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Analysis of Wavelet Based OFDM System

Miss Krupali N. Umaria
Electronics and Communication Department,
Sarvajanik College of Engineering &
Technology
Surat, India
e-mail: krupali_krishna@yahoo.co.in
Mrs. Ketki Joshi(Assistant Professor)
Electronics and Communication Department,
Sarvajanik College of Engineering & Technology
Surat, India
e-mail: ketki.joshi@scet.ac.in


ABSTRACT- OFDM is a special form of multicarrier transmission which has found its
application in a number of wireless and wire-line systems. In conventional FFT (Fast Fourier
Transform) based OFDM, cyclic prefix is used to avoid the Inter Symbol Interference caused
by a time dispersive channel. A solution has been proposed in this paper, which involves
replacing FFT with DWT (Discrete Wavelet Transform) in communication systems. Due to
its good orthogonality, Discrete Wavelet Transform is used for orthogonal frequency division
multiplexing systems which reduces Inter Symbol Inference (ISI) and Inter Carrier
Interference (ICI). This eliminates the need for cyclic prefix and increases the spectral
efficiency of the system. This paper presents the literature review of using different wavelet
families, comparison between DWT based OFDM with conventional FFT based OFDM
system. This paper is also analyzing that the DWT based OFDM system is superior to FFT
based OFDM system as it increased spectral efficiency, reduced ISI, ICI and improved the
Bit Error Rate (BER) performance.

Keywords: OFDM, FFT, DWT, AWGN, Bit Error Rate

1. INTRODUCTION

OFDM is one of the most promising technologies for current and future wireless
communications. It is a form of multicarrier modulation [6] technologies where data bits are
encoded to multiple subcarriers while being sent simultaneously. Each subcarrier in an
OFDM system is modulated in amplitude and phase by the data bits. BPSK (Binary Phase
Shift Keying), QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), QAM (Quadrature Amplitude
Modulation), 16-QAM, 64-QAM etc. are the typical modulation techniques which are used
in OFDM system. By using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) [8] and Inverse Fast Fourier
Transform (IFFT), the process is combining different subcarriers to form a composite time-
domain signal.

OFDM has recently gained a lot of attention and is a potential candidate for 4G systems. It is
very efficient in spectrum usage and is very effective in a frequency selective channel. By
taking advantage of recent improvements in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and RF
technologies, OFDM can provide higher data rates and is a very good choice for service
providers to compete with wire-line carriers. OFDM is already the technique used in Digital
Audio and Video Broadcasting and Wireless LANs and is believed to be the technique for
future broadband wireless access [5].

Conventional OFDM systems are the robust for multipath channels due to the cyclically
prefixed guard interval which is inserted between consequent symbols to cancel ISI.
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However, this guard interval decreases the spectral efficiency of the OFDM system as the
corresponding amount. Therefore, there have been approaches of the Wavelet Based OFDM
which does not require the use of the guard interval [1], [2], [3].


Figure 1: Effect of multipath with zero signals in the guard interval, the delayed
subcarrier 2 causes ICI on subcarrier 1 and vice versa.

The Cyclic Prefix is a copy of the last part of the OFDM symbol attached to the front of the
transmitted symbol. When the cyclic prefix length is longer than channel delay response, ISI
and inter channel interference (ICI) can be avoided. Figure 1 show the effect of multipath
with zero signals in the guard interval where the delayed subcarrier 2 causes ICI on
subcarrier 1 and vice versa. In practical OFDM systems, equalization techniques must also be
used in addition to CP. But in recent years Wavelet-based OFDM has gained popularity.
Wavelet OFDM is implemented via overlapped waveforms to preserve data rate. Due to its
very high spectral containment properties of wavelet filters, wavelet OFDM can better
combat narrowband interference and is inherently more robust with respect to ICI than
traditional FFT filters.

The Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) is used in a variety of signal processing
applications, such as video compression, Internet communications compression, object
recognition, and numerical analysis [7]. Advantages over traditional Fourier transforms are:
discontinuities and sharp peaks, accurately deconstructing and reconstructing finite, non-
periodic and/or non-stationary signals. Wavelets are localized in both time and frequency
whereas the Fourier Transform only localized in frequency. Properties of Wavelet
Transforms are: it does not use Cyclic Prefix, better Frequency and Time Localization and
maintain orthogonality.

Several families of wavelets those are especially useful in this paper. Haar wavelet is the first
and simplest. It is the discontinuous and resembles a step function and it represents the same
wavelet as Daubechies db1. Daubechies invented compactly supported orthonormal wavelets
making DWT practicable. The names of Daubechies family wavelets are written dbN, where
N is the order and db is the surname of the wavelet. Biorthogonal family of wavelets
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exhibits the property of linear phase, needed for signal reconstruction. By using two
wavelets, one for decomposition and the other for reconstruction instead of the same single
one. Reverse Biorthogonal is real wavelets to obtain from the biorthogonal wavelet pairs.

