Performance Analysis of OFDM Synchronization Using Customized Floating Point for Low Complexity

Abstract

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a multi carrier modulation scheme mainly used for digital communications. The performance of OFDM system heavily depends on the synchronization scheme used. In most cases, the accuracy level of synchronization will be worsened by the error caused in fixed point arithmetic involved. In this paper, we analyze the impact of the fixed point arithmetic on the performance of the coarse timing and frequency synchronization. Here with an analytical approach through numerical simulations bit length of IEEE 754 standard single precision format is optimized according to the required degree of accuracy for low complexity. Also, a complete precision level requirement for FFT computations with all possible modulation types is obtained. The proposed precision model is compared with IEEE standard single precision model and its efficiency in OFDM synchronization process is proved through MATLAB simulations. Finally, the complexity reduction of proposed precision model in both addition and subtraction is proved against single precision format using hardware synthesis. Here we proved that more than 50% complexity reduction is achieved as compared to standard precision models without compromising quality. The quality retention of proposed model is proved in both timing and frequency synchronization process.