Abstract:
This invention publishes a spread spectrum multiple access coding technique applied in any wireless digital telecommunication system involving Code Division Multiple Access and spread spectrum technique. The group of basic pulses has normalized amplitudes and duration of 1 and polarity; the number of basic pulses is ascertained by practical factors; there is no equal interval between basic pulses on time axis, and asymmetry of pulses&#39; positions is employed to achieve arranging coding. This coding scheme can control and minimize the side lobes of auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions, then simplify the design of a CDMA system, so a wireless digital telecommunication system with large capacity can be established effectively to solve the contradiction between ever increasing demand for telecommunication capacity and limited frequency resources.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of PCT/CN98/00151 filed Aug. 4, 1998. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to a spread spectrum and digital multiple access wireless communications scheme, especially to a spread spectrum multiple access coding scheme applied in any digital communications system employing code division multiple access (“CDMA”) and spread spectrum radio.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    With the coming of the information society and the personal communications era, the demand on wireless communications technology is growing rapidly, but the frequency resources are very limited. A code division multiple access (“CDMA”) technique is the only efficient way to resolve the contradiction between limited frequency resources and demand for high capacity. The capacity of traditional wireless multiple access techniques, e.g., frequency division multiple access (“FDMA”) and time division multiple access (“TDMA”), is fixed once designed, i.e., additional users can not be introduced beyond that capacity limit. But CDMA is different in that the capacity is only limited by the interference level and thus results in the advantages of large capacity and soft capacity. That is, introducing an additional user is not precluded even though it may lead to reduced signal-to-noise ratio and quality of communications. So, unlike FDMA or TDMA, an insurmountable capacity limit does not exist.  
           [0004]    As is noted above, the capacity of a CDMA system is interference-limited, thus, whether the interference level can be controlled or not determines the system&#39;s quality. Generally, the interference in the system consists of four parts: the first is local noise, which may be reduced by applying a low noise amplifier; the second is multiple access interference (“MAI”), which comes from the other users in the system; the third is inter-code or inter-symbol interference (“ISI”); and the fourth is neighboring cell or adjacent channel interference (“ACI”). By employing well-designed multiple access codes, MAI, ISI and ACI can be reduced or even eliminated.  
           [0005]    In any CDMA system, each user has a specific spread spectrum multiple access code for identification. Furthermore, to reduce the users&#39; mutual interference, the spread spectrum multiple access codes must be orthogonal to each other. Indeed, orthogonality between any two users&#39; signals is always required in any multiple access system. Given that the channel is an ideal linear time-invariant system, and accurate synchronization is realized in the system, then orthogonality between any two users&#39; signals can be achieved. Unfortunately, there is no such ideal channel in practice. Besides, it is quite difficult to maintain strict synchronization. That is why it is important to employ a good multiple access technique. As for a CDMA technique, well designed multiple access codes are the root of the system.  
           [0006]    It is known that the wireless channel is a typical random time-varying channel, in which there exists not only random frequency dispersion (Doppler frequency shift) but also random time dispersion (multi-path propagation). The former introduces time selective fading to the received signals, i.e., the received signal&#39;s frequency varies randomly with time. The latter introduces frequency selective fading to the received signals, i.e. different frequency spectrum components of the received signal vary differently with time. The fading deteriorates the system&#39;s performance seriously and at the same time, reduces the system&#39;s capacity. This is especially true for the channel&#39;s time dispersion, which is caused by multi-path propagation: it prevents signals from arriving simultaneously, so ISI and MAI are caused and the system&#39;s capacity is drastically reduced. When the relative time delay between signals is zero, it is quite easy to achieve orthogonality between signals, indeed any orthogonal codes can meet that requirement, but when the relative delay between signals is non-zero, it becomes very difficult to do so. In fact, it has been proven that there are no such spread spectrum multiple access codes in binary, finite and even complex number spaces. In particular, MAI and ISI contradict one another so that smaller MAI leads to larger ISI and vice versa.  
