Construction of non-repeating
frequency-hopping sequences with no-hit
zone
W.X. Ye, P.Z. Fan and E.M. Gabidulin
Based on finite field GF(pm), a new construction of frequency-hopping
(FH) sequences with no-hit zone for quasi-synchronous FH code-
division multiple-access systems to eliminate multiple-access inter-
ference is presented. These new FH patterns are non-repeating and
possess ideal Hamming autocorrelation.
Introduction: In the frequency-hopping code-division multiple-access
(FH-CDMA) communication system, FH sequences require low
Hamming cross-correlation to reduce multiple access interference
(MAI) and low out-of-phase Hamming autocorrelation to minimise any
ambiguity about the source identity and effectively discriminate
between themselves and their shifted versions [1, 2]. To eliminate mutual
interference, the idea of FH sequences with no-hit zone (NHZ) has been
proposed for quasi-synchronous (QS) FH-CDMA systems [3–5]. The
Hamming autocorrelations and cross-correlations of NHZ FH
sequences are equal to zero within a Hamming correlation zone. In
the QS-FH-CDMA system, as long as the relative delays between
different transmitters do not exceed the length of NHZ, there will be no
coincidence in their frequency slot. The theoretical bounds on some
primary parameters of NHZ FH sequences have been derived [3, 5].
Some NHZ FH sequence sets have been constructed [3, 4].
In this Letter, after introducing the necessary notations and preli-
minaries, we present a construction method for a class of non-repeating
NHZ FH sequences based on finite field GF( p) or GF( pm). Some
properties of the constructed NHZ FH patterns are also investigated.
Preliminaries: Let S be an FH sequence set of M patterns of length L
over a frequency library F of size q, and Hxy(t) denotes the periodic
Hamming cross-correlation with relative time shift t between two
sequences x, y 2 S. When x ¼ y, Hxy(t) becomes the periodic Hamming
autocorrelation Hx(t). The autocorrelation no-hit zone ZANH, the
cross-correlation no-hit zone ZCNH and the no-hit zone ZNH of S are
defined as follows:
ZANH ¼ maxfT jHX ðtÞ ¼ 0; 8x 2 S; 0 6¼ jtj  T g
ZCNH ¼ maxfT jHXY ðtÞ ¼ 0; 8x; y 2 S; x 6¼ y; jtj  T g
ZNH ¼ minðZANH ; ZCNH Þ
When ZNH > 0, set S is called NHZ FH sequence set or generalised
orthogonal FH sequence set.
According to the theoretical bound of NHZ FH sequence set in [3, 5],
the size q of frequency library F, the family size M of S and the no-hit
zone ZNH satisfy the following inequality:
q
ZNH   1 ð1Þ
M
In the following sections, we will assume S is a FH sequence set with
family size M, S ¼ {sk}, k ¼ 0, 1, . . . , M  1. Each sequence
sk ¼ {S kn} has length L, n is the position index in the FH sequence,
n ¼ 0, 1, . . . , L  1. For any frequency slot fh of frequency library
F ¼ { f0, f1, . . . , fq1}, we can also represent it as fh ¼ fa,b, where
a ¼ bh=Mc, b ¼ h mod M, and bxc denotes the integer part of a real
number x
Construction based on GF(p): For GF(p) ¼ {0, 1, . . . , p  1}, p is a
prime, let set C ¼ {ci j ci 2 GF(p) and ci 6¼ 0, i ¼ 0, 1, . . . , ZNH},
0 < ZNH < p  1. Let set D ¼ {dj j dj 2 GF( p), j ¼ 0, 1, . . . , N  1}, N
is an integer and 1 < N  p. Then a family S of non-repeating NHZ FH
sequences with no-hit zone ZNH and with p patterns each of length
N(ZNH þ1), denoted by S(q, L, M, ZNH) ¼ S(p(ZNH þ 1), N(ZNH þ 1),
p, ZNH), can be generated according to the formula
