Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for reducing the effects of noise and to a receiver comprising at least one sampling means ( 12 ) for forming sample signals from a received signal. The receiver also comprises a whitening means ( 30 ) for converting the noise in the sample signals to white noise and digital filters ( 41, 42, 43, 44 ) for filtering the sample signals comprising white noise. The receiver further comprises a computation means ( 80 ) for computing filter tap coefficients from a sample signal. Further still, the receiver comprises summers ( 51, 52 ), each one of which is arranged to receive a filtered signal from at least one filter and to sum the signals received from the filters to produce first summed signals. The receiver also comprises a detector ( 60 ) for summing the first summed signals to produce the actual summed signal and for detecting the actual summed signal.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of international application PCT/FI 01/00547 filed Jun. 8, 2001, which designated the US and was published under PCT article 21(2) in English. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to a method for reducing the effects of noise.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Radio receivers employ various equalizers for reducing inter-symbol interference. Inter-symbol interference is due to linear or non-linear distortions caused to a signal on the radio channel. For example, inter-symbol interference, or ISI, appears when a signal spreads outside the desired time slot. In addition, equalizers are used to reduce noise and interference in the signal.  
           [0004]    TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) systems employ MMSE-DFE equalizers (Minimum Mean-Square Error Decision Feedback Equalizer) to reduce interference. However, the MMSE-DFEs in use do not always produce an optimal result. In addition, the equalizers are most complex to implement and to use in practical applications. In connection with use, complexity means that large matrices have to be processed.  
           [0005]    Another problem is encountered when MLSE (Maximum Likelihood Sequence Estimation) or MAP (Maximum a posteriori probability) equalizers are used in connection with multi-level modulations and great channel impulse response delay spreads. Such cases require computing, which increases the number of states needed and also the amount of computation.  
           [0006]    An increasing amount of computation is required for determining coefficients for equalizers, but current calculation methods are not very well suited for use when intensive computation is needed. At least in some cases the structures required by the calculation complicate the receiver structure too much. For example, complex computation is needed for computing the tap coefficients of filters used in a receiver. The computation requires large-dimension matrices to be used which slow down the calculation and make it more complicated.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and receiver that allow the above-mentioned problems to be solved. This is achieved with a method disclosed in the preamble, characterized by taking samples from a received signal, the noise in the samples being converted to white noise; filtering each sample signal comprising white noise in a filter; and computing, prior to the filtering of a sample signal, filter tap coefficients from the sample signal for the filter filtering the sample signal to be supplied to the filter; summing the filtered sample signals in groups to provide first summed signals such that each first summed signal comprises a sample signal filtered in at least one filter; summing the first summed signals to provide the actual summed signal, which is detected.  
           [0008]    This is also achieved with a method disclosed in the preamble, characterized by forming sample signals by taking samples from a received signal, the noise in the samples being converted to white noise; dividing signals comprising white noise among a plural number of signal groups; filtering sample signals of each signal group in a signal-group-specific filter; and detecting a signal formed of at least one signal of each signal group comprising filtered signals.  
           [0009]    The invention further relates to a receiver for reducing the effects of noise.  
           [0010]    The receiver of the invention is characterized in that the receiver comprises at least one sampling means for producing sample signals from a received signal; a whitening means for converting the noise in the sample signals to white noise; digital filters for filtering sample signals comprising white noise; a computation means for computing filter tap coefficients for the filter from the sample signal; summers, each one of which is arranged to receive a filtered signal from at least one filter, the summers being arranged to sum the signals they receive from the filters to produce first summed signals; and a detector for summing the first summed signals to produce the actual summed signal and to detect the actual summed signal.  
           [0011]    A receiver of the invention is also characterized in that the receiver comprises at least one sampling means for producing sample signals from a received signal; a whitening means for converting the noise in the sample signals to produce white noise and for dividing signals comprising white noise among a plural number of signal groups; a signal-group-specific digital filter for filtering the sample signals in the signal group; and a detector for detecting a signal formed of at least one signal of each signal group comprising filtered signals.  
           [0012]    The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.  
