. Multicarrier CDMA in indoor wireless radio networks. Proc. IEEE PIMRC'93, Yokohama, Japan, pp. 109-113, Sept. 1993. [4] A. Chouly, A Brajal and S . Jourdan. Orthogonal multicarrier techniques applied to direct sequence spread spectrum CDMA systems. Proc. IEEE GLOBECOM'93, Houston, USA, pp. 1723-1728,NOV. 1993. [5] V. M. DaSilva and E. S . Sousa. Multicarrier orthogonal CDMA signals for quasi-synchronous communication systems. IEEE J. Select. Areas in Commun., 12(5): 842-852, Jun. 1994. [6] L. Vandendorpe. Multitone spread spectrum multiple access communicationssystem in a multipath Rician fading channel. IEEE Trans. Vehic. Tech., 44(2): 327-337, Mar. 1995. [7] E. Sourour and M. Nakagawa. Performance of orthogonal multicarrier CDMA in a multipath fading channel. IEEE Trans. Commun., 44(3): 356-357, Mar. 1996. [8] J. A. C. Bingham. Multicarrier modulation for data transmission: an idea whose time has come. IEEE Commun. Magn., 28(5): 5-14, May 1990.
sampling sequence for

Zeros Padding

Truncating
h

P = rs-'(rs(R),JGks) where rs and rs-' operators are aforementioned.

(13)

h
1

II

\M
a-.

...

...

5. Conclusion
In this article, an SDR-based baseband discrete model for variant orthogonal fiequency division multiplexing CDMA systems and corresponding matrix representation is addressed. They pave the way for using digital signal processor (DSP) technology in variant OFDM-CDMA communications systems, and give a vision to develop a reconfigurable architecture for variant OFDM-CDMA systems.

Block Transformer (MJ:M)

References
[I] J. Mitola. Technical challenges in the globalization of

Fig. 3. SDR-based baseband discrete model for receivers of variant OFDM-CDMA schemes.

software radio. IEEE Commun. Magn., 37(2): 84-89, Feb. 1999.

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