Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) is a multiple access technique that uses OFDM and FDMA. It divides the available bandwidth into multiple orthogonal subcarriers, assigning subsets of subcarriers to individual users. This allows for efficient use of spectrum and multi-user diversity. OFDMA provides better performance in fading environments compared to CDMA. However, it suffers from high peak-to-average power ratio and requires tight synchronization between users. OFDMA is used in wireless standards like WiMax due to its ability to support high data rates and combat intersymbol interference.

1. Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiple Access
(OFDMA)
Khaja Mohammad Shazzad

2. 2
Outline
1. Background
 Multiple Access (MA) Methods
1. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
(OFDM) Based Multiple Access (OFDMA)
 Orthogonality Principle
 OFDM
 OFDM-FDMA
1. Advantages and Disadvantages of OFDMA
2. Conclusion

3. Multiple Access (MA)
 General wireless cellular systems are multi-users
systems
 Radio resource are limited
– Limited Bandwidth
– Limited number of channels
 The radio resource must be shared among multiple
users
 Multiple Access Control (MAC) needed
– Contention-based
– Non-contention-based

4. 4
Contention-based
Multiple Access(MA)
 Contention-based
– Each terminal transmits in a decentralized way
– No central controller (Base stations or access points)
– Example:
 ALOHA
 Carrier Sensing Multiple Access (CSMA)
Standard:
– GSM [l] uses the slotted ALOHA in the terminal’s initial
access process
– IEEE 802.11 uses CSMA/CA based contention access
scheme

5. Non-contention-based
Multiple Access (MA)
 A logic controller (BS or AP) is needed to
coordinate the transmissions of all the terminals
 The controller informs each device when and on
which channel it can transmit
 Collisions can be avoided entirely
 Two Subdivisions
1. Non-channelization
2. Channelization

6. Non-channelization
Non-contention-based MA
 Terminals transmit sequentially using the same
channel
 Example:
– Polling based medium access
 Standard:
– IEEE 802.15(WPAN)
– IEEE 802.11(WLAN)

7. Channelization
Non-contention-based MA
 Terminals transmit simultaneously using different
channels
 Most commonly used protocols in cellular systems
 Example:
– 1. Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
– 2. Code Division Multiple Access( CDMA)
– 1. Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)
 Standard
– 1. GSM (TDMA)
– 2. IS-95 (CDMA)
– 3. American Mobile Phone System, AMPS (FDMA)

8. 8
Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA)
 GSM
– Time slot 0.577 ms
– Frame 4.6 ms
– 8 time slots per frame
– Frequency band 20 KHz

9. Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA)
 IS-95
– Orthogonal Walsh codes
– 64 codes (channels)
– One pilot channel
– Seven paging channels
– 55 traffic channels
– Each carrier 1.25 MHz

10. Frequency Division Multiple Access
(FDMA)
 American Mobile Phone
System (AMPS)
– Total Bandwidth 25 MHz
– Each Channel 30 KHz

11. Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiplexing (OFDM) Based Multiple
Access (OFDMA)
Orthogonality Principle
OFDM
OFDM-FDMA

12. 12
Orthogonality Principle
 Vector space
– A, B and C vectors in
space are orthogonal to
each other
– A.B=B.C=C.A=0
– (A+B+C).A=(mod A)^2
– (A+B+C).B=(mod B)^2
– (A+B+C).C=(mod C)^2
A
B
C

13. Orthogonality Principle cont..
 Real Function space
0)()(
)cos()(
)sin()(
0)()(
)cos()(
)sin()(
21
2
1
=
=
=
=
=
=
∫
∫
+
+
dttftf
nwtNtf
mwtMtf
dttftf
wtBtf
wtAtf
n
T
m
n
m
T
τ
τ
τ
τ

14. Orthogonality Principle cont..
)2sin()sin()( wtwttf =
∫ =
≠∫ =
∈∀
T
0
0s(nwt)dtsin(mwt)co
nmwhere
T
0
0n(nwt)dtsin(mwt)si
Νm.n
Here mw and nw are called
m-th and n-th harmonics of
w respectively

15. 15
Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiplexing(OFDM)
 It is a special kind of FDM
 The spacing between carriers are such that
they are orthogonal to one another
 Therefore no need of guard band between
carriers.
 One example makes the thing clear

16. Example of OFDM
 Lets we have following information bits
– 1, 1, -1, -1, 1, 1, 1, -1, 1, -1, -1, -1, -1, 1, -1, -1, …
 Just converts the serials bits to parallel bits
C1 C2 C3 C4
1 1 -1 -1
1 1 1 -1
1 -1 -1 -1
-1 1 -1 -1
-1 1 1 -1
-1 -1 1 1

17. Example of OFDM cont..
Modulated signal for C1 Modulated signal for C2
Modulated signal for C3 Modulated signal for C4
Modulate each column with corresponding sub-carrier using BPSK

18. Example of OFDM cont..
 Final OFDM Signal = Sum of all signal
)2sin()()(
1
0
nttItV
N
n
n
π∑
−
=
=
Generated OFDM signal, V(t)
V(t)

19. OFDM-FDMA (OFDMA)
 Each terminal occupies
a subset of sub-carriers
 Subset is called an
OFDMA traffic channel
 Each traffic channel is
assigned exclusively to
one user at any time user1
user2
user3
user4

20. OFDM-FDMA (OFDMA)
 The IEEE 802.16e/ WiMax use OFDMA as
Multiple access technique
– Bandwidth options 1.25, 5, 10, or 20 MHz
– Entire bandwidth divided into 128, 512, 1024 or
2048 sub carriers
– 20 MHz bandwidth with 2048 sub carriers has 9.8
KHz spacing between sub carriers

21. OFDM-FDMA (System View)

22. 22
Advantages of OFDMA
 Multi-user Diversity
– broadband signals experience frequency selective
fading
– OFDMA allows different users to transmit over
different portions of the broadband spectrum (traffic
channel)
– Different users perceive different channel qualities,
a deep faded channel for one user may still be
favorable to others

23. Advantages of OFDMA cont..
Multi-user Diversity

24. Advantages of OFDMA cont..
 Efficient use of Spectrum
4/3 Hz per symbol
6/5 Hz per symbol

25. Advantages of OFDMA cont..
 Receiver Simplicity
– It eliminates the intra-cell interference avoiding
CDMA type of multi-user detection
– Orthogonality of code destroyed by selective
fading
– Only FFT processor is required
 Bit Error Rate performance is better only in Fading
environment

26. Disadvantages of OFDMA
 Peak to average power
ratio (PAPR)
avg
P
tx
PAPR
2
)(
=
The large amplitude variation increases in-band noise and
increases the BER when the signal has to go through amplifier
nonlinearities.

27. 27
Disadvantages of OFDMA cont..
 Synchronization
– Tight Synchronization between users are
required for FFT in receiver
– Pilot signals are used for synchronizations
 Co-channel interference
– Dealing with this is more complex in OFDM than in CDMA
– Dynamic channel allocation with advanced
coordination among adjacent base stations

28. 28
Research issues and Conclusion
 Future works
– Peak-to-average power reduction in OFDM
– Timing and Frequency Synchronization
– Efficient digital signal processing Implementation of OFDM
– Multiple input/Multiple output (MIMO) OFDM
 Conclusion
– Different variations of OFDMA are proposed and
have different pros and cons

29. Thank You
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