PAPR reduction using clipping function depending on the peak value and the peak width

1. A method for clipping a signal (S(t)) with respect to a predetermined clipping threshold (A max ) using a computing device ( 4 ), including:

detecting (ST 1 -ST 7 ) the ends of a signal portion (S(t s ), S(t e )) above the clipping threshold and a peak (Pk) in the signal portion,

deriving (ST 9 ), using the computing device, a clipping function (K(t)) having values less than 1 and depending on the times (t s , t e ) on the ends of the signal portion, the amplitude of the detected peak and the clipping threshold,

enlarging (ST 9 ) the signal portion (S(t s ), S(t e )) to be clipped up to at least one of first and second boundary points of the signal, the first boundary point [t 1 +1, S(t 1 +1)] preceding said signal portion and being located below the clipping threshold (A max ) and on a first ascending portion to the detected peak (Pk), the second boundary point [t 2 −1, S(t 2 −1)] following said first signal portion and being located below the clipping threshold (A max ) and on a last descending portion from the detected peak (Pk), and the clipping function (K(t)) being further derived as a function of the time (t 1 +1, t 2 −1) of said at least one of the first and second boundary points, and

clipping (ST 10 ) the signal portion (S(t s ), S(t e )) by multiplying it by the clipping function into a clipped portion (CS(t s ), CS(t e )), using the computing device,

characterized in that it further includes detecting (ST 11 ) at least one of the lowest boundary point [t 1 +1, S(t 1 +1)], as said first boundary point, located on the first ascending portion to the detected peak (Pk) and the lowest earlier boundary point [t 2 −1, S(t 2 −1)], as said second boundary point, located on the last descending portion from the detected peak (Pk).

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the clipping function (K(t)) attenuates more a central portion of the signal portion (S(t s ), S(t e ); S(t 1 +1), S(t 2 −1)) including the detected peak (Pk) than end portions of the signal portion.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the clipping function (K(t)) is a parabolic function whose apex value is multiplied by the signal at the detected peak (Pk).

4. A method according to claim 1 , further including previously setting up correspondences between peak amplitude intervals and clipping thresholds, and selecting (ST 9 ) the clipping threshold corresponding to one of the peak amplitude intervals including the amplitude of the detected peak (Pk) to derive the clipping function further depending on the selected clipping threshold instead of the predetermined clipping threshold (A max ).

5. A method according to claim 1 for clipping said signal (S(t)) into a clipped signal (CS(t)) having non-clipped portions and clipped portions (CS(t s ), CS(t e ); CS(t 1 +1), CS(t 2 −1)), said method including filtering only said clipped portions selected as function of the start and end times of said clipped portions.

6. A computer program adapted to be implemented in the computing device for clipping a signal (S(t)) with respect to a predetermined clipping threshold (A max ), said program being characterized in that it includes program instructions which carry out the steps of the method according to claim 1 when said program is executed in the computing device.

7. A device for clipping a signal (S(t)) with respect to a predetermined clipping threshold (A max ), including

means ( 42 ) for detecting (ST 1 -ST 7 ) the ends of a signal portion (S(t s ), S(t e )) above the clipping threshold and a peak (Pk) in the signal portion,

means ( 43 ) for deriving a clipping function (K(t)) having values less than 1 and depending on the times (t s , t e ) on the ends of the signal portion, the amplitude of the detected peak and the clipping threshold,

means ( 43 ) for enlarging the signal portion (S(t s ), S(t e )) to be clipped up to at least one of first and second boundary points of the signal, the first boundary point [t 1 +1, S(t 1 +1)] preceding said first portion and being located below the clipping threshold (A max ) and on a first ascending portion to the detected peak (Pk), the second boundary point [t 2 −1, S(t 2 −1)] following said first portion and being located below the clipping threshold (A max ) and on a last descending portion from the detected peak (Pk), and the clipping function (K(t)) being further derived as a function of the times (t 1 +1, t 2 −1) of said at least one of the first and second boundary points, and

means ( 44 ) for clipping the signal portion (S(t s ), S(t e )) by multiplying it by the clipping function into a clipped portion (CS(t s ), CS(t e )),

characterized in that the device further includes:

means ( 46 ) for detecting (ST 11 ) at least one of the lowest boundary point [t 1 +1, S(t 1 +1)], as said first boundary point, located on the first ascending portion to the detected peak (Pk) and the lowest earlier boundary point [t 2 −1, S(t 2 −1)], as said second boundary point, located on the last descending portion from the detected peak (Pk).

8. A device according to claim 7 , including means ( 43 ) for supplying a filtering control signal (FCS) depending on the start and end times of clipped portions (CS(t 1 +1), CS(t 2 −1)), and filtering means ( 5 ) for only filtering said clipped portions responsive to the filtering control signal (FCS).

9. A transmitter including the device according to claim 7 .

10. A user terminal including the device according to claim 7 .

11. A base station including the device according to claim 7 .

12. A telecommunication system including at least one of user terminals and base stations including the device according to claim 7 .