sk ¼ fskn jn ¼ 0; 1; . . . ; N ðZNH þ 1Þ  1g; k ¼ 0; 1; . . . ; p  1 ð2Þ
ELECTRONICS LETTERS 8th June 2006 Vol. 42 No. 12
where
skn ¼ fi;kci dj
i ¼ n modðZNH þ 1Þ; j ¼ bn=ðZNH þ 1Þc; ci 2 C; dj 2 D
! represents modulo p addition.
Now, we prove that the FH sequences obtained by (2) are non-repeating
FH patterns.
Proof: For any sequence sv of set S generated by (2), assume that there
are two identical frequency slots within the sequence period, let
svn1 ¼ svn2 ; n1 6¼ n2 and 0  ðn1 ; n2 Þ  N ðZNH þ 1Þ
Then
fi1 ; vcid ¼ fi2 ; vcid
1 j1 2 j2
where
i1 ¼ n1 modðZNH þ 1Þ; j1 ¼ bn1 =ðZNH þ 1Þc
i2 ¼ n2 modðZNH þ 1Þ; j2 ¼ bn2 =ðZNH þ 1Þc
So
i1 ¼ i2 and v  ci1 dj1 ¼ v  ci2 dj2
Thus
ci1 ¼ ci2 ) dj1 ¼ dj2 and j1 ¼ j2
Since i1 ¼ i2 and j1 ¼ j2, we have n1 ¼ n2, which violates the assumption
above. Therefore, there is no identical frequency slot within the
sequence period, i.e. the sequence set given in (2) is a class of
non-repeating FH sequences.
QED
Construction based on GF(pm): First, choose a primitive polynomial
f(x) of degree m over GF(p) and a primitive element a from GF(pm).
Then pm elements of GF(pm) can be represented by {0, 1, a, a2, . . . ,
m
ap 2}. Next, let set C ¼ {ci j ci 2 GF(pm) and ci 6¼ 0, i ¼ 0, 1, . . . , ZNH},
0 < ZNH < pm1. Let set D ¼ {dj j dj 2 GF(pm), j ¼ 0, 1, . . . , N  1}, N
is an integer and 1 < N  pm. Then a family S of non-repeating NHZ
FH sequences with pm sequences each of length N(ZNH þ 1) and
no-hit zone ZNH, denoted by S(q, L, M, ZNH) ¼ S(pm(ZNH þ 1),
N(ZNH þ 1), pm, ZNH), can be generated as follows:
sk ¼ fskn j n ¼ 0; 1; . . . ; N ðZNH þ 1Þ  1g; k 2 GFðpm Þ ð3Þ
where
skn ¼ fi;kci dj
i ¼ n modðZNH þ 1Þ; j ¼ bn=ðZNH þ 1Þc; ci 2 C; dj 2 D
! represents the addition based on f (x).
Similarly, one can prove that it is a set of non-repeating NHZ FH
sequences.
In the above two constructions, if N ¼ p or N ¼ pm, the length L of the
generated sequences will be exactly equal to the size q of the frequency
library, and each frequency slot of the frequency library is utilised once
and only once in the period of sequence.
NHZ Hamming correlation properties: Because the FH sequences
constructed above are non-repeating, their Hamming autocorrelation side-
lobes always equal 0. For its Hamming cross-correlation property, we have:
Theorem 1: The Hamming cross-correlation of any two distinct
patterns in the constructed FH sequence set are zero when their
relative time shift t 6¼ k(ZNH þ 1), k is an integer and k 6¼ 0.
Proof: Given any two distinct patterns su and sv (u 6¼ v) of the
constructed FH sequence set S. Assume that there exists at least
one hit when their relative shift t 6¼ k(ZNH þ 1), k is an integer and
k 6¼ 0, then we have Conclusions: A general construction based on finite field GF( p) or
GF(pm) has been given to generate a class of non-repeating NHZ FH
sun1 ¼ svn2 ; ðn1 6¼ n2 ; n1  n2 ¼ tÞ
sequence set. These FH patterns possess ideal autocorrelation and
good Hamming cross-correlation property. Not only within no-hit
So
zone, but also when the relative shift t between any two patterns is not
fi1 ; ucid ¼ fi2 ; vcid integral multiple of (ZNH þ 1), their Hamming cross-correlations are
1 j1 2 j2
zeros. In addition, the above two constructions both satisfy
Thus q ¼ M  (ZNH þ 1), therefore they reach the theoretical bound (1) of
NHZ FH sequence with equality.
i1 ¼ n1 modðZNH þ 1Þ ¼ i2 ¼ n2 modðZNH þ 1Þ