           [0013]    An underlying idea of the invention is that the noise in the sample signals is converted to white noise and that, before the sample signal is filtered, filter tap coefficients are calculated from the sample signal comprising white noise for the filter filtering the sample signal.  
           [0014]    The method and receiver of the invention provide various advantages. The method allows for a more simplified equalizer implementation. In addition, the computation of filter tap coefficients is easier and speedier than with previous methods since the noise is whitened before the signal is supplied to the filter and before the tap coefficients are computed. The method thus allows matrices of relatively small dimensions to be used for the computation of tap coefficients. Moreover, the method allows to reduce the number of taps in the filter, which further facilitates the computation.  
           [0015]    Yet another advantage of the invention is that receiver structure is simplified, which means that a receiver may be implemented using less equalizers than in prior art receivers. In addition, the method of the invention allows the interference tolerance of the receiver to be improved. With the solution of the invention, the performance of the equalizer can be optimized. This means that although the solution of the invention provides low equalizer complexity, nevertheless, the performance of the equalizer can be kept at a good level. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    In the following the invention will be described in greater detail in connection with preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment for implementing a receiver,  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment for implementing a receiver.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 shows a receiver comprising antennas  10 ,  11 , sampling means  12 ,  13 , space means  20 ,  21 , a whitening means  30  for whitening noise, filters  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , summers  50 ,  51 , and an equalizer  60 .  
         [0020]    The receiver may be located for example at a base station or user equipment, such as a mobile station, of a radio system. However, in practice the receiver provides the best advantage when the receiver is at a base station that comprises a plural number of antennas for receiving a signal. When a signal is received using a plural number of antennas, the best possible diversity gain can be obtained.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows that sampling means  12  is connected to antenna  10 . It also shows that sampling means  13  is connected to antenna  11 . Each sampling means receives a signal from its specific antenna. The sampling means perform oversampling of the signals they receive from their respective antennas.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 also shows that sampling means  12  comprises two outputs connected to space means  20 . Sampling means  13  also comprises two outputs connected to space means  21 . The sampling means may also comprise more than two outputs. Each space means is also connected to the whitening means  30 . In the described embodiment, the whitening means comprises four outputs, each of which is connected to separate filters  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , which are preferably FIR filters (Finite Impulse Response). The described filters are also known as feedforward filters.  
         [0023]    The outputs of filters  41  and  42  are both connected to summer  50  and also to summer  51 . The output side of both summers is connected to the equalizer  60 . The equalizer may be implemented using a Viterbi detector, for example. When in operation, the equalizer takes into account signal diversity. The equalizer may also be implemented using an MLSE or MAP equalizer, for example. In addition, the equalizer may operate on an FSE principle (Fractionally Spaced Equalizer).  
         [0024]    In the following, the operation of the receiver will be described from the point of view of a signal received by a first receiver branch which comprises antenna  10 . A second receiver branch, which comprises antenna  11 , operates on the same principle as the first receiver branch. Antennas  10 ,  11  may receive a signal containing the same information. In other words, the antennas may simultaneously receive a signal transmitted by the same user equipment.  
         [0025]    Information signals arrive at antennas  10 ,  11  over the radio path and therefore they always contain some disturbance, such as coloured noise, generated by interference. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the signals received by the antennas are subjected to double oversampling in sampling means  12  and  13 . The invention is not, however, restricted to double oversampling alone.  
         [0026]    The signal oversampled in sampling means  12  is supplied to the space means  20  which removes the oversampling. In the embodiment of the Figure the oversampled signal is divided in the space means  20  into two different signals y 1 , y 2  which are supplied on separate signal paths to the whitening means  30 . Signals y 1 , y 2  may be formed of a signal received by one and the same or different antennas, and they may be obtained as a result of oversampling or without oversampling.  
         [0027]    The receiver also comprises a computation means  80  for carrying out the computations described below. The computation means  80  computes filter tap coefficients, for example, for each filter from the sample signals comprising white noise.  
         [0028]    In a linear case, signals y 1 , y 2  may be shown in the following signal vector format: 
         
