AJAL.A.

J
ASST PROFESSOR
METS SCHOOL OF ENGG MALA
RAKE RECEIVER
"To trip twice on the same rake", which means "to repeat the same
silly mistake". Russian saying
2
Why the name rake receiver ?
The rake receiver is so named because it reminds
the function of a garden rake, each finger collecting
symbol energy similarly to how a rake collect leaves.
3
Steel Rake
Leaf Rake
4
SNOW RAKE
5
GARDEN RAKE
6
GARDEN RAKE
7
Multi-path Energy Capture
In multi-path environments, the RMS delay spreads for a given
channel can be large (14 ns for CM3, 25 ns ).

Un captured multi-path energy results in loss in performance of
the communication device.

One method for energy collection is to use a RAKE receiver.

Sampled
Matched-Filter
Output
w
1
w
2
w
3
w
N
E
RAKE
output
t
8
Propagation of Tx Signal
9
Multipath
Multipath occurs when RF signals
arrive at a location via different
transmission paths due to the
reflection of the transmitted signal
from fixed and moving objects.
The combination of the direct and
reflected signals most often leads to
significant signal loss due to mutual
cancellation.
10
Rake Receiver Multipath fading
Rake receiver mitigates multipath fading effect
Multipath fading is a major cause of unreliable wireless channel
characteristic
x(t)
y(t) = a
0
x(t) y(t) = a
0
x(t)+a
1
x(t-d
1
) y(t) = a
0
x(t)+a
1
x(t-d
1
)+a
2
x(t-d
2
)
11
RAKE Receiver: Basic Idea
The RAKE receiver was designed to equalize the
effects of multipath.
It uses a combination of correlators, code generators,
and delays, or fingers, to spread out the individual
echo signals of the multipath.
Each signal is then delayed according to peaks found
in the received signal.
12
Overview of Rake Receiver
A rake receiver is a radio receiver designed to counter the
effects of multipath fading. It does this by using several "sub-
receivers" each delayed slightly in order to tune in to the
individual multipath components.

Each component is decoded independently, but at a later stage
combined in order to make the most use of the different
transmission characteristics of each transmission path.

This could very well result in higher SNR (or Eb/No) in a
multipath environment than in a "clean" environmen
13
RAKE Receiver Continued
The same symbols obtained via different paths are then
combined together using the corresponding channel information
using a combining scheme like maximum ratio combining
(MRC).
The combined outputs are then sent to a simple decision device
to decide on the transmitted bits.
14
RAKE Receiver Block Diagram
15
Maximum Ratio Combining of
Symbols
MRC corrects channel phase
rotation and weighs components
with channel amplitude estimate.
The correlator outputs are
weighted so that the correlators
responding to strong paths in the
multipath environment have their
contributions accented, while the
correlators not synchronizing with
any significant path are
suppressed.
16
End Result of RAKE Receiver
By simulating a multipath environment through a
parallel combination of correlators and delays, the
output behaves as if there existed a single
propogation path between the transmitter and
receiver.
17
Fading in CDMA System ...
Because CDMA has high time-resolution,
different path delay of CDMA signals
can be discriminated.
Therefore, energy from all paths can be summed
by adjusting their phases and path delays.
This is a principle of RAKE receiver.
Path Delay
P
o
w
e
r

path-1
path-2
path-3
CDMA
Receiver
CDMA
Receiver

S
y
n
c
h
r
o
n
i
z
a
t
i
o
n

A
d
d
e
r

Path Delay
P
o
w
e
r

CODE A
with timing of path-1
path-1
P
o
w
e
r

path-1
path-2
path-3
Path Delay
P
o
w
e
r

CODE A
with timing of path-2
path-2
interference from path-2 and path-3

18
Fading in CDMA System (continued)
In CDMA system, multi-path propagation improves
the signal quality by use of RAKE receiver.
Time
P
o
w
e
r

Detected Power
RAKE
receiver
Less fluctuation of detected power,
because of adding all energy .
P
o
w
e
r

path-1
path-2
path-3
19
Rake finger selection
Delay (t

)
( )
1
( )
i
L
j
rake i i
i
h t a e t
|
o t
=
=

Channel estimation circuit of Rake receiver selects strongest

samples (paths) to be processed in the Rake fingers:
In the Rake receiver example to follow, we assume L = 3.
1
t
2
t
3
t
Only one path chosen,
since adjacent paths
may be correlated
L = 3
Only these paths are
constructively utilized
in Rake fingers
20
Received multipath signal
Received signal consists of a sum of delayed (and weighted)
replicas of transmitted signal.
All replicas are contained
in received signal and
cause interference
:
Signal replicas: same signal at different delays,
with different amplitudes and phases
Summation in channel <=> smeared end result
Blue samples (paths) indicate signal replicas detected in Rake fingers
Green samples (paths) only cause interference
21
Rake receiver
Finger 1
Finger 2
Channel estimation
Received baseband multipath signal (in ELP signal domain)
Finger 3

