Low-complexity APSK demodulation algorithm based on K-means clustering in LEO satellite communication systems✩

Guangfu Wu; Xiangrui Meng; Changlin Chen; Biqun Xiang

doi:10.1016/j.dcan.2025.08.002

›› 2026, Vol. 12 ›› Issue (2) :343 -353. DOI: 10.1016/j.dcan.2025.08.002

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Low-complexity APSK demodulation algorithm based on K-means clustering in LEO satellite communication systems^✩

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^a School of Communications and Information Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China

^b School of Big Data and Computer Science, Chongqing College of Mobile Communication, Chongqing 401520, China

^* E-mail address: s230132097@stu.cqupt.edu.cn (X. Meng).

Guangfu Wu received his B.S. degree in Electronic and Information Engineering from Chongqing Three Gorges University and his M.S. degree in Communication and Informa-tion Systems from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China, in 2004 and 2007, respectively. In 2022, he obtained his Ph.D. degree in Informa-tion and Communication Engineering from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecom-munications. His current research interests include future mobile communication base-band algorithms, multiple access algorithms, and intelligent processing algorithms for road images.

Xiangrui Meng received his bachelor’s degree in Electronic Information Engineering in 2023 from Henan University of Technology, Henan, China. He is currently working toward a master’s degree in Communication Engineering at the School of Communications and Information Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications. His current research interests include wireless communication technologies.

Changlin Chen received his master’s degree in Information and Communication Engi-neering in 2024 from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China. His current research interests include wireless communication technologies.

Biqun Xiang is an associate professor in the School of Big Data and Computer Science at Chongqing Institute of Mobile Communication, China. Her current research interests include wireless networks and radio resource management technology.

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Abstract

Amplitude Phase Shift Keying (APSK) is more suitable for the nonlinear channels of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication systems compared to Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM). To tackle challenges posed by Direct Current (DC) interference and high demodulation complexity, we propose an APSK demodulation algorithm based on K-means clustering. Initially, static DC components are calculated and removed from the received APSK signals. Subsequently, the estimated APSK constellation points serve as initial centers for K-means clustering. These centers are refined through the K-means process and act as theoretical APSK constellation points for the Max-Log-MAP demodulation algorithm, eﬀectively eliminating residual DC. We then introduce a low-complexity APSK demodulation algorithm that utilizes the symmetry of constellation points along with the Euclidean distance between DC-eliminated signals and these constellation points to minimize the set of constellation points. Simulation results indicate that for 32-APSK, our proposed demodulation submodule reduces computational complexity to approximately one-third that of the Max-Log-MAP algorithm while improving Bit Error Rate (BER) performance by about 0.23 dB. Furthermore, end-to-end simulation experiments conducted within LEO satellite communication systems demonstrate that our approach not only maintains this complexity advantage but also enhances BER performance by approximately 1.1 dB.

Keywords

DC elimination / APSK demodulation / LEO satellite communication / K-means algorithm / Max-Log-MAP algorithm

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Guangfu Wu, Xiangrui Meng, Changlin Chen, Biqun Xiang. Low-complexity APSK demodulation algorithm based on K-means clustering in LEO satellite communication systems^✩. , 2026, 12(2): 343-353 DOI:10.1016/j.dcan.2025.08.002

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CRediT authorship contribution statement

Guangfu Wu: Writing-review & editing, Supervision, Project ad-ministration, Funding acquisition. Xiangrui Meng: Writing-original draft, Validation, Methodology. Changlin Chen: Methodology. Biqun Xiang: Investigation.

Declaration of competing interest

All author disclosed no relevant relationships.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the Key Project of the Chongqing Natural Science Foundation (2022NSCQ-LZX0191), the Key Research Program of Science and Technology of the Chongqing Education Commission (KJZD-K202202402), the Scientific Research Start-up Fund of Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommuni-cations (A2023-62), and the Chongqing Natural Science Foundation (cstc2024ycjh-bgzxm003) for their invaluable support in this research.

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