Stephen B. Weinstein

Bio: Stephen B. Weinstein is an academic researcher from Telcordia Technologies. The author has contributed to research in topics: Adaptive equalizer & Data transmission. The author has an hindex of 16, co-authored 38 publications receiving 4651 citations. Previous affiliations of Stephen B. Weinstein include Bell Labs.

Phase-jitter compensation using periodic harmonically related components

Abstract: A quadrature amplitude-modulated (QAM) data signal receiver employs a phase compensation arrangement (16, 31, 33) before the equalizer (17). The arrangement utilizes the assumption that the frequency components typically present in the phase perturbance are power-line related. This enables an effective phase compensator to be of relatively low complexity compared to the equalizer (17). Since the compensator is "pretuned", only the phase and amplitude of the frequency components need be adaptively found. This makes for a relatively stable arrangement with a suitable convergence rate. In an alternative arrangement, a phase compensator (216, 233, 240) is provided for use after the equalizer (217).

Timing acquisition in voiceband data sets

Abstract: In a multipoint data communication system using quadrature-amplitude modulation, a master modem (20) and a plurality of tributary modems (11a, 11b . . . 11n) are interconnected via respective transmission channels (13a, 13b . . . 13n, 16). Adaptive equalizer circuitry (55, 56) in the master modem equalizes the channel from a particular tributary by multiplying samples of signals received from the tributary by an ensemble of tap coefficients associated with the tributary. The tap coefficient ensembles for each tributary are stored in a memory (91) from which they are retrieved at the start of transmission from that tributary. Timing-acquisition circuitry (29) within the master modem adjusts the phase of the latter's sampling circuitry (23, 27) at the start of transmission from a given tributary so that the received signals are sampled at the correct time points. In particular, a timing acquisition signal having spectral components only within the non-rolloff region of the equalized baseband-equivalent transfer function is transmitted by the tributary. The master samples and equalizes the received timing acquisition signal to form a succession of timing acquisiton equalizer outputs. The time by which the operation of the sampling circuitry is to be advanced or retarded is determined as a trigonometric function of two successive ones of the timing acquisition equalizer outputs. The timing acquisition signal is illustratively a double-dotting pattern having a four-symbol-interval period. That period is integrally related to the carrier frequency. This allows the samples needed in order to begin forming the timing acquisition equalizer outputs to be generated by replicating the samples taken over only four symbol intervals.

Joint adaptive echo canceller and equalizer for two- wire full-duplex data transmission

Abstract: An adaptive equalizer and echo canceller jointly respond to a common error difference between the actual output and the quantized digital output of a data receiver in a two-wire digital data transmission system to achieve simultaneous full-bandwith full-duplex operation. Two-wire transmission channels are typically terminated in hybrid balancing networks which because of their fixed impedances permit "echoes" of the transmitted signal to interfere with reception of the much weaker incoming signal. Both the equalizer and canceller are adaptively adjustable transversal structures.

Coefficient tap leakage for fractionally-spaced equalizers

Abstract: A quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) data signal transmitted at T symbols per second is sampled in a data receiver at a rate of 2/T samples per second and applied to a transversal-type equalizer structure (25, 46, 34, 35) having taps spaced at T/2 second intervals. A demodulated equalized signal (aj, bj), generated once every T seconds, is quantized to form a decision (A(Alpha)j*, B(Alpha)j*) as to the value of the original modulating data symbol. An error signal (ej, ej) is formed in response to the pre- and post-quantized values of the demodulated equalized signal. Tap coefficients (ci(j), (Alpha)i(j)) used in generating the equalized signals are updated in response to a) a correction term which is a function of the error signal and b) a predetermined tap leakage term which has a constant magnitude. The introduction of the tap leakage term maintains the coefficient values at minimum levels.

Estimation of Small Probabilities by Linearization of the Tail of a Probability Distribution Function

Abstract: Suppose that a random variable has the probability density function p_{v,\sigma}(x) = \frac{\upsilon}{\sigma\Gamma(1/\upsilon)}exp [-(x/\sigma)^{\upsilon}] , 0 \leq x \leq \infty where σ and ν may not be known. In order to estimate the probability P_{e}(K) that the random variable exceeds a high threshold K , an extrapolation can be made from counting estimates \hat{P}_{e}(x_{1}) , \hat{P}_{e}(x_{2}) , ... , \hat{P}_{e}(x_{m}) , of the probabilities of exceeding m lower thresholds. Using the observation that a double logarithmic function of P_{e}(x) , is approximately linear in log (x) for a useful range of the exponent, an estimate of In [-In P_{e}f(K) ] can be made by straightline extrapolation. In application to estimation of error rate in a digital communication system operating over an analog channel, only weak a-priori assumptions about the noise need be made, substantially fewer samples are required than for the usual counting estimate, and knowledge of the transmitted data sequence is unnecessary. A physical implementation of this technique in an error meter is described.

