On the Low Complexity Implementation of the DFT-Based BFSK Demodulator for Ultra-Narrowband Communications

Siavash Safapourhajari,Andre B J Kokkeler

doi:10.1109/access.2020.3013986

Siavash Safapourhajari, Andre B J Kokkeler

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2020.3013986

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Abstract

The DFT-based demodulator for BFSK has been introduced for applications where the received signal experiences a carrier frequency offset (CFO) much larger than the symbol rate. The Ultra-Narrowband (UNB) communication techniques have been introduced for implementing the emerging Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN). Since UNB communication is prone to CFO, a DFT-based BFSK demodulator is an interesting option for this type of communication. However, for proper operation in a large frequency offset, the DFT-based demodulator requires a complex window synchronization which is not desirable for low power nodes. The main source of complexity, is calculating the DFT of a window which slides over the preamble. In this work, the complexity is alleviated by considering the window synchronization algorithm and its implementation together. First, a new window synchronization algorithm is proposed which is designed such that an efficient class of implementations of the sliding DFT (SDFT), called Single Bin SDFT (SB-SDFT) in this work, can be used. Moreover, a new stable implementation of SB-SDFT is designed to enable zero-padding which is required by the demodulator. The complexity of the proposed algorithm implemented using the SB-SDFT, scales more efficiently compared to the conventional algorithm when the range of tolerable CFO increases. Using the proposed method, for a CFO tolerance in the order of 14.5 times the symbol rate (±14.5 kHz for a symbol rate equal to 100 Hz), the number of complex operations is reduced by more than 85% (and memory by 90%) compared to the conventional method.

Highlights

INTRODUCTIONOffset tolerant demodulators have been proposed in the last decades as a solution to this problem in low data rate satellite communications where the Carrier Frequency Offset (CFO) is larger than the data rate [8], [9]
The concept of Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) has been recently introduced as an attractive technology to address a variety of IoT applications [1], [2]
Offset tolerant demodulators have been proposed in the last decades as a solution to this problem in low data rate satellite communications where the Carrier Frequency Offset (CFO) is larger than the data rate [8], [9]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Offset tolerant demodulators have been proposed in the last decades as a solution to this problem in low data rate satellite communications where the CFO is larger than the data rate [8], [9]. In our previous work [12], a low complexity window synchronization algorithm was proposed and a Single Bin Sliding DFT (SB-SDFT) structure was introduced to efficiently implement the proposed algorithm. BER performance and complexity results were presented only for N = 8; here, the BER performance and complexity are demonstrated for different values of N This helps us to illustrate how the demodulator scales for larger values of N i.e. a larger tolerable frequency offset.

BACKGROUND

THE PROPOSED WINDOW SYNCHRONIZATION ALGORITHM

COMPLEXITY ANALYSIS

MEMORY

COMPARISON

VIII. CONCLUSION