DFT and its application in OFDM

Bikash Kumar Dey

Department of Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
bikash@ee.iitb.ac.in

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 Discrete Time Signals
A discrete time signal is a sequence:
(⋯, x[−2], x[−1], x[0], x[1], x[2], ⋯).

We will consider real and complex signals where x[k] will

be respectively real and complex.

Example: The real sequence (⋯, 0, 0, x[0] = 4, 2, −2, 3, ⋯)

is plotted as:

xn

−2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 n

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 DTFT

DTFT (discrete time Fourier transform) of x[n] is:

∞

X(ejω ) = ∑ x[k]e−jωk
k=−∞

Note that DTFT is complex in general, even for real signals.

For plotting the DTFT, the magnitude and phase are

plotted separately.

Alternatively, the real and imaginary parts can be plotted.

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 Examples:

Consider the Kronecker delta

1, for n = 0
δ[n] =
{ 0 otherwise

Its DTFT is given by X(ejω ) = 1.

So, the magnitude |X(ejω )| = 1 and phase arg (X(ejω )) = 0.

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 Examples (Contd):

Consider the signal x[n] = 3δ[n] − δ[n − 1].

Its DTFT is given by

X(ejω ) = 3 − e−jω
= (3 − cos(ω)) + j sin(ω)

Magnitude |X(ejω )| = √(3 − cos(ω))2 + sin2 (ω)

sin(ω)
Phase arg (X(ejω )) = tan−1 ( 3−cos(ω) ).

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 Examples (Contd,)

Plots:
4 0.5

3.8 0.4

3.6 0.3

3.4 0.2

3.2 0.1
magnitude

phase
3 0

2.8 −0.1

2.6 −0.2

2.4 −0.3

2.2 −0.4

2 −0.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
w w

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 Inverse DTFT

The inverse DTFT is given by:

π
1
x[n] = X(ejω )ejωn dω
2π ∫
−π

Periodicity of the DTFT: As a function of w, the DTFT is

periodic with period 2π.

Caution: The definition of DTFT may not converge. We

will not discuss the convergence issue here.

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 Selected properties of DTFT

Linearity:

If x[n] ⟷ X(ejω )
and y[n] ⟷ Y(ejw )
then ax[n] + by[n] ⟷ aX(ejω ) + bY(ejω )

Convolution:
∞
If z[n] = x[n] ∗ y[n] = ∑k=−∞ x[k]y[k − n], then

z[n] ⟷ X(ejω )Y(ejω ).

Modulation: If z[n] = x[n]y[n], then

2π
1
z[n] ⟷ Z(ejω ) = X(ejθ )Y(ej(ω−θ) )dθ.
2π ∫
0

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 DFT

The M-length DFT of x[n] is defined as the samples of the

DTFT:

1
X[k] = X(ej2πk/M )
√M
∞
1
= ∑ x[i]e
−j2πki/M

√M i=−∞

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 Inverse DFT

When and how can we recover x[n] from X[k]?

When the length of the signal x[n] is not more than M,

i.e., when x[n] = 0 for n < 0 and n > M − 1, we have,

1 M−1
x[n] = ∑ X[i]e
j2πni/M

√M i=0

for n = 0, 1, ⋯, M − 1.

We assume x[n] = 0 for n < 0 and n > M − 1 from now

on.

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 DFT

Define 𝐱 = (x[0], x[1], ⋯, x[M−1]), 𝐗 = (X[0], X[1], ⋯, X[M−

1]), and

1 1 1 ⋯ 1
⎛1 e−
j2π
e− j4π
⋯ e − j2(M−1)π ⎞
⎜ M M M
⎟
1 ⎜
⎜1 j4π j8π j4(M−1)π
⎟
⎟
D= ⎜ e− M e− M ⋯ e− M
⎟
√M ⎜
⎜…
⎟
⎟
… … … …
j2(M−1)π 2π
− j4(M−1)π − j2(M−1)
⎝1 e e ⋯ e
− M M M
⎠

Then, 𝐗 = 𝐱D: equivalent definition of DFT.