       y 
       1 
       =H 
       1 
       x+w 
       1 
     
         [0029]    ,where 
           y   2   =H   2   x+w   2   (1) 
         [0030]    y 1  and y 2  are sample vectors;  
         [0031]    x is a vector to be estimated;  
         [0032]    w 1  and w 2  are noise vectors;  
         [0033]    H is a known estimation matrix.  
         [0034]    In the following, a reciprocal correlation of signal branches of one and the same antenna is computed. If a signal is received using a plural number of antennas, a reciprocal correlation of signal branches of the plural number of antennas is formed. The correlation is calculated using covariance matrix A of noise vectors w 1  and w 2 , the form of the matrix being 
           A=E ( ee   H ),  (2) 
         [0035]    where  
         E                 is                 a                 noise                 matrix                 and                 e     =       (           w   1   T               w   2   T           )     =       (             (       y   1     -       H   1        x       )     T                 (       y   2     -       H   2        x       )     T           )     .                             
 
         [0036]    The samples depend on the inverse matrix of covariance matrix A, the inverse matrix being defined as follows: 
           A   −1   =T   H   D   −1   T,   (3) 
         [0037]    where  
         [0038]    D is a diagonal matrix,  
         T   =     〈           t   1               t   2           〉       ,                         
 
         [0039]    where t 1, t   2  are constants. T is in practice a conjugate transpose which is in practice a Hermite matrix.  
         [0040]    Formula (3) is used to whiten noise. Formula (3) allows the whitening of noise between separate sample vectors to be determined and calculated.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 2 shows another receiver embodiment. The receiver comprises a whitening means  30  for whitening noise, filters  41 ,  42 , a summer  50  and an equalizer  60 . In addition, the receiver comprises a filter  70  arranged between the equalizer output and the summer. An output signal of the equalizer is connected through the filter  70  back to the summer which sums the feedback-coupled signal to signals coming from filters  41 ,  42 .  
         [0042]    After the whitening of the noise, a Minimum Mean Square Error criterion, or the MMSE criterion, is applied. The criterion involves minimizing the value of J with respect to f 1 , f 2  and b. Symbols f n  denote filter taps: symbol f 1  denotes taps of filter  41  and symbol f 2  taps of filter  42 . Symbol b denotes taps of filter  70 . The criterion can be expressed using the following formula:  
             J   =     E                   x   i     -       t   1          〈           y   1   T               y   2   T           〉          f   1       -       t   2          〈           y   1   T               y   2   T           〉          f   2       -       x   r        b            2     .               (   4   )                               
 
         [0043]    With regard to the above formula, attention is drawn particularly to the use of coefficients t 1  and t 2 . Multiplying carried out using coefficients t 1  and t 2  diagonalizes the noise matrix. After minimization, the filter taps are computed on the basis of modified impulse responses by applying the following formula: 
         ( h   1   h   2 )= T ( h   orig     —     1   h   orig     —     2 )  (5) 
         [0044]    On the basis of the obtained impulse responses, each sample vector can be written in the following format:  
                   t   i          〈           y   1   T               y   2   T           〉       =         H   i        x     +     w   mod         ,   where           (   6   )                               
 
         [0045]    H i  is a matrix formed of h 1  which, when multiplied by x, yields a convolution result,  
         [0046]    term W mod  is a noise vector obtained on the basis of the multiplication result of matrix T.  
         [0047]    Formula (1) can be solved by applying new impulse responses, whereby following formula (7) is obtained for the calculation of FIR filters  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , for example:  
         (           f   1               f   2           )     =         (       (               H   1   *          H   1   T       +       d        (     1   ,   1     )       *   I                   H   1   *          H   2   T                       H   2   *          H   1   T                     H   2   *          H   2   T       +       d        (     2   ,   2     )       *   I             )     -       (             H   1   *          E        (       x   *          x   r   T       )                     H   2   *          E        (       x   *          x   r   T       )               )                   I                     (             H   1   *          E        (       x   *          x   r   T       )                     H   2   *          E        (       x   *          x   r   T       )               )     H         )       -   1            (             H   1   *          E        (       x   *          x   i       )                     H   2   *          E        (       x   *          x   i       )               )                             
 