The paper is organized as follows: In section 2, we describe the FFT based OFDM system; in
section 3, we describe the DWT based OFDM system; in section 4, we analyze the differen t
OFDM systems and show which wavelet family is useful for better BER performance than
others. Finally in section 5, a conclusion is presented to summarize the main outcomes of this
paper.

2. FFT BASED OFDM SYSTEM

OFDM implementation is done at the physical layer of any communication systems [3].
Figure 2 shows the block diagram of FFT based OFDM transceiver. The input data are in
random binary form first being processed by a constellation mapping. M-ary QAM or PSK
modulator is used to map the raw binary data with N subcarriers which are implemented
using the IFFT block.

After symbol mapping, serial to parallel conversion is used to convert the data stream into
parallel form where each parallel data stream represents a sub-channel. Then IFFT block is
used to modulate this low data rate stream that also converts the domain of the input.

INPUT






OUTPUT


Figure 2: FFT Based OFDM [3]

The output of IFFT is the sum of the information signal in the discrete time domain as
follows:
1
2 /
0
1
N
j km N
k m
m
x X e
N

(1)
Where { | 0 1}
k
x k N a sequence in discrete time domain is { | 0 1} Xm m N are
complex numbers in discrete frequency domain that are obtained by applications of digital
modulation methods. The cyclic prefix is lastly added before transmission to minimize the
Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) and Inter Carrier Interference (ICI) [1], [2], [3].

At the receiver side, the process is reversed to obtain the decoded data. The cyclic prefix is
removed to obtain the data in the discrete time domain and then processed to FFT for data
MOD.
(QAM, PSK)
S/P
CONV.
IFFT
CYCLIC
PREFIX
ADDITION
N
CHANNEL
CYCLIC
PREFIX
REMOVAL
FFT
P/S
CONV. DEMOD.
4

recovery. The output of the FFT is the sum of the received signal in discrete frequency
domain as follows:
1
2 /
0
N
j km N
m k
k
X x e

(2)
After FFT, signal is converted back to parallel form and demodulated to yield the transmitted
signal back.

3. DWT BASED OFDM SYSTEM

Wavelet transform is a tool for studying signals in the joint time-frequency domains. So it is
capable of providing the time and frequency information simultaneously, hence giving a
time-frequency representation of the signal. The use of wavelet promises to reduce the ISI
and ICI without the usage of cyclic prefix as used in FFT Based OFDM [1], [3]. The
transform is implemented using filters. There are two filters pairs one for analysis pair also
called wavelet transform pair is a low pass filter while the other is a high pass filter. Figure 3
shows the block diagram for the implementation of wavelet transform upto one level only
therefore only one pair of filters (a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter) is used. Each sub
stream of data is sub-sampled by two as shown. The wavelet transforms divides the signal
into the approximate coefficients and detail coefficients as shown in figure 3.


Approximation coefficients


x[n] Detail coefficients


Figure 3: Block diagram of Filter Analysis [3]

The DWT of a signal x is calculated by passing it through a series of filters. First the samples
are passed through a low pass filter with impulse response g resulting in a convolution of
the two:
[ ] ( * )[ ] [ ] [ ]
k
y n x g n x k g n k

(3)
The signal is also decomposed simultaneously using a high pass filter h. The output gives
the detail coefficients (from the high-pass filter) and approximation coefficients (from the
low-pass). It is important that the two filters are related to each other and they are known as a
quadrature mirror filters [3]. The filter outputs are then sub sampled by two. The outputs of
the low-pass filter and the high-pass filter are shown below and are the convolutions
of the input data with the respective filter responses:
[ ] ( * )[ ] [ ] [2 ]
low
k
y n x g n x k g n k

(4)
g[n]
h[n]
2
2

5

[ ] ( * )[ ] [ ] [2 ]
high
k
y n x h n x k h n k

(5)

The decomposition has halved the time resolution since only half of each filter output
characterizes the signal. However, each output has half the frequency band of the input so
the frequency resolution has been doubled.

The transceiver of DWT based OFDM is shown in Figure 4. In a DWT based system,
inverse discrete wavelet transform (IDWT) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT)
replace the IFFT and FFT of FFT-OFDM system in modulation and demodulation
processes.


i/p o/p




Figure 4: DWT Based OFDM [3]

The output of the inverse discrete wavelet transform (IDWT) can be represented as:
/ 2
0 0
( ) 2 (2 )
n m m
m k
m n
d k D n



(6)

Where
n
m
D are the wavelet coefficients and (t) is the wavelet function with compressed
factor m times and shifted n times for each subcarrier (number k, 0 k N 1).

The wavelet coefficients are the representation of signals in scale and position or time. Xm
At the receiver side, the process is inversed. The output of discrete wavelet transform (DWT)
is
1
/ 2
0
( )2 (2 )
N
n m m
m k
k
D d k n

(7)

Therefore the QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Mirror) is a filter most commonly used to
implement filter bank that splits an input signal into two bands. Multirate signal processing is
used for the practical applications in signal processing to save costs, processing time and
many other practical reasons.

