OFDM transmission and reception for non-OFDMA signals

• US 20080279291A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Huitema, Christian, Hassan, Amer A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2647 Arrangements specific to the receiver only equalisation H04L27/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/26524 Fast Fourier transform [FFT] or discrete Fourier transform [DFT] demodulators in combination with other circuits for demodulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication of non-OFDM radio signals are disclosed. The non-OFDM radio signals are force-modulated into OFDM signals. In one example, a non-OFDM signal is received and is processed into an OFDM signal to produce a created OFDM signal. An actual OFDM signal is also received and is processed together with the created OFDM signal.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computing device to accommodate non-OFDM signals, the method comprising:

a) receiving a non-OFDM signal;

b) processing the non-OFDM signal into a created OFDM signal; and

c) processing the created OFDM signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed, at least in part, in software defined radio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the non-OFDM signal comprises receiving a wireless signal in a Bluetooth format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an OFDM signal and processing the OFDM signal together with the non-OFDM signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the OFDM signal comprises receiving a wireless signal in a WiFi format.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein processing the OFDM signal comprises processing the OFDM signal using an FFT.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting data through a serial to parallel converter to produce parallel data streams.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing the parallel data streams using an IFFT.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transforming the data streams from parallel to serial and transmitting the data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving the transmitted data and processing the data using FFT.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting OFDM and non-OFDM signals.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising processing the non-OFDM to transmit over a first set of sub-channels, processing the OFDM to transmit over a second set of sub-channels and performing an IFFT of the signals.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the signals, combining the first and second sets of sub-channels and performing an FFT of the signals from the combined sets of sub-channels.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions being adapted to perform, when executed, the method of claim 1.

15. A method of operating a computing device to accommodate non-OFDM signals, the method comprising:

a) receiving a non-OFDM signal;

b) processing the non-OFDM signal into an OFDM signal to produce a created

OFDM signal;

c) receiving an actual OFDM signal; and

d) processing the actual OFDM signal with the created OFDM signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is performed, at least in part, in software defined radio.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the non-OFDM signal comprises receiving a wireless signal in a Bluetooth format and wherein receiving an actual OFDM signal comprises receiving a wireless signal in a WiFi format.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting OFDM and non-OFDM signals, processing the non-OFDM to transmit over a first set of sub-channels, processing the OFDM to transmit over a second set of sub-channels and performing an IFFT of the signals.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions being adapted to perform, when executed, the method of claim 15.

20. Apparatus for operating a computing device to accommodate non-OFDM signals, the apparatus comprising:

a first receive circuit configurable to receive a non-OFDM signal;

a first processor configurable to process the non-OFDM signal to produce a created OFDM signal;

a second receive circuit configurable to receive an OFDM signal; and

a second processor configurable to process the actual OFDM signal together with the created OFDM signal and to execute an FFT on the signals.