# Hidden outlier noise and its mitigation

## TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges of identifying and mitigating impulsive outlier noise in communication systems using real-time nonlinear filtering techniques, emphasizing practical implementation and performance improvements.

## Contribution

It introduces methods for real-time outlier noise mitigation by exploiting excess band observations and presents practical nonlinear filtering components and arrangements.

## Key findings

- Outlier noise can be effectively mitigated using nonlinear filters.
- Excess band observation enables in-band noise mitigation.
- Performance improvements on channel capacity are demonstrated.

## Abstract

In addition to ever-present thermal noise, various communication and sensor systems can contain significant amounts of interference with outlier (e.g. impulsive) characteristics. Such outlier noise can be efficiently mitigated in real-time using intermittently nonlinear filters. Depending on the noise nature and composition, improvements in the quality of the signal of interest will vary from "no harm" to substantial. In this paper, we explain in detail why the underlying outlier nature of interference often remains obscured, discussing the many challenges and misconceptions associated with state-of-art analog and/or digital nonlinear mitigation techniques, especially when addressing complex practical interference scenarios. We then focus on the methodology and tools for real-time outlier noise mitigation, demonstrating how the "excess band" observation of outlier noise enables its efficient in-band mitigation. We introduce the basic real-time nonlinear components that are used for outlier noise filtering, and provide examples of their implementation. We further describe complementary nonlinear filtering arrangements for wide- and narrow-band outlier noise reduction, providing several illustrations of their performance and the effect on channel capacity. Finally, we outline "effectively analog" digital implementations of these filtering structures, discuss their broader applications, and comment on the ongoing development of the platform for their demonstration and testing.