This application is a continuation of an International Application No. PCT/JP02/05372, which was filed on May 31, 2002.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adaptive predistortor type distortion compensator which operates an adaptive algorithm so that errors of a reference signal and a feedback signal outputted from an amplifier may be minimized in order to calculate a distortion compensation coefficient and increase the efficiency of the amplifier by compensating the nonlinear distortion of the amplifier using this distortion compensation coefficient.
2. Description of the Related Art
The input baseband signal (1) is multiplied by a distortion compensation coefficient in the multiplier 18 and is inputted to the quadrature modulator 19. A signal modulated by the quadrature modulator 19 is converted into an analog signal by the digital-to-analog converter 20. This analog signal is multiplied by a periodic wave of the local oscillator 21 in the multiplier 22, and is converted into a signal of an intermediate frequency (IF). The signal of the intermediate frequency generated in this way passes through the band-pass filter 23; is multiplied by the periodic wave of the local oscillator 24 in the multiplier 25; is converted into a radio frequency (RF); is amplified and transmitted by the (power) amplifier 26.
The input baseband signal (1) is converted into a power value by the power computing unit 11, and is used to index a distortion compensation coefficient from the distortion compensation table 10 which stores the distortion compensation coefficient in a memory using the power value of the input baseband signal (1) as an address.
The input baseband signal (1) is also inputted as a reference signal (3) to the subtractor 16 which obtains an error signal e (t) from a feedback signal (2) and the input baseband signal.
The output from the amplifier 26 is separated by the feedback path 32 and is attenuated by the attenuator 27. The output is multiplied by the periodic wave of the local oscillator 28 in the multiplier 29 and is returned to the intermediate frequency. Also, the output is converted into a digital signal in the analog-to-digital converter 30; is demodulated in the quadrature demodulator 31; and I signal and Q signal are generated. I signal and Q signal pass through the low-pass filter 17, and are inputted to the rotator 13, and at the same time are also inputted to the subtractor 16 as a feedback signal (2).
An error signal e(t) which is a difference between a reference signal (3) and a signal in which a feedback signal (2) from the amplifier 26 is attenuated to a reasonable amplitude by the attenuator 27 (which is shown by ATT in
hn(p)=hn−1(p)+μe(t)det[hn−1(p)]det[y(t)*], wherein
Note, however, that y(t) indicates a feedback signal; * indicates a complex conjugate; j indicates an imaginary unit; and p indicates an update step of a distortion compensation coefficient. This computing is conducted by the rotator 13, update storage unit 12, multiplier 15, adder 14 and distortion compensation table 10 shown in
Refer to Kokai (Jpn. unexamined patent publication) No. 9-68733 for the details of an adaptive predistortor type distortion compensator.
If the signal level of the reference signal (3) or the feedback signal (2) becomes 0 (zero) or only a noise component, various functions of the distortion compensator do not properly operate.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a distortion compensator which can secure a proper operation of a distortion compensator even when the signal level of a reference signal or a feedback signal becomes 0 (zero) or only a noise component due to a fault, etc. of the distortion compensator.
The distortion compensator embodying the present invention comprises a distortion compensation coefficient storage unit for storing a distortion compensation coefficient which compensates distortion by multiplying an input baseband signal, a distortion compensation coefficient update unit for updating the distortion compensation coefficient, and a distortion compensation stop unit for stopping a distortion compensation operation when something wrong occurs to the input of a distortion compensation unit comprising at least the distortion compensation coefficient storage unit and the distortion compensation coefficient update unit, in a distortion compensator which compensates the nonlinearity of an amplifier included in a communication device.
The distortion compensation method embodying the present invention comprises a distortion compensation coefficient storage step for storing a distortion compensation coefficient which compensates distortion by multiplying an input baseband signal, a distortion compensation coefficient update step for updating the distortion compensation coefficient, and a distortion compensation stop step for stopping a distortion compensation operation when something wrong occurs to the input of a distortion compensation step comprising at least the distortion compensation coefficient storage step and the distortion compensation coefficient update step, in a distortion compensation method which compensates the nonlinearity of an amplifier included in a communication device.
According to the present invention, even if information necessary for distortion compensation is not correctly obtained due to a fault, etc. of the distortion compensator, any improper distortion compensation operation can be prevented. Therefore, the operation of the distortion compensator is stable, and the distortion compensator can perform distortion compensation with higher accuracy and perform better-quality communications.
