Real-Time Demonstration of CPRI-Compatible Efficient Mobile Fronthaul Using FPGA

Mobile fronthaul is regarded as an important network segment for supporting cloud radio access network and massive multiple-input multiple-output in next-generation wireless networks. To achieve bandwidth-efficient mobile fronthaul (EMF), transmission of multiple wireless signals in a single wavelength channel has been demonstrated by digital signal processing (DSP)-assisted channel aggregation. The DSP-assisted channel aggregation has been realized via frequency-division multiple access. In addition, the control word (CW) information, as specified in the common public radio interface (CPRI) specification, has been transmitted with the wireless I/Q data synchronously. In this paper, we present CPRI-compatible efficient mobile fronthaul scheme for synchronous transmission of CWs and IQ data via equalized time-division multiple access (TDMA) We further experimentally demonstrate the real-time implementation of a TDMA-EMF transceiver based on field-programmable gate array. Long-term stable operation has been achieved showing the feasibility of using this EMF technology to meet the fronthaul demands of future 4.5 G and 5 G wireless systems in terms of bandwidth efficiency, power efficiency, and cost efficiency.