The 14h IEEE 2003 International Symposium on Persona1,lndoorand Mobile Radio Communication Proceedings

OFDM Synchronization Using PN Sequence and Its Performance

Chunliii Yan, Jiayi Fang, Youxi Tang, and Shaoqian Li
National key Lab of Communications University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, 610054 , China Email: ycl@uestc.edu.cn

Yingtao Li
Wireless R&D Center Huawei Co. Shenzhen, 518057 , China Email: Liyingtao@huawei.com

,4bstrr~-ln this paper, we propose a novel method for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) time and frequency synchronization by using PN sequence and barker code. Time synchronization performance is improved by barker code, and we also propose a simple but effective method by setting the threshold during time synchronization. Improved frequency s) nchronization algorithm is presented in this paper too. The idea of multipath utilizing is the core of the frequency synchronization algorithm. The performance of the synchronization proposed here is better than that of conventional methods. Estimation for moderate SNR. The precision is boosted from LO- to requirements of time and frequency synchronization for Beyond 3G system based on OFDM can be well satisfied while using the proposed method.

I . INTRODUCTION
The trend of modern mobile communication is to achieve faster transmission rate, better transmission quality, higher spectrum efficiency. and larger system capacity. Orthogonal frequency-division inultiplexing (OFDM) is known to meet all these challenges [ I ] and has been successfully used in DAB [2], DVB [3] and HIPERLAN/2 [4]. However, OFDM is very sensitive to time synchronization error and frequency offset [SI. The performances are degraded dramatically by intersymbol interference (ISI) because of time synchronization error or inter-carriers-interference (ICI) for frequency offset. Several approaches have been studied for time synchronization and frequency offset estimation [6]-[I 11. The method using cyclic prefix can estimate time offset and frequency offset without bandwidth waste. but its time synchronization property isnt so good and frequency estimation range does not exceed 0.5 subcarrier spacing [ 6 ] . Another method using repeated data can accurately estimate the frequency offset, but it reduces data rate and frequency estimation range [5]. Shortening the repeated data length, estimation range will extend at the cost of estimation precision reducing. The frequency offset estimation method proposed by Schmidl and Cox can realize coarse frequency offset estimation and fine frequency offset estimation [7], but performance of time synchronization is not good enough yet and it requires two symbols for synchronization. Tufvesson proposed an approach for time synchronization and frequency offset estimation by using PN sequence [8]. This method can handle the frequency offset estimation with large cstimation range, and time synchronization result is

more accurate than that of other methods. In addition, other methods using virtual subcarriers estimates frequency offset with MUSIC [9], [lo] or ESPRIT 1111 algorithm dont need extra data. Although they dont waste bandwidth, they need time synchronization as prior. In this paper we study the OFDM time synchronization and frequency offset estimation useing PN sequence. We present a novel time synchronization method by combining barker code with PN sequence. Lower false detection probability and lower probability of missing are the obvious advantage of the time synchronization method. A new algorithm to realize OFDM frequency synchronization is also proposed by using multipath signals in Rayleigh multipath fading channel. So it has better performance of frequency synchronization than that of conventional method proposed in [SI.
11. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
We consider an OFDM system implemented by the inverse fast Fourier transform and FFT. Nu subcarriers out of total N subcarriers are used to avoid aliasing effect at the edges of the transmission spectrum. X k is the modulated data on the kth subcarrier. After IFFT operation the output i s
N.. -1

n = o , 1 , 2, . . . : N - 1

After adding cyclic prefix, an OFDM symbol can be expressed as { ( c N - N ~ ,, ..., X N - ~ xo,x1, , ..., Z N - ~ } , the first Ng dada is cyclic prefix used for eliminating ISI. We can realize OFDM frequency synchronization by using training sequence c [ k ] .The training sequence c [ k ] is defined as
1 1 (2) Where m [ k ] is a PN sequence with length N , , b[k] is an inverse barker code of length Nb (Nb _< L ) . Figure 1 depicts the structure of the training sequence and OFDM symbol, Figure 2 shows how to generate the transmitted signals. And
-

cjk] =

- .

bl[k/]

772[k

lllod

Nr,], k E

[o, (Nb + 1 ) N ~ n 1 1
-

m [ k mod N,,]

k: E [(Nb 1)fvT,, N

0-7803-7822-9/03/$17.0002003 IEEE.

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The 146" IEEE 2003 International Symposium on PersonalJndoorand Mobile Radio Communication Proceedings

Fig. 2 .