         [0048]    Formula (8) is obtained for filter  70 :  
             b   =         (             H   1   *          E        (       x   *          x   r   T       )                     H   2   *          E        (       x   *          x   r   T       )               )     H          (           f   1               f   2           )               (   8   )                               
 
         [0049]    The following is valid in the above equation:  
         [0050]    E(x i   * x j )=1, when i=j,  
         [0051]    E(x i   * x j )=0, when i≠j, and  
         [0052]    d(i, i) are diagonal elements of matrix D.  
         [0053]    Instead of a receiver employing the DFE principle, a receiver employing the MLSE or MAP principle may be used, whereby uncorrelated impulse responses of minimum phase are obtained from the following formula: 
           h   eq =[1, b].   (9) 
         [0054]    Some of the above computations are carried out in space means  20 ,  21  and in whitening means  30 . In addition, computation is carried out using a processor and software, for example. The space means and the whitening means can in practice be implemented using an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), for example.  
         [0055]    If the receiver comprises a plural number of antennas for receiving one and the same information signal, the receiver does not necessarily have to carry out the oversampling, but the receiver can still carry out reducing of signal interference.  
         [0056]    In the following, the operation of the receiver will be described in greater detail. As already stated, the sampling means may apply oversampling to the signal it receives. It is assumed that sampling means  12  applies double oversampling, the oversampling being removed in space means  20 , for example, to produce two sample signal components.  
         [0057]    The sample signal components are then supplied to the whitening means  30  where the noise in each sample signal component is converted to white noise. A first sample signal component comprising white noise is supplied to filter  41  and a second signal component to filter  42 . Filters  41 ,  42  filter the white noise from the sample signal components. Each filter is arranged to receive one whitened sample signal component at a time. The receiver can also be used for reducing the effects of other kinds of interference than just noise.  
         [0058]    Before a signal is filtered, the computation means  80  computes filter tap coefficients for both filters. The filter tap coefficients are calculated in advance from a sample signal supplied to the filter. The signals filtered by the filters are summed in the summer  51  to provide a first summed signal which is then transferred to the detector  60 .  
         [0059]    It is also possible that a plural number of first summed signals are supplied to the detector  60 , the signals being summed to produce the actual summed signal which is then detected in the detector. If there is only one first summed signal, it is also the actual summed signal. In other words, the detector can sum signal samples formed of a signal received by one antenna, or signals received by a plural number of antennas.  
         [0060]    For example, the receiver can process M signals sampled at symbol intervals in the sampling means  12 . Some of the signals may be formed of signals received by different antennas and/or signals propagated through different signal branches. Signals received from different signal branches are separated from one another in the oversampling process.  
         [0061]    After the oversampling, the whitening means  30  whitens the noises in M signals with respect to each other. The whitening means  30  divides the whitened signals among N groups, each branch being thus provided with M/N whitened signals.  
         [0062]    Each group is filtered in a separate FIR filter. In the above described situation, N FIR filters are needed. During the filtering, each FIR filter decimates the signal rate of the signal it is filtering by M/N. This means that each filter output produces one signal for the M/N input values.  
         [0063]    The detector  60  in the receiver receives the N signals and forms one output signal for each above-mentioned signal amount, the output signal being the detected signal. By changing the number of the groups, the decimation can be carried out in stages, which allows the complexity of the different receiver parts and thereby that of the receiver to be reduced.  
         [0064]    Although the invention is described above with reference to an example according to the accompanying drawings, it is apparent that the invention is not restricted to it, but may vary in many ways within the inventive idea disclosed in the claims.