           [0007]    Therefore, the distinction between different CDMA systems lies mainly in the selected multiple access codes, i.e. in a good system, ISI and MAI must both be small, otherwise they must be larger.  
           [0008]    Existing CDMA systems have either very low efficiency or have very short communications distance for example about several hundred meters or do nothing to MAI and ISI and then all that can be done is to alleviate them by using relatively good multiple access codes.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The aim of the invention is to present a new, simpler, clearer and faster design scheme of spread spectrum multiple access codes. Based on the scheme, both MAI and ISI in the corresponding CDMA system can be controlled and thus a digital wireless communications system with large capacity can be constructed.  
           [0010]    Ideal spread spectrum multiple access codes should satisfy the two main conditions below:  
           [0011]    First, each code&#39;s auto-correlation function should be an ideal impulse function, i.e. the function should be zero everywhere except at the origin. From the view of orthogonality, each code should be orthogonal to its own relative time delay version unless the relative time delay is zero;  
           [0012]    Second, the cross-correlation function between any two codes should be zero everywhere. From the view of orthogonality, each code should be orthogonal to all the other codes with any relative time delay (including the zero delay).  
           [0013]    To elaborate, we denote the auto-correlation values at the origin as the main-lobe value, while the auto-correlation values not at the origin, as well as the cross-correlation values are denoted as side-lobe values. For an ideal CDMA system, the side-lobe values of all the auto-correlations and cross-correlations should be zero. For a practical system, however, it is impossible to satisfy that condition. In this case, all that can be done is to try to make the values of the side-lobes as small as possible (or the main-lobe to side-lobe value ratio as large as possible) and the number of the side-lobes as few as possible. As for binary codes, the smallest non-zero side-lobe&#39;s value must be +1 or −1.  
           [0014]    Therefore, in some embodiments of the present invention a spread spectrum multiple access coding scheme controls and reduces the side-lobes&#39; values of the auto-correlations and cross-correlations.  
           [0015]    In addition, a random access asynchronous communications system in which all the user stations&#39; clocks are not controlled by base station is desirable because of its simplicity. That system, on the other hand, has a very strict requirement on the spread spectrum multiple access codes&#39; characteristic. So, some embodiments of the present invention give an effective and practical method for such a random access asynchronous digital communications system.  
           [0016]    The spread spectrum multiple access codes mentioned here are composed of basic pulses with normalized “1” amplitude and width and different polarities. The number of the basic pulses is determined according to such practical factors such as the number of required users, the number of available pulse compressing codes, the number of available orthogonal pulse compressing codes, the number of available orthogonal frequencies, system bandwidth, the system&#39;s highest transmission rate, etc. The intervals between the basic pulses on the time axis are all unequal and the basic pulses&#39; positions on it are all different, which are both considered together with the basic pulses&#39; polarities when coding.  
           [0017]    Of all the values of the basic pulses&#39; intervals mentioned above, only one is an odd number larger than the smallest interval&#39;s value, i.e. the coding length is odd, while the rest intervals&#39; values are all even. Moreover, any interval&#39;s value can not be the sum of any other two or more interval values.  
           [0018]    According to orthogonality, the spread spectrum multiple access codes mentioned above are sorted into different code groups, in which the polarities of the basic pulses are determined by the orthogonality requirement and the sequence is sorted according to Hadamard or other orthogonal matrices, or some kind of bi-orthogonal or trans-orthogonal matrix.  
           [0019]    The above coding method is a new CDMA spread spectrum multiple access coding scheme for a Large Area Asynchronous Wireless Communications System or Large Area Synchronous Wireless Communications System, and the code groups are named LA-CDMA codes. When doing correlation, whether it is auto-correlation or cross-correlation, and whether it is periodic correlation, or non-periodic correlation, or even mixed correlation, no two or more basic pulses can meet together besides at the origin, which ensures that the side-lobes&#39; values are at most +1 or −1. Furthermore, there exists a zero correlation window beside the origin and the main-lobe&#39;s value equals the number of basic pulses. Therefore, the side-lobes of the auto-correlations and cross-correlations are controlled and reduced. That is, in the corresponding CDMA system, both MAI and ISI are controlled, and an ideal CDMA system without MAI and ISI can also be realized if the zero correlation window is utilized.  
