(Press-News.org)
A novel 256-element wirelessly powered transceiver array for non-line-of-sight 5G communication, featuring efficient wireless power transmission and high-power conversion efficiency, has been designed by scientists at Tokyo Tech. The innovative design can enhance the 5G network coverage even to places with link blockage, improving flexibility and coverage area, and potentially making high-speed, low-latency communication more accessible.
Millimeter wave 5G communication, which uses extremely high-frequency radio signals (24 to 100 GHz), is a promising technology for next-generation wireless communication, exhibiting high speed, low latency, and large network capacity. However, current 5G networks face two key challenges. The first one is the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A high SNR is crucial for good communication. Another challenge is link blockage, which refers to the disruption in signal between transmitter and receiver due to obstacles such as buildings.
Beamforming is a key technique for long-distance communication using millimeter waves which improves SNR. This technique uses an array of sensors to focus radio signals into a narrow beam in a specific direction, akin to focusing a flashlight beam on a single point. However, it is limited to line-of-sight communication, where transmitters and receivers must be in a straight line, and the received signal can become degraded due to obstacles. Furthermore, concrete and modern glass materials can cause high propagation losses. Hence, there is an urgent need for a non-line-of-sight (NLoS) relay system to extend the 5G network coverage, especially indoors.
To address these issues, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Atsushi Shirane from the Laboratory for Future Interdisciplinary Research of Science and Technology at Tokyo Institute of Technology(Tokyo Tech) designed a novel wirelessly powered relay transceiver for 28 GHz millimeter-wave 5G communication (as shown in Figure 1). Their study has been published in the Proceedings of the 2024 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.
Explaining the motivation behind their study, Shirane says, “Previously, for NLoS communication, two types of 5G relays have been explored: an active type and a wireless-powered type. While the active relay can maintain a good SNR even with few rectifier arrays, it has high power consumption. The wirelessly powered type does not require a dedicated power supply but needs many rectifier arrays to maintain SNR due to low conversion gain and uses CMOS diodes with lower than ten percent power conversion efficiency. Our design addresses their issues while using commercially available semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs).”
The proposed transceiver consists of 256 rectifier arrays with 24 GHz wireless power transfer (WPT). These arrays consist of discrete ICs, including gallium arsenide diodes, and baluns, which interface between balanced and unbalanced (bal–un) signal lines, DPDT switches, and digital ICs (refer Figure 2). Notably, the transceiver is capable of simultaneous data and power transmission, converting 24 GHz WPT signal to direct current (DC) and facilitating 28 GHz bi-directional transmission and reception at the same time. The 24 GHz signal is received at each rectifier individually, while the 28 GHz signal is transmitted and received using beamforming. Both signals can be received from the same or different directions and the 28 GHz signal can be transmitted either with retro-reflecting with the 24 GHz pilot signal or in any direction.
Testing revealed that the proposed transceiver can achieve a power conversion efficiency of 54% and a conversion gain of –19 decibels, higher than conventional transceivers while maintaining SNR over long distances. Additionally, it achieves about 56 milliwatts of power generation which can be increased even further by increasing the number of arrays. This can also improve the resolution of the transmission and reception beams. “The proposed transceiver can contribute to the deployment of the millimeter-wave 5G network even to places where the link is blocked, improving installation flexibility and coverage area,” remarks Shirane about the benefits of their device.
This new transceiver will make 5G networks more common, making high-speed, low-latency communication accessible to all!
###
About Tokyo Institute of Technology
Tokyo Tech stands at the forefront of research and higher education as the leading university for science and technology in Japan. Tokyo Tech researchers excel in fields ranging from materials science to biology, computer science, and physics. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Tech hosts over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students per year, who develop into scientific leaders and some of the most sought-after engineers in industry. Embodying the Japanese philosophy of “monotsukuri,” meaning “technical ingenuity and innovation,” the Tokyo Tech community strives to contribute to society through high-impact research.
https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/
END
Newfound evidence reveals that the upsurge of the exotic Nile perch in Lake Victoria had long-lasting effects on the genetic diversity of various local cichlid species, report scientists from Tokyo Tech. Through large-scale comparative genomic analyses, the researchers found concrete proof in the collective genome of multiple species that this artificially introduced perch decimated many local fish populations, causing a 'bottleneck effect.'