In the embodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent the malfunction of the distortion compensation function due to a fault, etc. of the distortion compensator, the deterioration of distortion compensation characteristics is prevented by detecting the abnormality and stopping each function. Described below is the embodiment according to each function.
1. Automatic Phase Adjustment
If the updating of a distortion compensation table is started when the phase of a reference signal and that of a feedback signal (phase of I-Q plane) do not conform to each other, it takes a long time until a distortion compensation coefficient becomes a true value. Then, an adjustment to make both the phases conform to each other is made. This is called an automatic phase adjustment. The automatic phase adjustment is carried out by detecting the phase difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal in the phase control circuit 40 and adjusting, in the quadrature demodulator 31, the phase of a periodic wave multiplied for demodulation by a signal transmitted through the feedback path 32.
There are various kinds of algorithms for phase adjustment, but described below is the method which uses the correlation value of a reference signal s (t) and a feedback signal y (t). Correlation computation can be indicated by the following expression.
If the phases of both signals conform to each other based on this expression (namely, θ=0), the real part of the correlative value becomes maximum, and the imaginary part becomes 0. The sign bit of the result of this imaginary part is used as phase update information.
The phase update information obtained as the result of computing the correlation value is inputted to an updown counter 45. In the updown counter 45, the count value counts up or down each time phase update information is inputted, and when the count value becomes a given value, the updown counter 45 instructs the phase update judgement circuit 46 to update the phase value. By so doing, the phase value can be updated without reacting sensitively to the change of the phase update information which occurs momentarily.
The phase update judgement circuit 46 instructs the phase counter 47 to update the phase value of a predetermined step based on the instruction from the updown counter 45. At that time, the phase update judgement circuit 46 judges the value of the phase update instruction inputted from the updown counter 45 is plus or minus, and instructs the phase counter 47 to set the phase value to plus or minus. Also, the phase update judgement circuit 46 instructs the phase counter 47 to update the phase value, and inputs a reset signal to the updown counter 45. Therefore, the updown counter 45 continues to implement counting until the phase value becomes a predetermined value each time the phase value is updated.
The phase counter 47 adds or decreases the phase value by a given step in accordance with the instruction from the phase update judgement circuit 46. Then, the phase counter 47 outputs the phase value thus obtained and makes the quadrature demodulator adjust the phase.
In the case of a reference signal, a feedback signal, an address of the distortion compensation table (a power value of an input baseband signal), if the size of the signals is equal to or less than a certain threshold, and in the case of a phase value, if the difference from the previous phase value is equal to or more than a certain threshold, the phase value is prevented from becoming an abnormal value by stopping the phase updating.
In
If the judgement is No in Step S1, the update control unit 48 conducts an ordinary operation in Step S2, and proceeds to Step S4. If the judgement in Step S1 is Yes, since some abnormality has been detected, the update control unit 48 stops the phase control function in Step S3 and holds the signal value or address value before the abnormality has been detected, and proceeds to Step S4. In Step S4, the time interval in which the abnormality of the signal value or address value is detected is calculated by a timer (not shown in
In Step S10, it is judged whether the absolute value of the difference between the phase value stored in the previous processing and the phase value acquired in the current processing is larger than the threshold. This threshold is what should be set appropriately by the person of ordinary skill in the art.
If the judgement in Step S10 is No, the update control unit 48 conducts an ordinary operation in Step S11, and proceeds to Step S13. If the judgement in Step S10 is Yes, since some abnormality has been detected, the update control unit 48 stops the phase control function and holds the previous phase and proceeds to Step S13. In Step S13, when the timer measures time and times out, the update control unit 48 goes back to Step S10 and repeats the processing. The time in which the timer times out is the same as described above.
In Step S15, it is judged whether the absolute value of x is larger than the threshold. This threshold is also what is appropriately determined as an upper-limit predictable value by the person of ordinary skill in the art as a feedback signal value. If the judgement in Step S15 is No, the update control unit 48 conducts an ordinary operation in Step S16, and proceeds to Step S18. If the judgement in Step S15 is Yes, the update control unit 48 stops the phase control function and holds the previous phase and proceeds to Step S18. In Step S18, the timer measures the time interval for monitoring the feedback signal in the same way as the previous processing.
The signal value, address value and phase value which frequently change are monitored in every given time using this timer, and when some abnormality is detected, implementing an inappropriate distortion compensation can be prevented by stopping the automatic phase control function.
