OFDM-Like Signaling for Broadband Satellite Applications: Analysis and Advanced Compensation

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), special form of multicarrier modulation, is the cornerstone of broad range of current standards. In addition, fifth-generation (5G) terrestrial wireless networks, advancing at accelerated speed, continue to use OFDM air interface. The first part of this paper endeavors to apply OFDM-like signaling for broadband satellite transmission in the forward direction, from gateway to terminals. Two layers of multicarrier operation are invoked. One allows multiple signals to share single on-board high-power amplifier. The other layer permits transmitted symbols from individual signals to modulate multiple narrowband OFDM subcarriers, followed by interpolating filters to suppress interference into adjacent signals and limit out-of-band emission to be compatible with satellite uplink. The second part of this paper proposes novel nonlinear compensation techniques, applied at the transmitter or receiver, and combination of both. Two performance assessments are provided: one exploiting information-theoretic framework using ideal channel coding; another based on total degradation using practical forward-error correction codes. We show that performance loss from nonlinear distortion can be significantly reduced when adopting the proposed correction methods. Furthermore, it is possible to use OFDM-like signaling over satellite, while being competitive, and in some cases surpassing, traditional systems with single-carrier modulation employing state-of-the-art enhanced receiver architecture.