           [0020]    The above principles lead to a new simpler, clearer and faster design scheme of spread spectrum multiple access codes for spread spectrum technology and digital multiple access technology. Based on the scheme, a CDMA system&#39;s design can be simplified and large capacity achieved, so as to solve the contradiction between the growing need for high capacity and the limited frequency resources.  
           [0021]    Because the side-lobes of the correlations are small and smooth, MAI and ISI are unrelated to the users&#39; access time and thus random access is permitted. Further, as long as the stability of the clocks in the user stations&#39; transceivers meets a specific requirement, an asynchronous mode is also permitted.  
           [0022]    In a practical design, to increase the code&#39;s duty ratio, the above mentioned basic pulse can also be formed by pulse compressing codes, which are composed of one or more binary or m-ary sequences, including frequency modulated sequences, or frequency and phase jointly modulated sequences, or frequency, phase and time jointly modulated sequences, etc.  
           [0023]    In order to raise the transmission data rate or reduce frequency band-width, or increase the number of multiple access codes number, the codes can also be time offset and overlapped, where the shift interval should be larger than the channel&#39;s maximum time dispersion (the maximum multi-path time delay difference). In the case that the shift interval is smaller than the channel&#39;s maximum time dispersion, the shifted version should be modulated by different orthogonal frequencies.  
           [0024]    In order to raise the code&#39;s duty ratio and transmission data rate simultaneously as much as possible, both of the above methods can be combined, i.e. the basic pulse is composed of pulse compressing codes (including one or more binary or m-ary sequences, or frequency modulated sequences, or frequency and phase jointly modulated sequences, or frequency, phase and time jointly modulated sequences, etc.). At the same time, the codes are time offset and overlapped.  
           [0025]    To further increase the number of multiple access codes, the above mentioned basic pulse can also be formed by orthogonal pulse compressing codes (including one or more binary or m-ary sequences, or frequency modulated sequences, or frequency and phase jointly modulated sequences, or frequency, phase and time jointly modulated sequences, etc), or the above mentioned basic pulses can be modulated by different orthogonal frequencies. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 illustrates an example of LA-CDMA code groups (with 16 codes) mentioned in the paper.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is an illustration of the non-periodic auto-correlation function mentioned in the paper (for code  1  in FIG. 1).  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 is an illustration of the non-periodic auto-correlation function mentioned in the paper (for code  2  in FIG. 1).  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 is an illustration of the non-periodic cross-correlation function mentioned in the paper (for code  1  and code  2  in FIG. 1).  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is an illustration of the non-periodic cross-correlation function mentioned in the paper (for code  3  and code  4  in FIG. 1).  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 shows the LA-CDMA codes formed by the relative coding pulse compressing method mentioned in the paper.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 shows the LA-CDMA codes formed by the absolute coding pulse compressing method mentioned in the paper.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 8 shows the time offsetting and overlapping method to raise the code&#39;s duty ratio mentioned in the paper.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 9 shows a diagram of a class of receiver. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0035]    An explanation of the invention with the attached figures is presented below.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 1 is a simple LA-CDMA orthogonal code group including 16 access code words that can be used by 16 users simultaneously. Each code word consists of 16 “±” basic pulses. The period of this code group is 847. The intervals between pulses are respectively: 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 60, 62, 68, 72, 76 and 39. The polarities of the pulses ensure orthogonality between the codes.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are non-cyclic auto-correlation curves for code  1  and code  2  in FIG. 1 respectively. Cross-correlation functions between other pairs of codes have quite similar shapes so that side lobes may equal a value chosen from +1, −1 or 0.  