In the flows of
Here, an automatic phase adjustment device using a correlation value has been explained, but this embodiment can be also applied to another method by stopping the phase updating in the same way.
In the automatic phase adjustment, the phase of a reference signal is made to conform to the phase of a feedback signal, but in fact, there is a slight error, and this error is taken out by an error signal and is reflected to the updating of a distortion compensation coefficient. Therefore, even if the phase of the reference signal conforms to the phase of the feedback signal, the phases of the input baseband signal and the radio frequency signal do not conform. However, since the phase of a radio frequency signal which is transmitted by a radio frequency rotates randomly during the transmission in the air, the phase of a radio frequency signal should be adjusted on the receiver side and then should be received. Therefore, the phase of the input baseband signal and the phase of the radio frequency signal to be transmitted do not necessarily need to conform to each other.
Refer to the following patent description for the automatic phase adjustment.
Patent application No. 2002-95145
2. Automatic Delay Adjustment
In an adaptive predistortor type distortion compensator, an error signal is used to update a distortion compensation coefficient. The time correlation between a reference signal and a feedback signal needs to conform to obtain a correct error signal. Then, before implementing the distortion compensation operation, the correlation between the reference signal and the feedback signal is calculated while changing the delay of the reference signal, and the timing in which the output power value becomes maximum is detected to adjust the delay. This method is called automatic delay adjustment.
Described below is the flow of the automatic delay adjustment.
In Step S20, the tap of the FIR is conformed to the symbol point. In other words, the delay which is given to the feedback signal by the FIR filter is made 0. Then, in Step S21, the correlation x between the reference signal and the feedback signal is calculated, and in Step S22, whether x is larger than max_x which is stored in a memory as the maximum correlation value is judged. If the judgement in Step S22 is No, the processing proceeds to Step S24. If the judgement in Step S22 is Yes, x is substituted for max_x, and the delay value “delay” when the correlation value is x is substituted for max_delay, and then the processing proceeds to Step S24. In Step S24, the delay value “delay” is incremented by +1, and in step S25, whether the delay value “delay” is maximum is judged. If the judgement in Step S25 is No, the processing goes back to Step S21 and the processing is repeated. If the judgement in Step S25 is Yes, the processing proceeds to Step S26. In Step S26, the delay value of max_delay is set to the variable delay device. Now, the setting of the variable delay device is completed.
Next, the FIR filter coefficient is set.
In Step S27, the correlation x between the reference signal and the feedback signal is calculated. In Step S28, whether the maximum value max_x of up to the previous correlation is larger than x is judged. If the judgement in Step S28 is No, the processing proceeds to Step S30, and if the judgement in Step S28 is Yes, the processing proceeds to Step S29. In Step S29, x is substituted for max_x, and the tap value “tap” is substituted for max_tap, and the processing proceeds to Step S30.
In step S30, tap is incremented by +1, and in Step S31, whether the tap is maximum is judged. If the judgement in Step S31 is No, the processing proceeds to Step S27, and if the judgement in Step S31 is Yes, a coefficient corresponding to max_tap is set to the FIR filter in Step S32. Now, the setting of the delay value is completed.
Here, the update control unit 48 shown in
Refer to the following patent application for details of the automatic delay adjustment.
Kokai (Jpn. unexamined patent publication) No.
2001-189685
Kokai (Jpn. unexamined patent publication) No. 2001-999995
3. Equalizer
A signal has frequency characteristics according to the characteristics of the analog part of an adaptive predistortor type distortion compensator, particularly the characteristics of the band-pass filter which is inserted into an IF frequency. By compensating the frequency characteristics using an equalizer, the compensation characteristics of a linearizer can be improved.
A complex filter 57 shown in
Here, the update control unit 48 shown in
Refer to the following patent application for the technology of the equalizer.
Patent application No. 2002-95920
4. Protection of Values in the Distortion Compensation Coefficient Table
The update control unit 48 shown in
5. An Example of the Configuration Including the Four Above-Mentioned Functions
In
According to the present invention, the adaptive predistortor type distortion compensator can reduce a negative influence that results in the distortion compensation characteristics being deteriorated rapidly, by immediately detecting something wrong when there is such abnormality with a signal due to a fault, etc. of the compensator, and stopping each function properly.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP02/05372 | May 2002 | US |
Child | 10999747 | Nov 2004 | US |