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In this article, we study closed-loop digital predistortion (DPD) systems and associated learning algorithms. Specifically, we propose various low-complexity approaches to estimate and manipulate the inverse of the input data covariance matrix (CM) and combine them with the so-called self-orthogonalized (SO) learning rule. The inherent simplicity of the SO algorithm, combined with the proposed solutions, allows for remarkably reduced complexity in the DPD system while maintaining similar linearization performance compared to other state-of-the-art methods. This is demonstrated with thorough over-the-air (OTA) mmW measurement results at 28 GHz, incorporating a state-of-the-art 64-element active antenna array, and very wide channel bandwidths up to 800 MHz. In addition, complexity analyses are carried out, which together with the measured linearization performance demonstrates favorable performance–complexity tradeoffs in linearizing mmW active array transmitters through the proposed solutions. The techniques can find application in systems where the power amplifier (PA) nonlinearities are time-varying and thus frequent or even constant updating of the DPD is required, good examples being mmW adaptive antenna arrays as well as terminal transmitters in 5G and beyond networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study digital predistortion (DPD)-based linearization with a specific focus on millimeter-wave (mmW) active antenna arrays. Due to the very large-channel bandwidths and beam-dependence of nonlinear distortion in such systems, we present a closed-loop DPD learning architecture, lookup table (LUT)-based memory DPD models, and low-complexity sign-based estimation algorithms such that even continuous DPD learning could be technically feasible. To this end, three different learning algorithms—sign, signed regressor, and sign–sign—are formulated for the LUT-based DPD models such that the potential rank deficiencies, experienced in earlier methods, are avoided while facilitating greatly reduced learning complexity. The injection-based LUT DPD structure is also shown to allow for low numbers and reduced dynamic range of the involved LUT entries. Extensive RF measurements utilizing a state-of-the-art mmW active antenna array system at 28 GHz are carried out and reported to validate the methods, incorporating very wide channel bandwidths of 400 and 800 MHz while pushing the array close to saturation. In addition, the processing and learning complexities of the considered techniques are analyzed, which, together with the measured linearization performance figures, allows to assess the complexity–performance tradeoffs of the proposed solutions. Overall, the results show that efficient mmW array linearization can be obtained through the proposed methods at very low complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a prototype RF transmitter with an integrated multilevel class-D power amplifier (PA), implemented in 28-nm CMOS. The transmitter utilizes tri-phasing modulation, which combines three constant-envelope phase-modulated signals with coarse amplitude modulation in the PA. This new architecture achieves the back-off efficiency of multilevel outphasing, without linearity-degrading discontinuities in the RF output waveform. Because all signal processing is performed in the time domain up to the PA, the entire system is implemented with digital circuits and structures, thus also enabling the use of synthesis and place-and-route CAD tools for the RF front end. The effectiveness of the digital tri-phasing concept is supported by extensive measurement results. Improved wideband performance is validated through the transmission of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) bandwidths up to 100 MHz. Enhanced reconfigurability is demonstrated with non-contiguous carrier aggregation and digital carrier generation between 1.5 and 1.9 GHz without a frequency synthesizer. For a 20-MHz 256-QAM OFDM signal at 3.5% error vector magnitude (EVM), the transmitter achieves 22.6-dBm output power and 14.6% PA efficiency. Thanks to the high linearity enabled by tri-phasing, no digital predistortion is needed for the PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectrally non-contiguous transmissions pose serious transceiver design challenges due to the nonlinear PA. When two or more non-contiguous carriers with close proximity are amplified by the same PA, spurious emissions inside or in the vicinity of the transmitter RF band are created. These spurious emissions may violate emission limits or otherwise compromise network coverage and reliability. Lowering the transmit power is a straightforward remedy, but it will reduce throughput, coverage, and power efficiency of the device. To improve linearity without sacrificing performance, several DPD techniques have recently been proposed to target the spurious emissions explicitly. These techniques are designed to minimize the computational and hardware complexity of DPD, thus making them better suited for mobile terminals and other lowcost devices. In this article, these recent advances in DPD for non-contiguous transmission scenarios are discussed, with a focus on mitigating the spurious emissions in the concrete example case of non-contiguous dual-carrier transmission. The techniques are compared to more traditional DPD approaches in terms of their computational and hardware complexities, as well as linearization performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel digital predistortion (DPD) solution based on a direct learning approach, which is capable of reducing the unwanted emissions resulting from the power amplifier (PA) at any prespecified frequency located in the transmitter's out-of-band or spurious domain. The proposed scheme is based on evaluating the power spectral density (PSD) of the PA output signal and optimizing the DPD coefficients iteratively in order to minimize the output PSD around the prespecified frequency. To highlight the feasibility of the proposed implementation, the predistortion processing is kept as simple as possible, deploying quasi-memoryless polynomial models. Efficient mitigation of unwanted emissions around the target frequency is demonstrated via simulations and actual RF measurements, in both single- and dual-carrier waveform scenarios, using memoryless and memory-based PAs. The proposed DPD solution could be potentially employed in applications such as mobile devices utilizing noncontiguous multicarrier transmission, where the intermodulation spurs may overlap with the device's own receiver band, or could be potentially violating the spurious emission limits. Another target application is cognitive radio, where the PA may produce unwanted emissions that are interfering with primary-user transmissions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there does not exist a similar technique in the open literature, and thus, the purpose of this paper is to encourage scientific discussions and technological innovations toward the creation of relatively low-complexity frequency-optimized predistortion techniques employed against selected unwanted emissions produced by the transmitter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]