GoNet Systems xRF Beamforming Engine

Optimizing WLANs for carrier-grade deployments

White Paper
GoNet Systems xRF Beamforming
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GoNet Systems 2011
GoNet Systems patented xRF beamforming
technology is specifically designed to deliver
optimal range, capacity and noise mitigation
capabilities operating in the unlicensed 2.4GHz
bandwidth for outdoor WLAN deployments. The
xRF technology solution boosts WLAN system
performance by combining a unique smart antenna
array with powerful Digital Signal Processing (DSP).
The IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard is expanding to
outdoor applications, including 3G Data offload,
broadband wireless access, municipal deployments,
Video surveillance and multimedia services.
However, traditional WLAN infrastructure
equipment (originally developed for indoor use)
must evolve to deliver the performance required by
these applications. Delivering Wi-Fi service in the
highly interfered 2.4 GHz band is highly challenging
due to high noise levels, which adversely affect the
Quality of Service (QOS), capacity and range.
Standard AP Implementation
A standard access point (AP) transceiver consists of
an antenna, an RF chain and a modem. The RF Chain
includes reception/transmission (RX/TX) amplifiers
and filters. As seen in Figure 2, in a standard 802.11
AP one RF Chain is connected to one of two
antennas; an arrangement referred to as antenna
selection or antenna diversity. The AP uses a switch
to select the better one of the two antennae when
receiving or transmitting packets.

In this arrangement, only one antenna can be used
at a time. Moreover, outdoor tests indicate that
when compared with the use of a single antenna,
this arrangement results in a relatively low gain of 2
decibels (dB).
The xRF Antenna Array
Until recently, the smart antenna arrays with DSP
processing technology was almost exclusively
employed in military applications, such as anti-
jamming radio transceivers and radar/sonar
systems as well as high end civilian ultrasound
imaging systems and cellular communication
infrastructures. With advances in electronics, the
integration of antenna arrays solutions in wireless
systems has become affordable.

GoNet Systems beamforming technology uses four
antennas with four RF chains, which are combined
in the xRF DSP. The energy of all four of the
antennas is used to receive and transmit WLAN
signals. Fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11b/g
standard, GoNet Systems technology works with
any 802.11b or 802.11b/g off-the-shelf client.




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xRF - How it works?
GoNet Systems xRF DSP implementation detects
the packet direction-of-arrival within the first 2s,
and locks the antenna array on the signal. The signal
SNR is improved by 6dB with four receiving
antennas. As a result, the xRF based access point
has a sensitivity level of up to -102dBm.
As illustrated in Figure 3, the direction-of-arrival
information collected helps to transmit downstream
traffic. The xRF DSP can transmit packets either
directionally (to a specific client) or omni-
directionally. Omni-transmissions are normally used
in broadcasts or protection packets, such as CTS-to-
self.
The xRF beamforming, smart antenna design
includes MAC enhancements. For example, in the
past, the use of conational directional antennas
increased the probability of "hidden nodes," which
resulted in an overall reduction in network
performance. GoNet Systems technology
overcomes this problem by utilizing a cross-layer
optimized MAC that utilizes the xRF hardwares
directional/omni transmissions with WLAN
protection packets. This represents the industry's
first actual cross-layer optimization in the physical
layer, the MAC layer, and higher layers.

Interference Mitigation
There is a huge number of devices that operate in
the 2.4GHz band. As a result of the multitude of
transmission sources, any given 2.4GHz channel
may be completely blocked.
In order to compensate for this high level of
interference, standard APs must lower their
receiver sensitivity (normally displayed as a noise
floor, below which an AP cannot receive signals).
This action enables the AP to ignore distant
interference sources. However, it also reduces the
range and capacity for the APs legitimate clients.
Standard APs with an optimal operational sensitivity
of -100dB receive sensitivity are unable to
perform at this level in a dense urban environment.
In fact, in this type of environment, standard APs
are often forced to lower their receiver sensitivity to
-82dBm or even less.
GoNet Systems xRF Interference Mitigation
In contrast to a standard omni-AP, which receives a
packet with a beam of 360 degrees, GoNet Systems
xRF based access points operate with a narrow 24
beam. The result is 90% effective noise mitigation,
by ignoring the majority of the area (and
interference) during reception.
In addition, GoNet Systems xRF beamforming
technology fits the optimal operational sensitivity
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GoNet Systems 2011
per direction. Therefore, interference sources do
not lower the whole 120 or 360 operational
sensitivity, it only cancels out portions of that space
that are interfered.
GoNet Systems xRF technology can combat
interference with directional correlators and omni-
directional antenna pattern. Its directional
correlators distinguish WLAN signals from Bluetooth
devices, 2.4GHz cordless phones, and other non-
WLAN signals to make a large percentage of the air
time available.
Multi channel xRF
The 2.4GHz band can support up to three non-
overlapping channels. However, when two WLAN
devices operate in close proximity, their non-
overlapping channels severely interfere with one
another. These cross-channel interferences are due
to the following factors:
A device transmitting in channel 1 in an EIRP of
approximately 40bBmi also transmits at
approximately -30dBmi in channel 6 and at
approximately -40dBmi in Channel 11. This
residual energy is part of the CCK/OFDM
spectral mask illustrated in Figure 4. The energy
transmitted by a channel to non-overlapping
channels is quite significant, since those
channels receive signals at levels of
approximately -100dBm.
A WLAN modem receiving chain normally
consists of at least one Low Noise Amplifier
(LNA) that operates within the entire 2.4GHz
band, before bending pass filtering to the
operating channel. The received signal
distortion results from the WLANs attempt to
amplify: (a) the strong interference in a non-
overlapping channel and (b) a weak requested
signal.