4. REVIEW ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT OFDM SYSTEMS

1. The wavelet families Biorthogonal, Reverse-biorthogonal and Daubechies are
compared with FFT-OFDM and found that biorthogonal5.5 is superior among all. It
outperforms FFT and Daubechies by about 2dB and biorthogonal3.3 by 8 dB at 0.001
S
/
P

Constellation
Modulation
I
D
W
T
Channel
Constellation
Demodulation


D
W
T
P
/
S
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Bit Error Rate. Using Reverse biorthogonal, the wavelet family reverse
biorthogonal3.3 has the least error as compared to others. At BER target of 0.001, it
outperforms FFT and Daubechies approximately 4 dB and reverse biorthogonal5.5
about 6 dB. Also the Daubechies families like db2 and db4 perform overlapping
curves with FFT-OFDM. This is possible since their orthogonality follows FFTs
orthogonality at small lter length such as 2 and 4 in the presence of additive white
Gaussian noise. Therefore DWT-OFDM is superior to FFT-OFDM when the system
use biorthogonal5.5 or reverse biorthogonal3.3 wavelet family [1].

Table 1: Analysis of FFT and DWT based OFDM

FFT-OFDM DWT-OFDM
Cyclic prefix Used Not used
Wavelet family - Biorthogonal, reverse biorthogonal
and daubechies
Bit error rate More Less
Orthonormal bases and
perfect reconstruction
properties
- Satisfied

2. The Haar and Daubechies based orthonormal wavelets are compared with
conventional OFDM and found that they are capable of reducing the power of
intersymbol interference (ISI) and intercarrier interference (ICI) due to the loss in
orthogonality between the carriers as a result of the multipath wireless channel. Also
analyzed that for the Wavelet Based MC transmission, as the number of carriers
increases ICI power is reduced [2]. Also orthonormal wavelets derived from Haar
QAMs provide good performance achievements in reducing both the ISI and ICI [2].

Table 2: Analysis of FFT and DWT based OFDM

Conventional
OFDM
Wavelet based OFDM
Wavelet family - Haar, daubechies
Average ISI reduced slightly reduced
Average ICI reduced Highly reduced
Bandwidth Divided uniformly Divided non-uniformly
Use of
bandwidth
- Large subchannel bandwidth used to
transmit high data rates i.e. video signals
and small subchannel bandwidth used to
transmit low data rates i.e. voice signal

3. For the FFT-OFDM system , AWGN, Rayleigh and Rician fading channels were
considered and analyzed that if the energy per bit to noise ratio was increases in
any system, the bit error rate was decreases accordingly. As the bit error rate was
less in wavelet based system it performs better compared to FFT based system
for any value of Eb/No [3].

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Table 3: Analysis of FFT-OFDM and DWT-OFDM system
FFT Based OFDM DWT Based OFDM
Cyclic prefix With cyclic prefix Without cyclic prefix
Bit error rate more Less
Modulation methods BPSK, DBPSK BPSK, DBPSK
Channels AWGN, Rayleigh and
Rician fading channels
AWGN, Rayleigh and Rician
fading channels

4. Comparing with DWT-OFDM, WPT-OFDM and FFT-OFDM, DWT-OFDM gives
better performance than others because DWT-OFDM using zero-padding for detail
coefficients and also satisfies orthonormal bases and perfect reconstruction properties
[4]. The zero padding spreads the spectrum of the source symbols uniformly [9].

Table 4: Analysis of FFT-OFDM and DWT-OFDM system
FFT-OFDM WPT-OFDM DWT-OFDM
Cyclic prefix Used Not used Not used
Bit error rate More Less Less
Wavelet family - Biorthogonal, reverse
biorthogonal and
daubechies
Biorthogonal,
reverse
biorthogonal and
daubechies


5. Conclusion

This paper presents the analysis and review of OFDM techniques. The Discrete Wavelet
Transform is used instead of FFT which increases the orthogonality. There is no need for
using cyclic prefix because of excellent orthogonality offered by DWT, which in its order
reduces the system complexity, increases the transmission rate and increases spectral
efficiency.

After comparison between DWT based OFDM system with FFT based OFDM system, it was
found that DWT based OFDM system has better BER performance than that of the FFT
based OFDM for BPSK and DBPSK types of the modulations in the Additive White
Gaussian Noise channel, Rayleigh and Rician fading channels and as Eb/No ratio is
increased, bit error rate is decreases.

Also we analyzed that as the number of carriers increases, the Inter Carrier Interference
power is reduced dramatically for Wavelet Based multicarrier transmission system compare
to FFT-OFDM system. Therefore DWT based OFDM system is superior to the Fourier
transform based OFDM system especially when the system uses biorthogonal5.5 or reverse
biorthogonal3.3 wavelet family.



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References

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[2] B.G.Negash and H.Nikookar, Wavelet Based OFDM for Wireless Channels,
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[3] Swati Sharma1 and Sanjeev Kumar2, BER Performance Evaluation of FFT-OFDM
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[8] Oppenheim, Schafer with Buck, Discrete-Time Signal Processing, PEARSON
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nd
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[9] Jonathan H. Manton, An OFDM interpretation of zero padded block transmissions,
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