E

Output
signal
(to
decision
circuit)
Rake receiver Combining (MRC)
(Generic structure, assuming 3 fingers)
Weighting
22
Rake Receiver Blocks
Correlator
Finger 1
Finger 2
Finger 3
Combiner
23
Delay
Rake finger processing
T
dt
}

E

Received
signal
To
MRC
T
dt
}
( )
i
f t
Stored code sequence
(Case 1: same code in I and Q branches)
I branch
Q branch
I/Q
Output of finger: a complex signal value for each detected bit
24
Correlation vs. matched filtering
T
dt
}
Received
code sequence
Stored code sequence
Basic idea of correlation:
Same result through matched filtering and sampling:
Received
code sequence
Matched
filter
Sampling
at t = T
S
a
m
e

e
n
d

r
e
s
u
l
t

!

25
Architecture(1)
Conventional Rake Receiver

- + - + - =
- + - + - =
- + - + -
)} 3 ] 3 [ ( ) 2 ] 2 [ ( ) 1 ] 1 [ {(
) 3 ] 3 [ ( ) 2 ] 2 [ ( ) 1 ] 1 [ (
) ] 3 [ ( 3 ) ] 2 [ ( 2 ) ] 1 [ ( 1
W n X W n X W n X PN
W n X PN W n X PN W n X PN
PN n X W PN n X W PN n X W
T1
T2
T2

W1
W2
W3
5-Path
Pre-Carrier Recovery
Carrier
Recovery
Loop
Channel out
Differential
Decoder
Rake Receiver
Symbol
DLL
26
Architecture(2)
Proposed Rake Receiver
correlator move behind
multipliers
3 fingers adopted
W1
W2
W3
T1
T2
T2

- + - + - =
- + - + - =
- + - + -
)} 3 ] 3 [ ( ) 2 ] 2 [ ( ) 1 ] 1 [ {(
) 3 ] 3 [ ( ) 2 ] 2 [ ( ) 1 ] 1 [ (
) ] 3 [ ( 3 ) ] 2 [ ( 2 ) ] 1 [ ( 1
W n X W n X W n X PN
W n X PN W n X PN W n X PN
PN n X W PN n X W PN n X W
27
Rake finger processing
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
1
i n
L
j j
i i n n
n
n i
r t z t v t w t
a e s t a e s t w t
| |
t t
=
=
= + +
= + +

Correlation with stored code sequence has different impact on

different parts of the received signal
= desired signal component detected in i:th Rake finger
= other signal components causing interference
= other codes causing interference (+ noise ... )
( )
z t
( )
v t
( )
w t
28
Rake finger processing
Illustration of correlation (in one quadrature branch) with desired
signal component (i.e. correctly aligned code sequence)
Desired component
Stored sequence
After multiplication
Strong positive/negative correlation result after integration
1 bit 0 bit 0 bit
29
Rake finger processing
Illustration of correlation (in one quadrature branch) with some
other signal component (i.e. non-aligned code sequence)
Other component
Stored sequence
After multiplication
Weak correlation result after integration
1 bit 0 bit
30
Rake finger processing
Mathematically:
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
0
2
0
1
0 0
i
n
T
i
T
j
i
T T
L
j
n n i
n
n i
C z t v t w t s t dt
a e s t dt
a e s t s t dt w t s t dt
|
|
t t
=
=
= + + (

=
+ + +
}
}

} }
Correlation result for bit between
Interference from
same signal
Interference from other signals
Desired
signal
( )
0,t
31
Rake finger processing
Set of codes must have both:
- good autocorrelation properties (same code sequence)
- good cross-correlation properties (different sequences)
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2
0
1
0 0
i
n
T
j
i i
T T
L
j
n n i
n
n i
C a e s t dt
a e s t s t dt w t s t dt
|
|
t t
=
=
=
+ + +
}

} }
Large
Small Small
32
Delay
Rake finger processing
T
dt
}
Received signal
T
dt
}
Stored I code sequence
(Case 2: different codes in I and Q branches)
I branch
Q branch
I/Q
Stored Q code sequence
i
|
To MRC for
I signal
To MRC for
Q signal
Required: phase
synchronization
( )
i
f t
33
Rake finger processing
Case 1: same code in I and Q branches
Case 2: different codes in I and Q branches
- for purpose of easy demonstration only
- the real case in IS-95 and WCDMA
- no phase synchronization in Rake fingers
- phase synchronization in Rake fingers
34
Phase synchronization
I/Q
i
|
When different codes are used in the
quadrature branches (as in practical
systems such as IS-95 or WCDMA),
phase synchronization is necessary.
Phase synchronization is based on information within received
signal (pilot signal or pilot channel).
Signal in I-branch
Pilot signal
Signal in Q-branch
I
Q
Note: phase
synchronization must
be done for each
finger separately!
35
Weighting
Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) means weighting each Rake
finger output with a complex number after which the weighted
components are summed on the real axis:
3
1
i i
j j
i i
i
Z a e a e
| |
=
=

