UFMC waveform design for L-band digital aeronautical communication systems

doi:10.7523/j.ucas.2024.070

Abstract

Abstract:

The L-band digital aeronautical communication system （LDACS） is one of the primary candidate solutions for future aviation broadband communication. The spectrum of the LDACS system is embedded between adjacent channels of the distance measuring equipment （DME）. The orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing （OFDM） modulation technique it employs results in significant out-of-band radiation， causing some interference with the DME system. Additionally， the OFDM waveform has a relatively low frequency band utilization. To address these issues， a waveform design method for LDACS based on universal-filtered multi-carrier （UFMC） is proposed. Initially referencing the OFDM configuration of the LDACS system， a transceiver framework based on UFMC is designed. Subsequently， Chebyshev prototype filters are chosen， and a method involving interpolation masking is employed to design sharp cutoff filters suitable for the UFMC system. Finally， the performance is compared with LDACS systems based on OFDM and filtered OFDM. Simulation results indicate that the UFMC waveform design method， while maintaining system error rates， achieves lower out-of-band radiation， reduced peak to average power ratio， and improved time-frequency efficiency.

Key words: L-band digital aviation communication system（LDACS）, universal-filtered multi-carrier（UFMC）, waveform design, out-of-band radiation, peak-to-average power ratio, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing（OFDM）, power spectral density, time-frequency efficiency

CLC Number:

TN914.3

Lei WANG, Yehan GUI. UFMC waveform design for L-band digital aeronautical communication systems[J]. Journal of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2026, 43(5): 641-649.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig.1 Block diagram of transceiver

Fig.2 Frequency domain characteristic curves of different window functions

Fig.3 Frequency domain characteristic of each sub filter

Table 1 LDACS system parameters

参数	$B$ / $k H z$	$N$	$N u$	$Δ f$ / $k H z$	$N g$	$T s$ / $μ s$	$T u$ / $μ s$	$T c p$ / $μ s$	$N k$
OFDM	498	64	50	9.76	13	1.6	102.4	17.6	1
UFMC	498	128	50	9.76	13	0.8	102.4	0	10

Table 1 LDACS system parameters

参数	$B$ / $k H z$	$N$	$N u$	$Δ f$ / $k H z$	$N g$	$T s$ / $μ s$	$T u$ / $μ s$	$T c p$ / $μ s$	$N k$
OFDM	498	64	50	9.76	13	1.6	102.4	17.6	1
UFMC	498	128	50	9.76	13	0.8	102.4	0	10

Fig.4 Power spectral density

Table 2 Channel parameters

	多普勒频移	Rician因子	散射径信道数	散射径信道时延/ $μ s$	最大时延/ $μ s$
ENR	0.128 0	15	2	0.3,15	15
TMA	0.063 9	10	多个	—	10
APT	0.042 3	-100	多个	—	3

Table 2 Channel parameters

	多普勒频移	Rician因子	散射径信道数	散射径信道时延/ $μ s$	最大时延/ $μ s$
ENR	0.128 0	15	2	0.3,15	15
TMA	0.063 9	10	多个	—	10
APT	0.042 3	-100	多个	—	3

Fig.5 Error rate

Fig.6 Error rate in the presence of carrier frequency offset

Fig.7 Peak to average power ratio

Fig.8 Time-frequency efficiency

Table 3 Complexity

	计算复杂度	相对复杂度
OFDM	1 032	1.000 0
传统UFMC	112 720	109.224 8
轻量化处理法	6 952	6.736 4
IFFT裁剪方法	8 504	8.240 3
UFMC接收机	2 568	2.488 4

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