Then Acknowledgments: This work was supported by the National Science

ðn1  n2 Þ modðZNH þ 1Þ ¼ t modðZNH þ 1Þ ¼ 0
This equation violates the assumption above. Then there is no hit of any
two distinct patterns when their relative shift t 6¼ k(ZNH þ 1), i.e. the
Hamming cross-correlation are zero when t 6¼ k(ZNH þ 1).
QED
According to the theorem, the constructed FH sequence set is NHZ FH
set and the length of no-hit zone is ZNH.
Example 1: Consider p ¼ 5, GF(5) ¼ {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}. Let set C ¼
{c0, c1} ¼ {1, 4}, set D ¼ {d0, d1, . . . , d4} ¼ {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}, N ¼ 5.
Then based on GF(5), a non-repeating NHZ FH sequence set S(q, L,
M, ZNH) ¼ S(10, 10, 5, 1) with ZNH ¼ 1 can be generated, as shown
below (here we have converted fa,b into fh):
s0 ¼ f f0 ; f5 ; f1 ; f9 ; f2 ; f8 ; f3 ; f7 ; f4 ; f6 g
s1 ¼ f f1 ; f6 ; f2 ; f5 ; f3 ; f9 ; f4 ; f8 ; f0 ; f7 g
s2 ¼ f f2 ; f7 ; f3 ; f6 ; f4 ; f5 ; f0 ; f9 ; f1 ; f8 g
s3 ¼ f f3 ; f8 ; f4 ; f7 ; f0 ; f6 ; f1 ; f5 ; f2 ; f9 g
s4 ¼ f f4 ; f9 ; f0 ; f8 ; f1 ; f7 ; f2 ; f6 ; f3 ; f5 g
A partial list of their periodic Hamming cross-correlations with t ¼ 0,
1, . . . , 9 is given by
H0;3 ðtÞ ¼ f0; 0; 0; 0; 5; 0; 5; 0; 0; 0g
H1;2 ðtÞ ¼ f0; 0; 5; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 5; 0g
H3;4 ðtÞ ¼ f0; 0; 5; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 5; 0g
Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Russian Foundation for Basic
Research (RFBR) Joint Research Project Scheme (No. 60472089) and
NSFC Key Project (No. 90604035).
# The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2006
14 March 2006
Electronics Letters online no: 20060775
doi: 10.1049/el:20060775
W.X. Ye and P.Z. Fan (Institute of Mobile Communications, Southwest
Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, People’s Republic of
China)
E-mail: wxye@home.swjtu.edu.cn
E.M. Gabidulin (Department of Radio Engineering; Moscow Institute
of Physics and Technology, 9 Institutskii per, 141700 Dolgoprudny,
Moscow Region, Russia)
References
1 Lempel and Greenberger, H.: ‘Families of sequences with optimal
Hamming correlation properties’, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory, 1974,
IT-20, (1), pp. 90–94
2 Fan, P.Z., and Darnell, M.: ‘Sequence design for communications
applications’ (Wiley, RSP, New York, 1996)
3 Ye, W.X., and Fan, P.Z.: ‘Two classes of frequency hopping sequences
with no-hit zone’. Proc. 7th Int. Symp. on Communication Theory and
Applications, Ambleside, UK, 2003, pp. 304–306
4 Wang, X.N., and Fan, P.Z.: ‘A class of frequency hopping sequences with
no hit zone’. Proc. 4th Int. Conf. on Parallel and Distributed Computing,
Applications and Technologies, Chengdu, China, 2003, pp. 896–898
5 Peng, D.Y., Fan, P.Z., and Lee, Moon Ho: ‘Lower bounds on the periodic
Hamming correlations of frequency hopping sequences with low hit
zone’, Science in China, 2006, 49, (2), pp. 208–218

Example 2: Consider the finite field GF(23). Choose a degree 3

primitive polynomial f(x) over GF(2): f(x) ¼ x3 þ x þ 1, and a primi-
tive element a of GF(23) which satisfy x3 þ x þ 1 ¼ 0. Let set C ¼ {c0,
c1, c2} ¼ {a, a3, a5}, set D ¼ {d0, d1, d2, d3} ¼ {a, a2, a3,a4}, N ¼ 4.
Then a non-repeating NHZ FH sequence set S(q, L, M, ZNH) ¼ S(24,
12, 8, 2) with ZNH ¼ 2 can be generated. Here we have converted fa,b
into fh, and the elements {0, 1, a, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6} of GF(23) have
been replaced with corresponding decimal number {1, 2, 4, 3, 6, 7,
5}.

s0 ¼ ð f6 ; f13 ; f18 ; f1 ; f12 ; f22 ; f4 ; f14 ; f21 ; f5 ; f10 ; f19 Þ

s1 ¼ ð f7 ; f12 ; f19 ; f0 ; f13 ; f23 ; f5 ; f15 ; f20 ; f4 ; f11 ; f18 Þ
s2 ¼ ð f4 ; f15 ; f16 ; f3 ; f14 ; f20 ; f6 ; f12 ; f23 ; f7 ; f8 ; f17 Þ
s3 ¼ ð f2 ; f9 ; f22 ; f5 ; f8 ; f18 ; f0 ; f10 ; f17 ; f1 ; f14 ; f23 Þ
s4 ¼ ð f5 ; f14 ; f17 ; f2 ; f15 ; f21 ; f7 ; f13 ; f22 ; f6 ; f9 ; f16 Þ
s5 ¼ ð f0 ; f11 ; f20 ; f7 ; f10 ; f16 ; f2 ; f8 ; f19 ; f3 ; f12 ; f21 Þ
s6 ¼ ð f1 ; f10 ; f21 ; f6 ; f11 ; f17 ; f3 ; f9 ; f18 ; f2 ; f13 ; f20 Þ
s7 ¼ ð f3 ; f8 ; f23 ; f4 ; f9 ; f19 ; f1 ; f11 ; f16 ; f0 ; f15 ; f22 Þ

A partial list of their periodic Hamming cross-correlations with t ¼ 0,

1, . . . , 11 is given by
H0;1 ðtÞ ¼ f0; 0; 0; 3; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 3; 0; 0g
H2;6 ðtÞ ¼ f0; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0; 2; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0g
H3;4 ðtÞ ¼ f0; 0; 0; 2; 0; 0; 2; 0; 0; 2; 0; 0g
H6;7 ðtÞ ¼ f0; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0; 2; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0g

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