         [0038]    The correlation functions of any other LA-CDMA codes have quite similar shapes, and the only possible difference lies in polarities and positions of side lobes. The features of this code are described as follows:  
         [0039]    1) Main lobe value of auto-correlation function equals the number of basic pulses, and also equals the number of orthogonal code words in the code group.  
         [0040]    2) There are only three possible values of side lobes in the auto-correlation and cross-correlation function: +1, −1 or 0.  
         [0041]    3) A zero correlation window in the auto-correlation and cross-correlation function or around the origin exists, and its magnitude is equal to 1 plus two times of the minimal interval between basic pulses.  
         [0042]    So it can be concluded that the LA-CDMA code group that is designed according to this invention can control and in some embodiments minimize the side lobes of the auto-correlation and cross-correlation function. This enables the CDMA system to control and minimize MAI and ISI simultaneously.  
         [0043]    Table 1 and Table 2 below respectively list minimum periods of LA-CDMA codes of 16 basic pulses and 32 basic pulses under the conditions of various minimal basic pulse intervals, in order to make it convenient for choosing.  
                                                                                   TABLE 1                           Periods and minimum intervals       of 16-pulse LA-CDMA codes            minimum   minimum   Minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum       interval   period   Interval   period   interval   period   interval   period                    38   847   40   897   42   905   44   923       46   959   48   995   50   1065   52   1049       54   1081   56   1117   58   1145   60   1179       62   1213   64   1247   66   1269   68   1303       70   1337   72   1379   74   1395   76   1427       78   1461   80   1495   82   1529   84   1563       86   1587   88   1619   90   1653   92   1683       94   1715   96   1749   98   1783   100   1811       102   1843   104   1875   106   1907   108   1939       110   1971   112   2003   114   2035   116   2067       118   2099   120   2131   122   2163   124   2195       126   2227   128   2259   130   2291   132   2323       134   2355   136   2387   138   2419   140   2451       142   2483   144   2515   146   2547   148   2579       150   2611   152   2643   154   2675   156   2707       158   2739   160   2771   162   2803   164   2835       166   2867   168   2899   170   2931   172   2963       174   2995   176   3027   178   3059   180   3091       182   3123   184   3155   186   3187   188   3219       190   3251   192   3283   194   3315   196   3347       198   3379   200   3411   202   3443   204   3475       206   3507   208   3539   210   3571   212   3603       214   3635   216   3667   218   3699   220   3731       222   3763   224   3795   226   3827   228   3859       230   3891   232   3923   234   3955   236   3987       238   4019   240   4051   242   4083   244   4115       246   4147   248   4179   250   4211   252   4243       254   4275   256   4307                  
 
         [0044]    [0044]                                                                                   TABLE 2                           Periods and minimum intervals       of 32-pulse LA-CDMA codes            minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum   minimum       interval   period   interval   period   interval   period   interval   period                    32   4751   34   4465   36   4447   38   4489       40   4745   42   4847   44   4889   46   5359       48   4699   50   5225   52   5125   54   5117       56   5315   58   4725   60   4687   62   4765       64   4423   66   5115   68   5059   70   5307       72   5299   74   5617   76   4955   78   5133       80   4915   82   5397   84   5499   86   4965       88   5291   90   5223   92   4837   94   5539       96   5889   98   5373   100   5319   102   5051       104   5331   106   5617   108   5991   110   5109       112   5347   114   5383   116   5127   118   4883       120   5211   122   5429   124   5737   126   5663       128   5725   130   5623   132   5725   134   5497       136   5323   138   5393   140   5465   142   5811       144   5959   146   5893   148   6331   150   6355       152   5943   154   6053   156   6075   158   6241       160   6425   162   6475   164   6267   166   6399       168   6517   170   6435   172   6491   174   6555       176   6631   178   6665   180   6751   182   6835       184   6839   186   6903   188   6971   190   7059       192   7121   194   7295   196   7521   198   7351       200   7543   202   7427   204   7521   206   7579       208   7629   210   7689   212   7739   214   7807       216   7875   218   7953   220   8031   222   8051       224   8119   226   8173   228   8239   230   8307       232   8375   234   8443   236   8499   238   8569       240   8641   242   8743   244   8747   246   8813       248   8881   250   8949   252   9011   254   9113       256   9173                    
