Orthogonal Frequency

Division Multiple Access

(OFDMA)
Zeeshan Asim
SSUET
2
Outline
1. Background
Multiple Access (MA) Methods
2. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
(OFDM) Based Multiple Access (OFDMA)
Orthogonality Principle
OFDM
OFDM-FDMA
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of OFDMA
4. Conclusion
Multiple Access (MA)
General wireless cellular systems are
multi-users systems
Radio resource are limited
Limited Bandwidth
Limited number of channels
The radio resource must be shared among
multiple users
Multiple Access Control (MAC) needed
Contention-based
Non-contention-based
4
Contention-based
Multiple Access(MA)
Contention-based
Each terminal transmits in a decentralized way
No central controller (Base stations or access points)
Example:
ALOHA
Carrier Sensing Multiple Access (CSMA)
Standard:
GSM [l] uses the slotted ALOHA in the terminals
initial access process
IEEE 802.11 uses CSMA/CA based contention access
scheme
Non-contention-based
Multiple Access (MA)
A logic controller (BS or AP) is needed to
coordinate the transmissions of all the
terminals
The controller informs each device when
and on which channel it can transmit
Collisions can be avoided entirely
Two Subdivisions
1. Non-channelization
2. Channelization
Non-channelization
Non-contention-based MA
Terminals transmit sequentially using the
same channel
Example:
Polling based medium access
Standard:
IEEE 802.15(WPAN)
IEEE 802.11(WLAN)
Channelization
Non-contention-based MA
Terminals transmit simultaneously using different
channels
Most commonly used protocols in cellular systems
Example:
1. Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
2. Code Division Multiple Access( CDMA)
1. Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)
Standard
1. GSM (TDMA)
2. IS-95 (CDMA)
3. American Mobile Phone System, AMPS
(FDMA)
8
Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA)
GSM
Time slot 0.577 ms
Frame 4.6 ms
8 time slots per frame
Frequency band 20
KHz

Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA)
IS-95
Orthogonal Walsh
codes
64 codes (channels)
One pilot channel
Seven paging
channels
55 traffic channels
Each carrier 1.25
MHz

Frequency Division Multiple
Access (FDMA)
American Mobile
Phone System
(AMPS)
Total Bandwidth 25
MHz
Each Channel 30 KHz

Objectives
What is OFDM
How OFDM works
Types of OFDM
Differences from other multiplexing
techniques
Applications
What is OFDM
Definition

The first OFDM schemes presented in
1966

Development of OFDM over years

A
F
How OFDM works
It distributes the data over a large number of
carriers that are spaced apart at precise
frequencies. This spacing provides the
"orthogonality" in this technique which prevents
the demodulators from seeing frequencies other
than their own.
Types of OFDM
C-OFDM

MIMO-OFDM

V-OFDM

W-OFDM

Flash-OFDM
C-OFDM
Coded OFDM
Digital Audio
Broadcasting (DAB)
Digital Video
Broadcasting (DVB-T)

COFDM offers real
benefit in the presence
of isolated narrow-band
interfering signals

Multiple Input, Multiple
Output OFDM (MIMO-OFDM)
Developed by Iospan Wireless
Uses multiple antennas to transmit and
receive radio signals
Spatial multiplexing
V-OFDM
Vector OFDM
Developed by CISCO
Increases subscriber coverage
Lowers the cost of provisioning and deploying
infrastructure
Employs both frequency and spatial diversity
Creates a robust processing technique for
multi-path fading and narrow band
interference

Subscriber
Base Station
Paths

W-OFDM
Wideband OFDM
Invented by Wi-LAN
Large spacing between carriers
Advantages:
- Optimal performance against Multi-path
- Less sensitive to carrier offset
-Optimal power efficiency of the transmitter amplifier
- More immune against fading
Flash-OFDM
Fast-hopped OFDM
Wide-band spread-spectrum technology
Avoids the compromises inherent in
other mobile data systems
Capability to work around interfering
signals
Differences from other
multiplexing techniques
OFDM versus WDM

-more flexible

-higher bandwidth efficiency


Differences from other
multiplexing techniques
OFDM versus TDM
-number of carriers
-synchronization
-sensitivity
-capacity/efficiency advantages
-complexity and cost issues
Applications
Digital Audio and Video
Broadcasting
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL)
Wireless Networking
Power-line Technology

OFDM-FDMA (OFDMA)
Each terminal
occupies a subset of
sub-carriers
Subset is called an
OFDMA traffic
channel
Each traffic channel
is assigned
exclusively to one
user at any time
user1
user2
user3
user4
OFDM-FDMA (OFDMA)
The IEEE 802.16e/ WiMax use OFDMA
as Multiple access technique
Bandwidth options 1.25, 5, 10, or 20 MHz
Entire bandwidth divided into 128, 512,
1024 or 2048 sub carriers
20 MHz bandwidth with 2048 sub carriers
has 9.8 KHz spacing between sub carriers
OFDM-FDMA (System View)
28
Advantages of OFDMA
Multi-user Diversity
broadband signals experience frequency
selective fading
OFDMA allows different users to transmit
over different portions of the broadband
spectrum (traffic channel)
Different users perceive different channel
qualities, a deep faded channel for one user
may still be favorable to others
Advantages of OFDMA cont..
Multi-user Diversity
Advantages of OFDMA cont..
Efficient use of Spectrum

4/3 Hz per symbol
6/5 Hz per symbol
Advantages of OFDMA cont..
Receiver Simplicity
It eliminates the intra-cell interference
avoiding CDMA type of multi-user
detection
Orthogonality of code destroyed by
selective fading
Only FFT processor is required
Bit Error Rate performance is better only in
Fading environment
Disadvantages of OFDMA
Peak to average
power ratio (PAPR)

avg
P
t x
PAPR
2
) (
The large amplitude variation increases in-band noise and
increases the BER when the signal has to go through amplifier
nonlinearities.

33
Disadvantages of OFDMA
cont..
Synchronization
Tight Synchronization between users are
required for FFT in receiver
Pilot signals are used for synchronizations
Co-channel interference
Dealing with this is more complex in OFDM than
in CDMA
Dynamic channel allocation with
advanced coordination among adjacent
base stations
Thank You
Questions
or
Comments?