Structure 04 Transmitter

fig I .

l'lie slrticltitc of [raining seqtierice and OFDM symbol

Then 0 = k . Th and N , are the parameters used for setting the threshold. It can be easy found that the threshold is adaptive. When only part of training sequence is synchronized with local PN sequence, formula (6) also is satisfied. A more accurate estimation of 8 becomes
8 = arg
@ E [ k , k + N , ,(AJ,>+l)] ,

max

Y [0,4

(7)

h1 [k:] is defined as
b'[6;] =

Adding the training sequence c [ k ] and OFDM symbol (4X.I with respective coefficient JiT and G. For PN sequence and OFDM data which PN sequence is superimposed on, their S N R becomes p a : / ((1 - p) 0," 0:) and (1 - 0 ) U::/ (( 1 - p ) 0: 0 ; ) respectively. The advantage of superimposing the training sequence on the OFDM data is that it will not waste the system bandwidth. In AWGN channel, the i-eceived signal is

1: k: = 0 h l [ k - l1.k E [ l , Nb]& b[k - 1 1= 1 -b'[k - 1 ] , k e [ I , Nb] & b[k - I] = -1

B. Frequency Synchronization
(3)
The frequency synchronization method proposed in [8] is (we call it method I)
N,,, - 1

c, =
k=O

[k+ (2
L-P-1

+ P)fyn]c* [IC]
C~C;+~

(8)

=
l=O

(9)

Where parameter P is used to adjust the frequency estimation range and accuracy. L is the integer part of NiN,. Its Wherc d [ k ] is the OFDM data sequence and n [ k ] is white estimation range is l~I<Nl(2Pnl,). We can find the frequency Gaussian noise with spectral density No. 8, is the carrier phase offset estimation performance of this method is good in and E , is the frequency offset normalized by the subcarrier AWGN channel, but when it is used in Rayleigh channel, its spacing. The received si'gnal power and noise power are performance is not well enough. While using in Beyond 3G of = E,/T, = E[l~s[k]l'] and 0: = NO/Ts = E[/n[k]12]system, the system requirements of frequency synchronization cannot be well satisfied. So we propose a new method to respectively. estimate the frequency offset. We estimate the frequency offset 111. O F D M SYNCIHRONI%AT'ION A L G O R I T H M as (we call it method 11) A , fin1 e q!mchl-onizrr [ion N E=The perfect autocorrelation property of P N sequence and 27rlV,, P good no-shift-autocoi-l-elation property of barker code can be L-P-lN,,,-l used for OFDM time synchronization. Performance of the imT [i j"]7-* [i ( j P ) N,,] arg proved mcthod is better than Tufvesson's for using the barker j = o 7=0 codc. Figire 3 depicts the amplitude of time synchronization (11) object function of using barker code or not.
= (&+[k:]

? j k ]= s[k]

+ 1z[k] + f i a 3 q k . l ) ( ? j ( W + @ ,1 + ,tZ[k]

N < = a r g ( B ) . ___ 27rNmP

( 4 )

+ +

Iv. T H EPERFORMANCE O F SYNCHRONIZATION

In Beyond 3G system, when carrier frequency is 2GHz, N=4096, N,=1024, P=l, N , =127. Each subcarrier spacing is SkHz. When oscillator instability coefficient is 10 ppm (part of per million), vehicle speed is 500km/h. we can calculate the frequency offset caused by oscillator instability and Doppler frequency shift i s 2lkHz. It is 4.2 while normalized by one subcarrier spacing. The estimation range of method I and I I is

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The 14th IEEE 2003 InternationalSymposium on Persona1,lndoor and Mobile Radio Communication Proceedings

. . ..

I/
.

t
. . . .

...

...

10-6

L 10 _ I o
15

SNR

(dB)

Fig. 4. 4 Variance of frequency offset estimation in AWGN channel. the parameters: N = 4096, Nm = 127; ,c=l0.2 and P=l

F I ~ 3. I h e amplitude of time synchronization object function. (a) is the method using PN sequence and barker code, (b) is the method only using PN seq11ence

16.2(N/(2N,,)=l 6.2). The simulations below were performed with lo4 runs. Some of the parameters are Nb=7, N , =127, T,,=40 and N,,=lO. The Rayleigh channel is modelled by a simple three-path M.1225 model.
4. Titne Synchronization Performance

The performance of time synchronization for Rayleigh channel is showed in table I while using the time synchronization method proposed in this paper. We consider the time synchronization is right when one of the multipath signals is captured by the estimator. The estimator can resolve multipath of the Rayleigh channel. Also it can capture the first path signal of the Rayleigh channel. If we operate the FFT from the first path signal but not the powerful path signal, we can get better OFDM performance.for we use most signals in the Rayleigh channel (This is the advantage of OFDM system with cyclic prefix). This method can do this. This is one of its advantages.