         [0045]    Pulse duty ratio for basic the LA-CDMA code is very low. For example, FIG. 1 shows that pulse duty ratio of a 16 basic pulse code with period of 847 is merely 16/847 (=0.089). To increase the duty ratio in a practical design, any pulse compression codes with good performance such as a Barker sequence or linear frequency modulation code are usable to substitute for each single pulse in the basic code. In this way, as long as the received signal passes through a matched filter matched to this pulse compression code in advance, the output is the required LA-CDMA code. Several solutions for increasing pulse duty ratio included in this invention are described below:  
         [0046]    Forming an LA-CDMA code by a relative encoding pulse compression method is shown in FIG. 6. A positive pulse in the basic LA-CDMA code is generated by two consecutive pulse compression code “B”s with the same polarity, whereas a negative pulse is generated by a positive and a negative pulse compression code “B”. For instance, considering a 16-pulse LA-CDMA code with a period of 847, if a 13-bit Barker sequence is chosen for the pulse compression code, then the duty ratio of the code will rise to 16×26/847 (=0.4911).  
         [0047]    Forming an LA-CDMA code by an absolute encoding pulse compression method is shown in FIG. 7. A positive pulse in the basic LA-CDMA code is generated by a pulse compression code “B”, whereas a negative pulse is generated by an inverse (i.e. an inverted polarity “B”) of the pulse compression code. For instance, still considering a 16-pulse LA-CDMA code with a period of 847, if a 28-bit pulse compression code is chosen to form a single pulse, then the duty ratio will rise to 16×28/847 (=0.5289); if a 38-bit pulse compression code is chosen to form a single pulse, then the duty ratio will rise to 16×38/847 (=0.7178).  
         [0048]    Adopting a time-offset overlapped method for increasing the duty ratio is illustrated in FIG. 8, where “a” is the primitive code, “b”, “c”, “d” and “e” are shifted code versions after four shifts respectively, and “a+b+c+d+e” is a time-offset overlapped code. It should be noted that the time-offset value must be greater than the time dispersion range of the channel; otherwise, either adding a partial response equalizer to the receiver in order to reduce time dispersion range of channel, or adopting various orthogonal frequencies for the time-offset versions smaller than the time dispersion range of the channel, should be employed. When synchronization techniques are adopted, it is similar to a TDMA technique in that different shift versions can be used by different users. Therefore, this can increase the number of orthogonal codes greatly. In a random access system, each shifted version of the LA-CDMA code can only be used by one user, but that method can increase the user&#39;s data rate enormously without expanding system bandwidth, or can decrease system bandwidth while retaining a given data rate.  
         [0049]    Clearly, the time-offset overlapped pulse compression method can also be employed, which is a mixture of method 1 and method 2, or a mixture of method 2 and method 3, and further details are not needed. This method can provide the greatest increase in pulse duty ratio and information rate simultaneously (or decrease system bandwidth with data rate unaffected).  
         [0050]    Sometimes it is inconvenient that the maximum number of users offered by the basic LA-CDMA code is determined only by the quantity of basic pulses, since the more orthogonal codes in the code group, the better. Embodiments of this invention may provide three solutions to enlarge the number of users.  
         [0051]    The first solution is to adopt orthogonal pulse compression codes. If M pieces of orthogonal pulse compression codes can be found, then M×N orthogonal pulse compression code words can be obtained when there are N pulses in an LA-CDMA code. For example, considering a 16-pulse LA-CDMA code with a period of 847 and choosing a 32-bit orthogonal code as its pulse compression code, as there are 32 orthogonal codes in the 32-bit orthogonal pulse compression code group, there are a total of 16×32 (=512) orthogonal code words.  