GoNet Systems Multichannel xRF
GoNet Systems xRF-based access points support
multiple, independent 2.4 GHz radios in a single
device with integrated antennas, which increases
the capacity in a multi-channel operation. GoNet
Systems patented Multichannel technology is based
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on an implementation of the tunable high quality RF
filter.
Performance Benefits
Link Budget calculations for RF systems may be
useful in calculating a systems range (and
throughput for a given range) in isolated areas,
where an AP is the only system operating in the
2.4GHz band. However, these calculations do not
reflect the real performance in large city
environments for the following reasons:
1. Lamp posts, trees, and other obstructions affect
the line-of-sight (LOS). This makes accurate of
street-level coverage estimation a huge
challenge.
2. The fact that the 2.4GHz band is unlicensed
makes it hard to predict interference levels in a
given area, especially since receiver sensitivity is
dynamic. (Interference desensitizes WLAN APs.)
3. Standard Wi-Fi modems were designed for
indoor use, and cannot adequately decode
packets with large delay spreads.
4. Since only three non-overlapping channels can
work in parallel in an area covered by the
2.4GHz band, an AP must share its air time with
neighboring networks. This results in decreased
system capacity.
These environmental factors make comparison
tests, in real environments settings, greatly
superior to determining the coverage and
performance in comparison to any Link Budget
calculation, in large urban deployments.
Executive Summary
GoNet Systems xRF smart antenna beamforming
technology is optimized to for outdoor Wi-Fi urban
deployments. The companys access points create a
beam for every packet, which is directed toward the
user being served. This focused approach enables
optimal performance in comparison to omni-
directional access points, which transmit and
receive from all directions.
GoNet Systems xRF beamforming benefits:
1. Interference mitigation - Omni systems is
receive interferer sources with same gain as the
users signal. In xRF beamforming, interferer
sources from the side lobes are received in
average 20dB (1%) the power of the users
signal. This capability provides highly effective,
interference immunity.
2. Inter-cell interference The narrow beam
delivered by GoNet Systems access points
pollute the air much less than regular Aps,
which transmit to all directions. In the 2.4Ghz
band only 3 non-overlapping channels exist.
Dense deployments of standard APs create high
levels of noise pollution and reduce the total
system capacity due to interference between
adjacent cells.
3. Resistance to fading One of the major issues
limiting the performance of outdoor Wi-Fi is the
fading phenomena - where signals reflected
from buildings and objects are combined
destructively and degrade the signal quality.
GoNet Systems xRF beamforming solution is
resistant to fading and provide 5-8dB extra gain
in such environments.
4. Higher antenna and array gain - xRF
beamforming systems have antenna gain of 14-
17dBi compared to less than 8dBi for standard
omni radios. Combined with the diversity gain,
xRF beamforming provides x2-x4 range and
capacity. As a result, GoNet Systems
deployments require 25% access points and
sites in order to cover the same area.
5. Transmit power - Certifications enable
beamforming systems to transmit higher power.
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For example in an FCC environment, the xRF
system is allowed to transmit more than
43dBmi compared to 36dBmi to standard access
points. These extra 7dB deliver more than 4
times the power, and translates to a significant
increase range and capacity.

About GoNet Systems
GoNet Systems provides carrier-class, outdoor Wi-Fi solutions to cellular operators and wireless service
providers for 3G data offload and Wi-Fi access applications. With beamforming access technology, flexible self-
healing mesh architecture and specialized noise filters, GoNet delivers superior coverage and capacity. The
companys MBW platform has been specifically optimized for deployment alongside 3G networks, without
suffering from performance degradation due to noise. The dual radio architecture combined with smart antenna
technology enable cellular operators to deliver high data volumes effectively.
GoNet Systems outdoor Wi-Fi solutions are designed for bandwidth intensive services such as high-speed data,
video streaming, W-VoIP, video surveillance and smart grid applications. GoNet Systems Wi-Fi solutions are cost-
effective and reliable enabling service provider and cellular operators to effectively tap into the huge, and
growing, Wi-Fi client install base.