Jean-Pierre Millerioux

Iterative interference cancellation and channel estimation in multibeam satellite systems

This paper deals with the use of non-linear multiuser detection techniques to mitigate co-channel interference on the reverse link of multibeam satellite systems. These techniques allow more capacity efficient frequency reuse strategies than classical ones, as they make possible to cope with lower C/I. The considered system takes as a starting point the DVB-RCS standard, with the use of convolutional coding, and the use of the Ka-band. We propose different iterative interference cancellation schemes, which operate at the beamformer outputs, and which use information from decoders. The proposed receivers assume an initial single-user synchronization step: frame synchronization and timing recovery, and then perform channel estimation: beamformer coefficients; signal carrier phases and signal amplitudes. In a first step, these receivers are evaluated by simulation in terms of bit error rate and of channel estimation error on two interference configurations. For one of these receivers, sensitivity to imperfect timing recovery and to low-frequency offsets from user terminals is evaluated. In a second step, since the receiver performances highly depend on the interference configuration, we propose an approach to evaluate performances on a multibeam coverage (by taking into account the variability of interference configurations on the coverage). This method is used to compare different receivers on an example based on a coverage designed on a digital focal array feed reflector antenna. Copyright

CRC-assisted error correction in a trellis coded system with bit stuffing

This paper introduces a new error correction strategy using cyclic redundancy checks (CRC) for a trellis coded system in the presence of bit stuffing. The proposed receiver is designed to simultaneously demodulate, decode and correct the received message in the presence of bit stuffing. It is based on a Viterbi algorithm exploiting the conditional transitions of an appropriate extended trellis. The receiver is evaluated with automatic identification system (AIS) messages constructed with a 16 bit CRC and a Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) modulation. The stuffed bits are inserted after any sequence of five consecutive bits 1 as requested by the AIS recommendation. Simulation results illustrate the algorithm performance in terms of packet error rate. A gain of more than 2.5dB is obtained when compared to the conventional GMSK receiver.

Results of measurement campaign for characterisation of AIS transmitters

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a maritime surveillance system using the VHF band to exchange information between ships and shore stations, including positions, identification, course and speed. It mainly aims at avoiding collisions between ships. The link budgets allow receiving transmitted AIS signals from space, and consequently a global maritime surveillance from space can be considered. However, some challenges arise, especially message collisions due to the use of a SO-TDMA protocol (not designed for satellite detection). Advanced signal processing for separation of received signals is needed. In this paper, we describe a measurement campaign of AIS signals (from many different transmitters) in the Ouessant rail realised to understand the needs of space-based AIS system. Detailed results at different layers are given.

Joint phase-recovery and demodulation-decoding of AIS signals received by satellite

This paper presents a demodulation algorithm for automatic identification system (AIS) signals received by a satellite. The main contribution of this work is to consider the phase recovery problem for an unknown modulation index, coupled with a time-varying phase shift. The proposed method is based on a demodulator introduced in a previous paper based on a Viterbi-type algorithm applied to an extended trellis. The states of this extended trellis are composed of a trellis-code state and of a cyclic redundancy check state. The bit stuffing mechanism is taken into account by defining special conditional transitions in the extended trellis. This algorithm estimates and tracks the phase shift by modifying the Euclidean distance used in the trellis. Simulation results obtained with and without phase tracking are presented and compared in the context of the AIS system.

Cyclic redundancy check-based detection algorithms for automatic identification system signals received by satellite

This paper addresses the problem of demodulating signals transmitted in the automatic identification system. The main characteristics of such signals consist of two points: (i) they are modulated using a trellis-coded modulation, more precisely a Gaussian minimum shift keying modulation; and (ii) they are submitted to a bit stuffing procedure, which makes more difficult the detection of the transmitted information bits. This paper presents several demodulation algorithms developed in different contexts: mono-user and multi-user transmissions, and known/unknown phase shift. The proposed receiver uses the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) present in the automatic identification system signals for error correction and not for error detection only. By using this CRC, a particular Viterbi algorithm, on the basis of a so-called extended trellis, is developed. This trellis is defined by extended states composed of a trellis code state and a CRC state. Moreover, specific conditional transitions are defined to take into account the possible presence of stuffing bits. The algorithms proposed in the multi-user scenario present a small increase of computation complexity with respect to the mono-user algorithms. Some performance results are presented for several scenarios in the context of the automatic identification system and compared with those of existing techniques developed in similar scenarios.

Extended constrained Viterbi algorithm for AIS signals received by satellite

This paper addresses the problem of error correction of AIS messages by using the a priori knowledge of some information in the messages. Indeed, the AIS recommendation sets a unique value or a range of values for certain fields in the messages. Moreover, the physics can limit the range of fields, such as the speed of the vessel or its position (given the position of the receiver). The repetition of the messages gives also some information. Indeed, the evolution of the ship position is limited between messages and the ship ID is known. The constrained demodulation algorithm presented in this article is an evolution of the constrained Viterbi algorithm (C-VA). It is based on a modified Viterbi algorithm that allows the constraints to be considered in order to correct transmission errors by using some new registers in the state variables. The constraints can be either a single value or a range of values for the message fields. Simulation results illustrate the algorithm performance in terms of bit error rate and packet error rate. The performance of the proposed algorithm is 2 dB better than that obtained with the receiver without constraints.

PARTIAL CRC-ASSISTED ERROR CORRECTION OF AIS SIGNALS RECEIVED BY SATELLITE

This paper deals with the demodulation of automatic identification system (AIS) signals received by a satellite. More precisely, an error correction algorithm is presented, whose computational complexity is reduced with respect to that of a previously considered approach. This latter approach makes use of the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) of a message as redundancy, in order to correct transmission errors. In this paper, the CRC is also considered as a correction tool, but only a part of it is used for that purpose; the remaining part is only used as an error detection means. This novel approach allows the decoding performance to be adapted to the noise power, and provides a reduction of the computational complexity. Simulation results obtained with and without complexity optimization are presented and compared in the context of the AIS system.

Frequency estimation in iterative interference cancellation applied to multibeam satellite systems

This paper deals with interference cancellation techniques to mitigate cochannel interference on the reverse link of multibeam satellite communication systems. The considered system takes as a starting point the DVB-RCS standard with the use of convolutional coding. The considered algorithm consists of an iterative parallel interference cancellation scheme which includes estimation of beamforming coefficients. This algorithm is first derived in the case of a symbol asynchronous channel with time-invariant carrier phases. The aim of this article is then to study possible extensions of this algorithm to the case of frequency offsets affecting user terminals. The two main approaches evaluated and discussed here are based on (1) the use of block processing for estimation of beamforming coefficients in order to follow carrier phase variations and (2) the use of single-user frequency offset estimations.

SAT02-1: Iterative Frequency and Channel Estimation Coupled with Multiuser Detection in Multibeam Satellite Communications

This paper introduces an iterative multiuser detection scheme, including channel estimation, for the reverse link of (narrowband) multibeam satellite communication systems with convolutional coding. After a derivation of the algorithm on a symbol-asynchronous time-invariant channel, we discuss and evaluate possible adaptations to the more realistic case of frequency offsets affecting user terminals.