         [0052]    The second solution is to adopt orthogonal frequencies. The simplest implementation is to utilize a general purpose FDMA/CDMA mixed technique. In this way, if M kinds of orthogonal frequencies are employed (in which intervals of frequencies are multiples of 1/T, here T is the duration of a pulse in the LA-CDMA code), then M×N orthogonal code words can be obtained when there are N pulses in the LA-CDMA code. Introducing different orthogonal frequencies to different pulses in the LA-CDMA code, especially when the pulse compression method is employed, the finally acquired code is a compound code of the basic LA-CDMA code and the chosen pulse compression code. According to compound encoding theory, the property of a compound code is mainly determined by the code with worse performance of two elements of the compound code. Thus, when a pulse compression code is chosen poorly, the final properties of the auto-correlation and cross-correlation function will worsen. When every pulse is “isolated” by orthogonal frequencies, the pulse compression code will be “isolated” too, minimizing degradation accordingly and increasing room for choices greatly. For instance, still considering a 16-pulse LA-CDMA code with a period of 847, when 16 orthogonal frequencies are introduced and a 32-bit orthogonal code serves as the pulse compression code, a total of 16×16×32 (=8192) orthogonal code words are obtained.  
         [0053]    The third solution is to relax the restriction of orthogonality, i.e. to adopt quasi-orthogonality which uses imperfect orthogonal codes, to increase the number of users. For example, considering an LA-CDMA code with N pulses, as the order of N basic intervals has no affect on its auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions, it can be arbitrary. When a code group with various orders of basic intervals is exploited at the same time, the number of users will increase enormously. This can also serve as a solution for reducing interference of adjacent service areas or channels.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a receiver  10  for a LA-CDMA random access code division multiple access wireless system exploiting one embodiment of this invention. This system adopts 16-pulse LA-CDMA codes and 4 orthogonal frequencies, and can accommodate 64 users signaling simultaneously. The basic structures of a transmitter and a receiver may be readily ascertained once the information basic formula and modulation mode are decided. Of course, detailed implementations may entail some modification according to practical situations. For example, a receiver can be realized either by a matched filter or by a correlator. They both implement correlation operations, and have no distinction essentially. In these cases, a transmitter must generate required modulated waveforms that can be demodulated by computation. Generally, the receiver&#39;s structure is comparatively simple, such that a wireless telecommunication engineer can design it in the light of basic modulated signal waveform.  
         [0055]    The 16-pulse LA-CDMA code with a period of 847 shown in FIG. 1 is adopted as a multiple access code in this system. Moreover, it utilizes 4 orthogonal frequencies, and each frequency&#39;s interval is the reciprocal of the basic pulse&#39;s duration. A relative coding pulse compression method is employed to generate the basic LA-CDMA code, with modulation performed using binary phase-shift keying (“BPSK”), and with a pulse compression code of a 13-bit Barker sequence, which is 1 1 1 1 1 −1 −1 1 1 −1 1 − 1   1 .  
         [0056]    Users are permitted to transmit using random access, and to receive by a matched filter. The figure depicts a receiver&#39;s block diagram for a certain orthogonal frequency. An analog signal from an intermediate frequency amplifier is converted to a digital signal by an analog to digital converter  11 . The system  10  detects a 13-bit Barker sequence using a pulse shape matched filter  12  that includes a 13-bit digital tap delay line  14 , multipliers  16  with a 13-bit stage shift register  15 , a low pass filter  18  and a weak signal rejector or small signal depressor  20 . An 808-bit digital tap delay line  22  and an additional logic circuit  24 , which is another part of the receiver, form a pulse position matched filter  26 .  
         [0057]    The pulse shape matched filter  26  forms pulses of the basic LA-CDMA code, while the pulse position matched filter implements a match operation on the LA-CDMA code. A pulse position matched filter can implement match operations on 16 orthogonal LA-CDMA code simultaneously.  
         [0058]    While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.