Fig. 5. Variance of frequency offset estimation in Rayleigh channel, the parameters: N=4096, N , =127, ~ 1 0 . 2U . = 60km./h and P=l
3

is 5Okm/h. The channel estimation is not ideal. Tine system uses QPSK signal constellation. The improved estimator using PN sequence and barker code can satisfy t h e frequency synchronization requirements of Beyond 3G system in Rayleigh channel. V. CONCLUSION In this paper, we propose an improved method for OFDM time and frequency synchronization by using PN sequence and barker code. After adding the barker code, the amplitude of the time synchronization object function of the method is sharper than before. The performance is better than that of the former. Also we propose a new method setting the threshold. The threshold is adaptive, simple and effective. A simple but effective frequency synchronization algorithm is also proposed in this paper. It can use the multipath signals in the Rayleigh channel, and its performance is much better than that of the conventional methods. By using the proposed method, the requirements of time and frequency synchronization in Beyond 3G system can be well satisfied.

B. f i e y u e n c , ~ Synchronization Pecformnnce
In AWGN channel, the performance of method I1 is worse than method I in estimating the frequency offset. But when SNR is larger than 15 dB, their performance is almost the same. Figure 4 is the simulation curve in AWGN channel. Figure 5 shows performance of method I and method It in Rayleigh channel. We can see that the performance of method I is much worst than that of method [I in Rayleigh channel because method I I uses multipath signals while method 1 not. In method I only the most powerful signal is used for calculating the frequency estimation because of the PN sequences perfect autocorrelation property. Figure 6 shows the BER-SNR curve o f Beyond 3G system for Rayleigh channel. It depicts the BER-SNR curve when frequency offset is zero with no frequency synchronization and BER-SNR curve when frequency offset is 11.78 with frequency synchronization (Method ll), and the vehicle speed

REFERENCES
[I] J.A.C. Bingham, Multicarrier modulation for data transmission: an idea

whose time has come, IEEE Commun. Mag., vol. 28. 110.5, May 1990, pp. 5-14 [2] ETS 300 401 Second Edition, 1997. Radio broadcasting systems; Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) to mobile, portable and fixed receivers.

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The 14mIEEE 2003 International Symposium on Persona1,lndoor and Mobile Radio Communication Proceedings

f [-e +
i
L

Frequency Offset is zero, no Synchronization Frequency Offset is 11.78, with Synchronization

10

20

30

1i
J

40

SNR (dB)

Fig. 6. BEK-SNR Ierforiiiance o f QPSK system i n Rayleigh channel, frequency offset is zero with no synchronization and frequency offset is 11.78 \rill1 syiichi-onization (Method II), zJ=jOkm/h. IABLE I SYNCHRONIZATION IN R A Y L E I C HCHANNEL

~rHE P E R F O R M A N C E OF T I M E

[ 3 ] U. Keiniers DVB-T: the COFDM-based system for terrestrial television.

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Electronics & Communication Engineerig .loLirnal, Vol. 9 (I 997), No. 1 ,

[4J . I Khun-.lush. P. Schramm. U. Wachsmann, and F. Wenger. Structure and performance of the I-IIPERLANR physical layer, in Proc. IEEE 41th Vehiculai. leechnology Conf., vol. 5 , 1999. pp.2667-2671. [ S ] Moose, P.1-I, A technique for oi-thogotial frequency division multiplexing freqtiency offset correction. Comniunications, IEEE Transactions on , Volume 42, Issue 10 , Oct. 1994. pp. 2908-2914 [6) .)-I van de Beek. M. Sandell. and P. 0. Brjesson. ML estimation of timing and frequency offset it1 OFDM systems, IEEE Trans. Signal Processing. vol. 45, July 1997, pp. 1800-1805. [7] 1 . M. Schmidl and D. C. Cox, Robust Frequency and Timing Synchroni~atioii for OFDM, IEEE Trans. Commun., Vol. 45, No. 12, December, 1997. pp.1613-1621. 181 Fredrtk lufvesson, Mike Faulkner and Ove Edfors, Time and frequency synchronization foi- OFDM using PN-sequence preambles, Proceedings of I EEE Vehicular Tcchnology Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. September 19-22, 1999, pp. 2203-2207 191 Biao chen, Maximum likelihood estimation o f OFDM carrier frequency offset, IEEE Sihnal Processing Letters, Vol. 9, No 4, April 2002, pp. 123-1 26 [ I O ] U. ltireli. D.Kivanc. and H. liu. Experimental and Analytical Studies on a High Resolutioii OFDM Carrier Frequency Estimator, I EEE Transactions 011 Vehicular Technology, Vol. 50, No. 2. March 2001. pp. 629-643 I I I ] llfiik Tureli, HUi Liu and Michael D.Zoltowski, OFDM Blind Carrier 1.~. t m a t i o n : ESPRIT. I E E E Transactions on Comniunications Vol 48, No. 9, September 2000. pp. 1459-1461

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