Optimization of Linearly Equalized QAM

A QAM signal transmitted over a channel with linear distortion and additive white Gaussian noise can be linearly equalized at the receiver to eliminate intersymbol interference. If the QAM signal is power constrained and a given symbol error rate is required, we show that it is possible to maximize the bit rate of this system by optimizing the symbol rate and the number of bits/symbol. Ideal linear equalization is assumed at the receiver to overcome the distortion introduced by the channel. As an example, a Gaussian channel is chosen, and the bit rate is maximized for this channel. The QAM maximization is especially useful for channels with slowly decaying channel attenuation characteristics, e.g., the twisted-pair channel.     

A Look at Crosstalk in Quadrature-Carrier Modulation Systems

A method is presented for comparing the performance of different quadrature-carrier modulation techniques. It is based on the calculation of the mean-square crosstalk between adjacent digital communications channels. This method was used to determine the crosstalk of a number of constant envelope modulation schemes, including Staggered Quaternary Phase Shift Keying (SQPSK) and Minimum Shift Keying (MSK). The results, as have previous results, show the improved performance of MSK over SQPSK. By utilizing the general equation for mean-square crosstalk as a measure of performance, a search was made for constant envelope modulation methods with reduced crosstalk. A number of methods were found which have better mean-square crosstalk performance than MSK. Finally this paper presents a method for reducing degradation due to crosstalk by using mismatched windows in the standard correlation detector. An example of this technique for detection of MSK signals is analyzed.     

Optimization of Generalized Tamed Frequency Modulation Bit Error Rate Performance Subject to a Bandwidth Constraint

This paper deals with the optimization of coherent generalized tamed frequency modulation (GTFM). The optimization is carried out over certain parameters of the modulation scheme to give the best BER (bit error rate) performance, subject to a bandwidth constraint. The optimization is done by an algorithm which uses the upper bound on the squared Euclidean distance as a metric of the BER performance and the power spectra at a certain frequency as a metric of the bandwidth. It is concluded that when the modulation index is not restricted to 0.5, a theoretic improvement of 1.9 dB over the BER performance of GTFM is achievable, with equal bandwidths as a basis of comparison.     

Evaluating the mediator method: Prism as a case study

A software engineer's confidence in the profitability of a novel design technique depends to a significant degree on previous demonstrations of its profitability in practice. Trials of proposed techniques are thus of considerable value in providing factual bases for evaluation. We present our experience with a previously presented design approach as a basis for evaluating its promise and problems. Specifically, we report on our use of the mediator method to reconcile tight behavioral integration with ease of development and evolution of Prism, a system for planning radiation treatments for cancer patients. Prism is now in routine clinical use in several major research hospitals. Our work supports two claims. In comparison to more common design techniques, the mediator approach eases the development and evolution of integrated systems; and the method can be learned and used profitably by practising software engineers     

Modeling drug mechanism knowledge using evidence and truth maintenance.

To protect the safety of patients, it is vital that researchers find methods for representing drug mechanism knowledge that support making clinically relevant drug-drug interaction (DDI) predictions. Our research aims to identify the challenges of representing and reasoning with drug mechanism knowledge and to evaluate potential informatics solutions to these challenges through the process of developing a knowledge-based system capable of predicting clinically relevant DDIs that occur via metabolic mechanisms. In previous work, we designed a simple, rule-based, model of metabolic inhibition and induction and applied it to a database containing assertions about 267 drugs. This pilot system taught us that drug mechanism knowledge is often dynamic, missing, or uncertain. In this paper, we propose methods to address these properties of mechanism knowledge and describe a new prototype system, the Drug Interaction Knowledge-base (DIKB), that implements our proposed methods so that we can explore their strengths and limitations. A novel feature of the DIKB is its use of a truth maintenance system to link changes in the evidence support for assertions about drug properties to the set of interactions and non-interactions the system predicts.     