The careless introduction of exotic species by humans into ecosystems can lead to truly catastrophic results, as has been ...
With wildfires becoming more frequent and extensive in Canada, it’s important for people to understand the health risks of wildfire smoke. An article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.240135 aims to provide information for clinicians and people in Canada as wildfire season is upon us.
"As climate change causes more frequent and severe wildfires, wildfire smoke becomes a larger health problem,” says Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, assistant professor, Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, and medical officer of health of Windsor–Essex County, Ontario. “Communities need ...
Children across the United States who identify as LGBTQ+ say the sexual health education curricula they receive is leaving them without essential information to make informed decisions about their sexual health – which could force them to seek potentially dangerous advice elsewhere.
The results of a new, national, peer-reviewed survey, show that these young people — aged 13 to 17 — believe crucial topics surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity are being omitted from sexual health education programs.
Experts who led the study – published today in The Journal of Sex Research, as people around the ...
WASHINGTON – A rigorous, comprehensive synthesis of evidence from 62 studies related to the use of oral nicotine pouches by Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists and colleagues provides a much-needed assessment of how these products could lead to potential harmful consequences if used by young people.
Oral nicotine pouches were first introduced in the U.S. in the past decade and are pre-portioned white granular packets containing nicotine placed between the gums and lips, marketed as tobacco-free, and are sold in various flavors and nicotine strengths.
The findings appeared ...
A recently developed wirelessly powered 5G relay could accelerate the development of smart factories, report scientists from Tokyo Tech. By adopting a lower operating frequency for wireless power transfer, the proposed relay design solves many of the current limitations, including range and efficiency. In turn, this allows for a more versatile and widespread arrangement of sensors and transceivers in industrial settings.
One of the hallmarks of the Information Age is the transformation of industries towards a greater flow of ...
A new D-band CMOS transceiver chipset with 56 GHz signal-chain bandwidth achieves the highest transmission speed of 640 Gbps for a wireless device realized with integrated circuits, as reported by researchers from Tokyo Tech and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. The proposed chipset is highly promising for the next generation of wireless systems.
To achieve faster speeds and handle increasing data traffic, wireless systems are operating in higher millimeter-wave frequency bands. Current high-band 5G systems offer speeds as high as 10 Gbps and operate in frequency bands between 24–47 GHz. The next generation ...
Peer-reviewed – Qualitative study - Humans
A new study has provided an in-depth look into the rising trend of disposable vape use among young people in the UK.
The research, led by the University of East Anglia, reveals that young people see smoking and vaping as interchangeable, but are far more aware of the potential harms of vaping than they are of the dangers of smoking.
The findings also suggest that banning disposable vape products or increasing their prices could lead young people to revert to smoking tobacco.
Many of the young people questioned also believed that ...
Atlanta, Ga.—Eczema, a skin inflammatory disease that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, affects millions worldwide. Eczema is associated with an altered skin microbiome and higher colonization by Staphylococcus aureus. The study, led at New York Medical by postdoctoral fellow Anish R. Maskey, Ph.D., focuses on the natural compound berberine and its impact on eczema exacerbated by S. aureus. The findings, presented at ASM Microbe, shed light on berberine’s ability to inhibit S. aureus colonization and alleviate eczema symptoms without adverse effects.
Current ...
A data-driven intervention that engaged communities to rapidly deploy evidence-based practices to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths – such as increasing naloxone distribution and enhancing access to medication for opioid use disorder – did not result in a statistically significant reduction in opioid-related overdose death rates during the evaluation period, according to results from the National Institutes of Health’s HEALing (Helping to End Addiction Long-Term) Communities Study. Researchers identified the COVID-19 pandemic and increased prevalence ...
Atlanta, GA – New research has shed light on the effects of protein-rich diets on the gut microbiome and overall health. Despite the increasing protein intake in Western diets, especially among athletes and individuals with obesity, the fate of undigested protein and its impact on human health remains largely unknown. A new study, presented at ASM Microbe, explores how excess undigested protein in the colon can be fermented to produce beneficial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), or lead to the production of harmful metabolites like ammonia and sulfides, which are linked to gastrointestinal disorders and other health issues.
The research team conducted a series of experiments ...
