Disintegrated Channel Estimation in Filter-and-Forward Relay Networks

Web Published:
10/20/2016
Description:

Princeton Docket # 16-3215-1

 

Researchers in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Princeton University have developed a new process for channel estimation in modern wireless multi-relay cellular networks to enable increased signal quality and lower outage probability without the need for infrastructure upgrades or modifications.

 

In general, modern cellular networks are composed of base stations that are connected to relays to enable greater coverage, better signal quality and/or higher throughput in a cost-effective fashion. These advantages come at the cost of increased network complexity and a greater probability of interference. For instance, relays do not have prior knowledge of the overall network topology or structure. As such, they must estimate and digitize channel information on-the-fly to transmit to base stations, other relays, or a mobile unit. Current technologies rely on decoding and forwarding (i.e., with a non-transparent relay), or amplifying and forwarding (i.e., with a transparent relay) this information, though with poorly optimized relay cooperation. This invention developed at Princeton is a low-complexity method that allows for spectrally efficient channel estimation without the need for hardware or protocol upgrades. This technology improves on existing non-transparent and transparent relays by using designed filtering matrices at relays and space-time coding methods to deliver information while occupying fewer control channels. As a result, enhanced multi-relay cooperation with spatial diversity can deliver improved network performance, lower channel estimation error and bit-error rate (BER), and better quality of service for end users.

 

Applications

 

•     Modern wireless cellular networks

•     Multi-relay communication systems

 

Advantages

 

•     Lower outage probability

•     Increased signal quality

•     Lower channel estimation error

•     Lower bit error rate

•     No hardware, protocol  or infrastructure upgrades required

 

Publications

 

K.-P. Chou, J.-C. Lin, H. V. Poor. Disintegrated Channel Estimation in Filter-and-Forward Relay Networks. IEEE Transactions on Communications. 2016, 64, 2835-2847.

 

Inventors

 

Vincent Poor is the Michael Henry Strater University Professor of Electrical Engineering at Princeton University, where his research interests are in the area of wireless networks and related fields.  During 2006-16 he served as Dean of Princeton’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. He has also been involved as a consultant for a number of organizations in the wireless space, and has held visiting appointments several other institutions, including most recently at Stanford and Imperial College. Dr. Poor is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences, and is a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors, and other national and international academies. Recent recognition of his work includes the 2014 URSI Booker Gold Medal, the 2016 John Fritz Medal, and honorary doctorates from several universities in Asia and Europe.

 

Jia-Chin Lin is a Professor in the Department of Communication Engineering, National Central University, Taiwan. He has held visiting appointments at several universities, including Stanford University and Princeton University. Dr. Lin has been serving as an Associate Editor of the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VEHICULAR TECHNOLOGY since 2008. He has been serving as a Technical Associate Editor of the IEEE COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE since 2013. He served as an Associate Editor of the IEEE SIGNAL PROCESSING LETTERS from 2011 to 2012. He served as a Guest Editor of the IEEE JOURNAL ON SELECTED AREAS IN COMMUNICATIONS (Special Issue on Emerging Technologies in Communications: Vehicular Networks and Telematics Applications). He served as a Guest Editor of the feature topic: Synchronization Standards towards 5G in the IEEE COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE. He served as a Guest Editor of the IEEE ITS Magazine and the IET Intelligent Transport Systems. Recent recognition of his work includes the Dr. Wu Da-You Research Award from the National Science Council, Executive Yuan, the Young Scientist Award by URSI, and the 2009 Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award of Taiwan.

 

Kao-Peng Chou is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Communication Engineering at National Central University, Taiwan. His research focus is channel estimation and human dynamics in cooperative communication. Kao-Peng received his M.S. degree from the Department of Communication Engineering, National Central University, Taiwan, R.O.C., in 2009, and is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree. His research interests include wireless transmission, cooperative wireless networks, channel estimation, and interference coordination.

 

Intellectual Property & Development status

 

Patent protection is pending.

 

Princeton is currently seeking commercial partners for the further development and commercialization of this opportunity.

 

Contact

Michael R. Tyerech

Princeton University Office of Technology Licensing

(609) 258-6762• tyerech@princeton.edu

 

Patent Information:
For Information, Contact:
Chris Wright
Licensing Associate
Princeton University
cw20@princeton.edu
Inventors:
Jia-Chin Lin
H. Vincent Poor
Kao-Peng Chou
Keywords: