Communication at millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies is defining a new era of wireless communication. The mmWave band offers higher bandwidth communication channels versus those presently used in commercial wireless systems. The applications of mmWave are immense: wireless local and personal area networks in the unlicensed band, 5G cellular systems, not to mention vehicular area networks, ad hoc networks, and wearables. Signal processing is critical for enabling the next generation of mmWave communication. Due to the use of large antenna arrays at the transmitter and receiver, combined with radio frequency and mixed signal power constraints, new multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication signal processing techniques are needed. Because of the wide bandwidths, low complexity transceiver algorithms become important. There are opportunities to exploit techniques like compressed sensing for channel estimation and beamforming. This article provides an overview of signal processing challenges in mmWave wireless systems, with an emphasis on those faced by using MIMO communication at higher carrier frequencies.

An Overview of Signal Processing Techniques for Millimeter Wave MIMO Systems

A system is presented providing content to a plurality of handheld devices (including musical selections). The devices can access a server over the Internet via a WIFI or other similar wireless interconnection and can download songs requested by a user from the server or from other users using, e.g., a P2P protocol. All downloads are governed by applicable DRM rules. Content and playlists may also be pushed by a server from other sources and means including, e.g., podcasting, based on predetermined rules, favorite preferences of users, and other criteria.

Audio visual player apparatus and system and method of content distribution using the same

With the explosive growth of mobile data demand, the fifth generation (5G) mobile network would exploit the enormous amount of spectrum in the millimeter wave (mmWave) bands to greatly increase communication capacity. There are fundamental differences between mmWave communications and existing other communication systems, in terms of high propagation loss, directivity, and sensitivity to blockage. These characteristics of mmWave communications pose several challenges to fully exploit the potential of mmWave communications, including integrated circuits and system design, interference management, spatial reuse, anti-blockage, and dynamics control. To address these challenges, we carry out a survey of existing solutions and standards, and propose design guidelines in architectures and protocols for mmWave communications. We also discuss the potential applications of mmWave communications in the 5G network, including the small cell access, the cellular access, and the wireless backhaul. Finally, we discuss relevant open research issues including the new physical layer technology, software-defined network architecture, measurements of network state information, efficient control mechanisms, and heterogeneous networking, which should be further investigated to facilitate the deployment of mmWave communication systems in the future 5G networks.

A survey of millimeter wave communications (mmWave) for 5G: opportunities and challenges

According to Edholm’s law, the demand for point-to-point bandwidth in wireless short-range communications has doubled every 18 months over the last 25 years It can be predicted that data rates of around 5–10 Gb/s will be required in ten years In order to achieve 10 Gb/s data rates, the carrier frequencies need to be increased beyond 100 GHz Over the past ten years, several groups have considered the prospects of using sub-terahertz (THz) and THz waves (100–2000 GHz) as a means to transmit data wirelessly Some of the reported advantages of THz communications links are inherently higher bandwidth compared to millimeter wave links, less susceptibility to scintillation effects than infrared wireless links, and the ability to use THz links for secure communications Our goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of wireless sub-THz and THz communications

Review of terahertz and subterahertz wireless communications

This tutorial presents an overview of the technological advances in millimeter-wave (mm-wave) circuit components, antennas, and propagation that will soon allow 60-GHz transceivers to provide multigigabit per second (multi-Gb/s) wireless communication data transfers in the consumer marketplace. Our goal is to help engineers understand the convergence of communications, circuits, and antennas, as the emerging world of subterahertz and terahertz wireless communications will require understanding at the intersections of these areas. This paper covers trends and recent accomplishments in a wide range of circuits and systems topics that must be understood to create massively broadband wireless communication systems of the future. In this paper, we present some evolving applications of massively broadband wireless communications, and use tables and graphs to show research progress from the literature on various radio system components, including on-chip and in-package antennas, radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs), low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), mixers, and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). We focus primarily on silicon-based technologies, as these provide the best means of implementing very low-cost, highly integrated 60-GHz mm-wave circuits. In addition, the paper illuminates characterization techniques that are required to competently design and fabricate mm-wave devices in silicon, and illustrates effects of the 60-GHz RF propagation channel for both in-building and outdoor use. The paper concludes with an overview of the standardization and commercialization efforts for 60-GHz multi-Gb/s devices, and presents a novel way to compare the data rate versus power efficiency for future broadband devices.