On Limits of Wireless Communications in a Fading Environment when UsingMultiple Antennas

Abstract: This paper is motivated by the need for fundamental understanding of ultimate limits of bandwidth efficient delivery of higher bit-rates in digital wireless communications and to also begin to look into how these limits might be approached. We examine exploitation of multi-element array (MEA) technology, that is processing the spatial dimension (not just the time dimension) to improve wireless capacities in certain applications. Specifically, we present some basic information theory results that promise great advantages of using MEAs in wireless LANs and building to building wireless communication links. We explore the important case when the channel characteristic is not available at the transmitter but the receiver knows (tracks) the characteristic which is subject to Rayleigh fading. Fixing the overall transmitted power, we express the capacity offered by MEA technology and we see how the capacity scales with increasing SNR for a large but practical number, n, of antenna elements at both transmitter and receiver. We investigate the case of independent Rayleigh faded paths between antenna elements and find that with high probability extraordinary capacity is available. Compared to the baseline n = 1 case, which by Shannon‘s classical formula scales as one more bit/cycle for every 3 dB of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increase, remarkably with MEAs, the scaling is almost like n more bits/cycle for each 3 dB increase in SNR. To illustrate how great this capacity is, even for small n, take the cases n = 2, 4 and 16 at an average received SNR of 21 dB. For over 99% of the channels the capacity is about 7, 19 and 88 bits/cycle respectively, while if n = 1 there is only about 1.2 bit/cycle at the 99% level. For say a symbol rate equal to the channel bandwith, since it is the bits/symbol/dimension that is relevant for signal constellations, these higher capacities are not unreasonable. The 19 bits/cycle for n = 4 amounts to 4.75 bits/symbol/dimension while 88 bits/cycle for n = 16 amounts to 5.5 bits/symbol/dimension. Standard approaches such as selection and optimum combining are seen to be deficient when compared to what will ultimately be possible. New codecs need to be invented to realize a hefty portion of the great capacity promised.

Multicarrier modulation for data transmission: an idea whose time has come

Abstract: The general technique of parallel transmission on many carriers, called multicarrier modulation (MCM), is explained. The performance that can be achieved on an undistorted channel and algorithms for achieving that performance are discussed. Ways of dealing with channel impairments and of improving the performance through coding are described, and implementation methods are considered. Duplex operation of MCM and the possible use of this on the general switched telephone network are examined. >

Wireless Infrared Communications

Abstract: The use of infrared radiation as a medium for high-speed short-range wireless digital communication is discussed. Available infrared links and local-area networks are described. Advantages and drawbacks of the infrared medium are compared to those of radio and microwave media. The physical characteristics of infrared channels using intensity modulation with direct detection (IM/DD) are presented including path losses and multipath responses. Natural and artificial ambient infrared noise sources are characterized. Strategies for designs of transmitter and receivers that maximize link signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are described. Several modification formats are discussed in detail, including on-off keying (OOK) pulse-position modulation (PPM), and subcarrier modulation. The performance of these techniques in the presence of multipath distortion is quantified. Techniques for multiplexing the transmissions of different users are reviewed. The performance of an experimental 50-Mb/s on-off-keyed diffuse infrared link is described.

Self-Recovering Equalization and Carrier Tracking in Two-Dimensional Data Communication Systems

Abstract: Conventional equalization and carrier recovery algorithms for minimizing mean-square error in digital communication systems generally require an initial training period during which a known data sequence is transmitted and properly synchronized at the receiver. This paper solves the general problem of adaptive channel equalization without resorting to a known training sequence or to conditions of limited distortion. The criterion for equalizer adaptation is the minimization of a new class of nonconvex cost functions which are shown to characterize intersymbol interference independently of carrier phase and of the data symbol constellation used in the transmission system. Equalizer convergence does not require carrier recovery, so that carrier phase tracking can be carried out at the equalizer output in a decision-directed mode. The convergence properties of the self-recovering algorithms are analyzed mathematically and confirmed by computer simulation.

Analysis and Simulation of a Digital Mobile Channel Using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing

Abstract: This paper discusses the analysis and simulation of a technique for combating the effects of multipath propagation and cochannel interference on a narrow-band digital mobile channel. This system uses the discrete Fourier transform to orthogonally frequency multiplex many narrow subchannels, each signaling at a very low rate, into one high-rate channel. When this technique is used with pilot-based correction, the effects of flat Rayleigh fading can be reduced significantly. An improvement in signal-to-interference ratio of 6 dB can be obtained over the bursty Rayleigh channel. In addition, with each subchannel signaling at a low rate, this technique can provide added protection against delay spread. To enhance the behavior of the technique in a heavily frequency-selective environment, interpolated pilots are used. A frequency offset reference scheme is employed for the pilots to improve protection against cochannel interference.