Patients as teachers: an integrated approach to teaching medical students about the ambulatory care of HIV infected patients

Our experience with medical students in a large inner city hospital left us concerned that students' fears affect their ability to learn about and care for HIV-positive people. Therefore, we decided to create an environment in which the students could feel safe exploring their own attitudes and feelings about HIV. To accomplish the goal, we developed a curriculum in the ambulatory care of HIV-positive people. We recruited and trained patients from an HIV support group at our hospital to work with students in one-on-one sessions to teach interviewing, physical exam, and patient counseling skills. As part of a 4-week ambulatory clerkship for third year students we developed a minicourse which included four sessions with didactic and experiential components. The first week consisted of an orientation and group discussion in which patients told the students about what its like to live with HIV. During each of the following three sessions, students met with a preceptor to learn about HIV in an ambulatory care setting. The didactic session was followed by one-on-one student/patient encounters in which students practised skills discussed that week and patients gave them feedback. At the close of the day, the entire group reconvened to discuss what had happened. As a result of this integrated approach, students are experiencing the relational aspects of providing medical care, often for the first and only time. In the process they are learning to take good social histories and are learning how patients with HIV relate to and sometimes reorganize their family and social support systems. Students have the opportunity to get to know, in depth, a relatively healthy person who is living with a chronic, stigmatizing illness. Both patients and students are talking to each other on a level of intimacy that is rare in the training environment. Patients express a new appreciation of their own role and power in the relationship and a new insight into the struggles of the provider. Faculty experience a renewed commitment to the importance of creating an environment where the students can discover for themselves the joy of the connection between doctor and patient. Students have an opportunity to relate to patients not as pathology, but as people with lives before and beyond the medical system. This model is practical and may be useful in teaching about other chronic diseases in the ambulatory setting.     

Statistics of companding noise for QAM transmission

In modern voiceband data communication, the received signal is subject to nonlinear quantization noise due to companding. Under certain conditions, this quantization noise may become dominant and cause serious degradation in performance. In order to design better signal constellations for this environment, it is of interest to characterize this noise. We study the conditional probability density function (PDF) for the quantization noise found on a PCM companding channel. We obtain an analytical expression for the conditional PDF of the nonlinear quantization noise and an algorithm to compute the conditional PDF of the filtered noise, which is the actual noise at the slicer input of the linear receiver. We compare the results to a Gaussian PDF (with second-order moments that depend on the signal point) and conclude that a Gaussian approximation, although not entirely accurate, is not unreasonable     

Bhattacharyya bound, cutoff rate, and constellation design for thecompanding channel

In modern voiceband data communication, the received signal is subject to nonlinear quantization noise due to companding. Under certain conditions, this quantization noise may become dominant and cause serious degradation in performance. In this paper, we first calculate the Bhattacharyya bound on the error probability between two signal points, which we then use to obtain some insight into the effects of the companding channel. Next, we compute the cutoff rate, and then use these results to design new “optimal” signal constellations for the companding channel. The bound, cutoff rate, and new constellations are computed assuming a signal-dependent noncircular Gaussian channel transition density. In addition, we obtain “optimal” a priori probabilities for this channel     

Mean-square crosstalk approach to CPM

The maximum-likelihood sequence estimator (MLSE) for continuous phase modulation (CPM) signals in an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel is a very efficient method of detection. This paper describes an extension of a relatively simple crosstalk approach for the performance analysis of linear quadrature receivers with cochannel interference (CCI) and adjacent channel interference (ACI) present to the MLSE receiver. Many CPM signals are analyzed, including those using new baseband modulating pulses. One of the new schemes allows an ACI signal to be 62 dB greater than the desired user signal at a frequency separation of one-and-a-half times the bit rate, with just a 2-dB degradation in required E_b/N₀     

Suboptimal Continuous Shift Keyed (CSK) Demodulation for the Efficient Implementation of Low Crosstalk Data Communication

A suboptimal receiver of constant envelope, continuousfrequency MSK-type modulations called Continuous Shift Keying (CSK) is proposed that halves demodulator complexity with no more than a 1.6 dB loss in detectability in AWGN. The technique is especially applicable to a frequency division multiple access system composed of many unsynchronized user terminals.