http://faculty.poly.edu/~tsr/wp-content/uploads/publications/abstract17.pdf

State of the Art in 60-GHz Integrated Circuits and Systems for Wireless Communications

A 0.13-mum SiGe BiCMOS double-conversion superheterodyne receiver and transmitter chipset for data communications in the 60-GHz band is presented. The receiver chip includes an image-reject low-noise amplifier (LNA), RF-to-IF mixer, IF amplifier strip, quadrature IF-to-baseband mixers, phase-locked loop (PLL), and frequency tripler. It achieves a 6-dB noise figure, -30 dBm IIP3, and consumes 500 mW. The transmitter chip includes a power amplifier, image-reject driver, IF-to-RF upmixer, IF amplifier strip, quadrature baseband-to-IF mixers, PLL, and frequency tripler. It achieves output P1dB of 10 to 12dBm, Psat of 15 to 17 dBm, and consumes 800 mW. The chips have been packaged with planar antennas, and a wireless data link at 630 Mb/s over 10 m has been demonstrated

A Silicon 60-GHz Receiver and Transmitter Chipset for Broadband Communications

A low-noise amplifier, direct-conversion quadrature mixer, power amplifier, and voltage-controlled oscillators have been implemented in a 012-/spl mu/m, 200-GHz f/sub T/290-GHz f/sub MAX/ SiGe bipolar technology for operation at 60 GHz At 615 GHz, the two-stage LNA achieves 45-dB NF, 15-dB gain, consuming 6 mA from 18 V This is the first known demonstration of a silicon LNA at V-band The downconverter consists of a preamplifier, I/Q double-balanced mixers, a frequency tripler, and a quadrature generator, and is again the first known demonstration of silicon active mixers at V-band At 60 GHz, the downconverter gain is 186 dB and the NF is 133 dB, and the circuit consumes 55 mA from 27 V, while the output buffers consume an additional 52 mA The balanced class-AB PA provides 108-dB gain, +112-dBm 1-dB compression point, 43% maximum PAE, and 16-dBm saturated output power Finally, fully differential Colpitts VCOs have been implemented at 22 and 67 GHz The 67-GHz VCO has a phase noise better than -98 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset, and provides a 31% tuning range for 8-mA current consumption from a 3-V supply

SiGe bipolar transceiver circuits operating at 60 GHz

A method and apparatus for implementing a wireless/wired computer network in an indoor environment with inherent reliability is disclosed. A master network box connected to an AC power network and a master computer generates an RF field around the computer, the home, and AC power network. The integration and implementation of additional devices to the established network is made through additional appliance boxes. Once introduced into the generated RF field, or connected to the AC power network, the additional device is automatically and seamlessly registered and configured into the network without requiring any user intervention. The network is capable of multiple modulation schemes for providing robust wired or wireless communication for various devices which have different power and data rates. The programming of the master computer enables the automated registration of additional devices, and can provide superior control over the devices connected to the network, either via the AC power network, or via RF wireless transmission through the multiple modulation schemes.

A method and apparatus for an automatic multi-rate wireless/wired computer network

Advanced Millimeter-Wave Technologies

Antennas are provided which are constructed using one or more wires as radiating elements attached to a substrate or chip, wherein wire bonding methods can be used to attach and form loop profiles for the wires The antennas can be integrally packaged with IC chips (eg, IC transceivers, receivers, transmitters, etc) to build integrated wireless or RF (radio frequency) communications systems For example, an exemplary antenna device (20) comprises a substrate (21) having a dipole antenna comprising a first wire element (22) connected to and supported by metallic pads (23) and (24), and a second wire element (25) connected to and supported by metallic pads (26) and (27) The metallic pads (23) and (26) are contact pads to an integrated antenna feed network connected to an RF circuit, for example The metallic pads (24) and (27) are termination pads for attaching and supporting the end (non-fed) portions of respective wire elements (22) and (25) Optional metallic shielding elements (28) and (29) are formed on the substrate/chip (21) under respective wire elements (22) and (25) to prevent electromagnetic fields from penetrating into the substrate (21) thereby reducing loss and improving the antenna efficiency

Brian P. Gaucher

Papers

A Silicon 60-GHz Receiver and Transmitter Chipset for Broadband Communications

SiGe bipolar transceiver circuits operating at 60 GHz

A method and apparatus for an automatic multi-rate wireless/wired computer network

Advanced Millimeter-Wave Technologies

Apparatus and methods for constructing antennas using wire bonds as radiating elements