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 IDFT

𝐱 = 𝐗D−1 where,

1 1 1 ⋯ 1
⎛1 e
j2π
e
j4π
⋯ e
j2(M−1)π ⎞
⎜ M M M
⎟
1 ⎜
⎜1 j4π j8π j4(M1)π
⎟
⎟
D−1 = ⎜ e M e M ⋯ e M
⎟
√M ⎜
⎜…
⎟
⎟
… … … …
j2(M−1)π j4(M−1)π j2(M−1)2 π

⎝1 e M e M ⋯ e M
⎠

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 Properties of DFT

Linearity:
DFT(a𝐱 + b𝐲) = a DFT(𝐱) + b DFT(𝐲)
Cyclic convolution: Cyclic convolution of 𝐱 and 𝐲 is
defined as the vector/sequence 𝐳, where
M−1

z[k] = ∑ x[i]y[k − i]
i=0

where the subscript (k − i) is taken modulo M.

The cyclic convolution of 𝐱 and 𝐲 is denoted by 𝐱 ⊗c 𝐲.

DFT(𝐱 ⊗c 𝐲) = 𝐙 where Z[i] = X[i]Y[i].

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 Properties of DFT (Contd.)

Point-wise multiplication: If 𝐳 is such that z[i] = x[i]y[i]

for each i, then DFT(𝐳) = 𝐗 ⊗c 𝐘.

Cyclic shift: If 𝐲 is the cyclic shift of 𝐱, i.e., y[i] = x[i − 1]

((i − 1) is taken modulo M) for all i, then

Y[k] = e−j2πk/M X[k].

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 More on Linear Convolution

Graphically, convolution can be viewed as flip, shift,

multiply and add.
flip shift
y[k] y[−k] y[n−k]

multiply
add
z[n]= Σ x[k]y[n−k] x[k]y[n−k]
k

Length(x[n] ∗ y[n]) = Length(x[n]) + Length(y[n]) - 1

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 Example

Consider x[n] = 2δ[n] + 3δ[n − 1] + δ[n − 2] − δ[n − 3]

and y[n] = δ[n] − 2δ[n − 1].

Graphical method: … (result in following slide)

By linearity of the convolution operation,

x[n] ∗ y[n] = x[n] ∗ δ[n] − 2x[n] ∗ δ[n − 1]

= x[n] − 2x[n − 1]
= 2δ[n] − δ[n − 1] − 5δ[n − 2]
− 3δ[n − 3] + 2δ[n − 4]

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 Example

x[n]*y[n]
2

−2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 n

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 More on Cyclic Convolution

Graphically, cyclic convolution can be viewed as cyclic flip,

cyclic shift, multiply and add.
cyclic flip cyclic shift
y[k] y[−k] y[n−k]

multiply
add
z[n]= Σ x[k]y[n−k] x[k]y[n−k]
k

Here −k and n − k are taken modulo M.

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 Example

We want to compute the length 4 cyclic convolution of

x[n] = 2δ[n] + 3δ[n − 1] + δ[n − 2] − δ[n − 3] and y[n] =
δ[n] − 2δ[n − 1].

Graphical method: …

By linearity of the cyclic convolution operation,

x[n] ⊗c y[n] = x[n] ⊗c δ[n] − 2x[n] ⊗c δ[n − 1]

= x[n] − 2x[(n − 1)mod M ]
= 4δ[n] − δ[n − 1] − 5δ[n − 2]
− 3δ[n − 3]

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 Example

4
x[n] cy[n]

0 1 2 3
n

Recall: DFT(x[n] ⊗c y[n])[k] = X[k]Y[k].

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 Fundamentals of OFDM

Problems with single carrier communication:

Frequency selective channels introduce ISI at the

receiver.

Equalization may amplify noise greatly in frequencies

where channel response is poor.