Component
is weighted
Phase is
aligned
Rake finger output
is complex-valued
real-valued
(Case 1: same code in I and Q branches)
Instead of phase
alignment: take
absolute value of
finger outputs ...
36
Phase alignment
The complex-valued Rake finger outputs are phase-aligned
using the following simple operation:
1
i i
j j
e e
| |
=
Before phase alignment:
i
j
e
|
i
j
e
|
1
After phase alignment:
Phasors representing
complex-valued Rake
finger outputs
37
Maximum Ratio Combining
The idea of MRC: strong signal components are
given more weight than weak signal components.
The signal value after Maximum Ratio Combining is:
2 2 2
1 2 3
Z a a a = + +
(Case 1: same code in I and Q branches)
38
Maximum Ratio Combining of
Symbols
MRC corrects channel phase
rotation and weighs components
with channel amplitude estimate.
The correlator outputs are
weighted so that the correlators
responding to strong paths in the
multipath environment have their
contributions accented, while the
correlators not synchronizing with
any significant path are
suppressed.
39
Maximum Ratio Combining
Output signals from the Rake fingers are already phase aligned
(this is a benefit of finger-wise phase synchronization).
Consequently, I and Q outputs are fed via separate MRC circuits
to the quaternary decision circuit (e.g. QPSK demodulator).
(Case 2: different codes in I and Q branches)
Quaternary
decision
circuit
Finger 1
Finger 2
MRC
E
MRC
E
:
I
Q
I
Q
I
Q
40
Maximum Ratio Combining Diversity

Various techniques are known to
combine the signals from multiple
diversity branches.
In Maximum Ratio combining
each signal branch is multiplied
by a weight factor that is
proportional to the signal
amplitude. That is, branches with
strong signal are further
amplified, while weak signals are
attenuated.
41
42
Rake Receiver - Functions
Ideally the function of rake receiver is to aggregate the signal terms with proper delay
compensation
y(t) = a
0
x(t)+a
1
x(t-d
1
)+a
2
x(t-d
2
)
r(t) = a
0
x(t-t
dealy
)+a
1
x(t-d
1
-d
est1
)+a
2
x(t-d
2
-d
est2
)
= (a
0
+a
1
+a
2
) * x(t-t
delay
)
Rake receiver
delay
t
delay
t
We need to know delay spread of received signal that randomly varies
43
Rake Receiver Detect Delay Spread
Scan the received signal in frame buffer while computing correlation with scrambling
code sequence.
Received signal
Correlation
window
Correlation Result
a
0
a
1
a
2
0 d
1
d
2
0 1 1 2 2
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] y n a x n a x n d a x n d = + +
44
Rake Receiver Overall Architecture
Searcher
Descrambler/Despreader
Descrambler/Despreader
Descrambler/Despreader
combiner
Delay
Delay
Delay
r(t)
d
1
, d
2
, d
3
a
1
, a
2
, a
3
Detects delay spread
Compensates propagation delay
recombine signal terms without delay
45
Multipath Diversity: Rake Receiver
Instead of considering delay spread as
an issue, use multipath signals to recover
the original signal
Used in IS-95 CDMA, 3G CDMA, and
802.11
Invented by Price and Green in 1958
R. Price and P. E. Green, "A
communication technique for
multipath channels," Proc. of the IRE,
pp. 555--570, 1958
46
Multipath Diversity: Rake Receiver
Use several "sub-receivers" each
delayed slightly to tune in to the
individual multipath components
Each component is decoded
independently, but at a later stage
combined
LOS pulse
multipath
pulses
This could very well result in
higher SNR in a multipath environment
than in a "clean" environment
47
Rake Receiver: Matched Filter
Impulse response measurement
Tracks and monitors peaks with a measurement rate
depending on speeds of mobile station and on
propagation environment
Allocate fingers: largest peaks to RAKE fingers
48
Rake Receiver: Combiner
The weighting
coefficients are
based on the
power or the
SNR from each
correlator output
If the power or SNR is small out of a particular finger, it will be
assigned a smaller weight:

=
=
M
i
i
m
m
Z
Z
1
2
2
o
49
RAKE DEMODULATOR
50
RAKE DEMODULATOR
RAKE demodulator for signal transmitted through a
frequency selective channel.
51
The demodulator structure shown in above Figure is
called a RAKE demodulator.
Because this demodulator has equally spaced taps
with tap coefficients that essentially collect all the
signal components in the received signal, its
operation has been likened to that of an ordinary
garden rake.
52
Let us use the correlator structure that is illustrated in
Figure
The received signal is passed through a tapped
delay-line filter with tap spacing of 1/W, as in the
channel model
The number of taps is selected to match the total
number of resolvable signal components.
At each tap, the signal is multiplied with each of the
two possible transmitted signals s1(t) and s2(t), and,
then, each multiplier output is phase corrected and
weighted by multiplication with c (t), n = 1, 2, , L.

53
DANG YOU
AJAL.A.J
ASST PROFESSOR
METS SCHOOL OF ENGG MALA

MOB 0-8907305642