As a result, Single carrier performance is affected due

to high attenuation in some bands since all used
frequencies are given equal importance.

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Frequency selective channel: Example

H( jΩ )

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 Fundamentals of OFDM

How OFDM solves the problems:

The used spectrum is divided into narrow subbands.

Separate data is transmitted in each band using

different carriers.

Power and rate of transmission in a band depend on

the response of the channel in that band.

No ISI since in each narrow subband, the channel

response is almost flat.

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 Subbands in OFDM

H( jΩ )

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 M-band OFDM

We consider a discrete-time situation: The transmitted

signal, channel and the received signal are discrete-time.

In any symbol interval, M symbols X[0], X[1], ⋯, X[M − 1]

will be transmitted using M carriers ϕ0 [n], ϕ1 [n], ⋯, ϕM−1 [n].
The resulting signal is given by:

x[n] = X[0]ϕ0 [n] + X[1]ϕ1 [n] + ⋯ + X[M − 1]ϕM−1 [n]

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 Subbands in OFDM

φ 0 [n]
X0
φ 1 [n]
X1
x[n]

φ M−1[n]
X M−1

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 Ideal carriers

Ideally, the carriers should have brick-wall spectrum ⇒

no inter-channel interference.
spectrum of φ i [n]

0 2π
ω

This requires infinite length carriers: not practical

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 A simple choice of carriers

Consider the rows of the IDFT matrix as carriers:

1 j2πin/M
ϕi [n] = e
√M

Example, for M = 8:
3

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
w

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 Efficient transmitter structure

The transmitted signal:

x[n] = X[0]ϕ0 [n] + X[1]ϕ1 [n] + ⋯ + X[M − 1]ϕM−1 [n]

1 M−1
= ∑ X[i]e
j2πin/M

√M i=0
= IDFTn (𝐗)

X1 x[0]

X2 x[1]
IDFT Parallel
x[n]
D−1 to

Serial
X M−1
x[M−1]

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 ISI

Transmitted signal:

x[M−1]

x[M−1]
x[1]

x[1]
x[0]

x[0]
l−th Symbol (l+1)−th Symbol

Received signal:
M L−1
M L−1

overlap overlap overlap

l−th Symbol
(l+1)−th Symbol

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 Avoiding ISI (zero insertion)

Transmitted signal:
L−1 L−1

x[M−1]

x[M−1]
Extra Extra
x[1]

x[1]
x[0]

x[0]
zeros zeros

l−th Symbol (l+1)−th Symbol

Received signal has no ISI.

Rate is compromised.

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 Avoiding ISI (cyclic prefix)

Transmitted signal:
Cyclic Cyclic
prefix prefix
L−1 L−1

x[M−L+1]

x[M−L+1]

x[M−1]
x[M−1]

x[M−1]

x[M−1]
x[1]

x[1]
x[0]

x[0]
l−th Symbol (l+1)−th Symbol

Received signal:
L−1 L−1

Discarded Discarded
cyclic x[n] C c[n] cyclic x[n] C c[n]
prefix prefix

l−th Symbol (l+1)−th Symbol

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 Transceiver Structure

1/C0
x[0] X1
X1
Remove
x[1] Parallel Channel X2
X2 IFFT to cyclic FFT
Serial x[n] prefix
c[n] 1/C1
−1 and and D
D
add noise Serial
1/CM−1
cyclic to
X M−1
X M−1 prefix Parallel

x[M−1] Equalizer

(C[0], C[1], ⋯, C[M − 1]) = DFT (c[n])

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 Power allocation

σ2
The noise variance in the i-th subchannel is |C[i]|2 where
σ2 is the received noise variance.
Total area P

2 |Ci | 2
|C0 |2
2Π
ω

The above solution is called water pouring.

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 Bit allocation

The number of bits and the constellation can be chosen

for a subchannel based on the SNR in that subchannel and
the required probability of error (often called bit loading).

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 Thank you!

References: Provided upon request

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