Soft Decoding Assisted SNR Estimation Under Block Fading Channels for Orthogonal Modulations

The performance of the coded orthogonal modulation (OM) system under slow fading channels heavily depends on the estimation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), including the fading amplitude and the noise spectral density. However, a relatively long packet of pilot symbols is often required to guarantee the accuracy of the SNR estimation, which makes it impractical in some situations. To address this problem, this paper proposes an iterative SNR estimation algorithm using the soft decoding information based on the expectation-maximization algorithm. In the proposed method, a joint iterative loop between the SNR estimator and decoder is performed, where the extrinsic information generated by the soft decoder is employed to enhance the estimation accuracy and the SNR estimated by the estimator is used to generate the soft information to the decoder. Also, no pilot symbols are needed to estimate the SNR in the proposed estimator. The Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB) of fully data-aided (FDA) estimation is derived to works as the final benchmark. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated in terms of the normalized mean square errors (NMSEs) and the bit error rates (BERs) under block fading channels. Simulation results indicate that the NMSE of the proposed estimator reaches the CRLB of the FDA estimator and outperforms that of the approximate ML (ML-A) estimator proposed by Hassan et al. by 4.1 dB. The BER performance of coded OM system with the proposed estimation algorithm is close to the ideal case where the channel fading and the noise spectral density are known at the receiver.     

Channel estimation for nonlinear MIMO receiver with square envelope detection

Two practical channel estimation schemes, the moment‐based first‐and‐second moments and the simplified maximum likelihood estimators, are proposed for the MIMO/on–off keying system with square envelope detection applied for wireless sensor networks. Here, both the channel response and noise power are estimated simultaneously in comparison with other approaches in which the noise quantity is assumed to be known at the receiver. Hence, the developed estimators are more practical than those estimators without noise power estimation. Simulation results reveal that the system with both proposed schemes can achieve an excellent BER performance in a wide signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) range. More specifically, we observed that the simplified maximum likelihood estimator performed as well as the moment‐based first‐and‐second moments estimator for SNR greater than 7.5 dB, yet had much more decline at low SNRs. This study also investigated the effects of the numbers of receive antennas and transmit antennas on the system performance. Simulation results demonstrated that, at the BER of 10^?3, the 5 × 5 system had an improvement of 7 dB in SNR compared with the 3 × 3 system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SNR estimation in Nakagami-m fading with diversity combining and its application to turbo decoding

We propose an online signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation scheme for Nakagami-m (1960) fading channels with L branch equal gain combining (EGC) diversity. We derive the SNR estimate based on the statistical ratio of certain observables over a block of data, and use the SNR estimates in the iterative decoding of turbo codes on Nakagami-m fading channels with L branch EGC diversity. We evaluate the turbo decoder performance using the SNR estimate under various fading and diversity scenarios (m = 0.5, 1, 5 and L = 1, 2, 3) and compare it with the performance using perfect knowledge of the SNR and the fade amplitudes.     

Performance of partially coherent selection combining receiver in α-μ fading channel

In this paper the impact of the imperfect reference signal extraction is investigated, the bit error rate (BER) performance of multibranch selection combining (SC) receiver for binary and quaternary phase-shift keying (BPSK and QPSK) signals in a generalized α-μ fading channel are shown. The combined effects of imperfect phase estimation of the received signal, diversity order, fading severity and average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per bit on BER values are examined. The analytical results are verified by Monte Carlo simulations.     

时变衰落信道中同步时间扩展信号的分集接收技术

扩频通信可以区分多径信号进行RAKE分集接收,是一种有效处理多径效应的手段。与此对应,时间扩展通信也可以在频域上进行类似RAKE的分集接收,有效处理时变衰落带来的影响。时间扩展会带来严重的符号间干扰,同步时间扩展可以有效控制和处理符号间干扰。基于信道分解的分集接收技术保证了同步时间扩展在时变衰落信道下的性能。获得10-4误码率,本文分集算法(扩展长度1024)在时变衰落信道中所需的信噪比与AWGN信道不分集处理所需的信噪比只相差1.4dB。     

Performance Analysis of Generic Amplify-and-Forward Cooperative Networks over Asymmetric Fading Channels

In this paper, we analyze the performance of multi-hop multi-branch amplify-and-forward (AF) networks over generalized fading channels. Using the moment generating function (MGF)-based approach, we develop general expressions for the outage probability and symbol-error rate (SER) performance of the system with maximal ratio combining (MRC) receiver. The MGF-based approach relies on numerical integration. To gain insights into system performance, we therefore investigate the asymptotic outage and SER performance of the system with MRC and selection combining (SC) receiver at the destination. In particular, we develop the asymptotic statistics of the end-to-end signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of an AF multi-hop link. We further derive the cumulative density function of the sum of the individual end-to-end SNRs, received from different diversity paths for MRC receiver. We also study the power allocation problem in a multi-hop multi-branch system with MRC receiver. In generalized Gamma fading environments, we seek to find the power allocation strategy that maximizes the SNR at the destination subject to a total power constraint. By means of simulations, we validate our theoretical developments and verify the efficiency of our proposed power allocation in improving the received SNR compared to a generic cooperative system with no power allocation. We also conclude that our asymptotic expressions for the outage probability and SER match the simulations very well in medium-to-high-SNR regime.     

Weighting Factor Estimation Method for Peak Power Reduction Based on Adaptive Flipping of Parity Bits in Turbo-Coded OFDM Systems

In this paper, we propose a weighting factor (WF) estimation method for peak power reduction (PPR) based on adaptive flipping of parity carriers in a turbo-coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) system. In this PPR scheme, the peak-to-average power ratio of a turbo-coded OFDM signal is reduced with adaptive flipping of the phase of the parity carriers corresponding to the WFs. At the receiver, the WFs are estimated at a turbo decoder by exploiting the redundancy of an error-correcting code using no extra side information. The proposed WF estimation method is based on an iterative decoding of the turbo code, i.e., the turbo decoder provides not only error correction capability but the WF estimation function as well. When the proposed WF estimation method is used for the system using a turbo code with constraint length $K = 4$ and a code rate of $R = 1/2$, the instantaneous power of the OFDM signal at the complementary cumulative distribution function of $10^{-4}$ can be reduced by about 2.1 dB through the application of the PPR scheme. When the bit error rate (BER) performance is evaluated as a function of the peak signal-to-noise power ratio (PSNR), the proposed method achieves better BER performance than the case without the PPR in an attenuated 12-path Rayleigh fading condition. The improvements in BER performance as a function of PSNR are about 1.1, 2.0, and 2.1 dB at $hbox{BER} = 10^{-4}$ for turbo-coded OFDM signals using QPSK, 16-state quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), and 64-state QAM schemes, respectively.      

Exact BER for M-QAM with MRC and Imperfect Channel Estimation in Rician Fading Channels

In this paper, we study the effect of imperfect channel estimation (ICE) on the performance of M-level quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) with maximum ratio combining (MRC) and pilot-symbol assisted modulation (PSAM) in generalized Rician fading channels. By expressing the bit error rate (BER) of MRC diversity M-QAM in terms of the distribution of new decision variables, we derive novel, exact, and easy-to-evaluate BER expressions for diversity M-QAM with channel estimation errors. Our results include versatile system and fading channel parameters (e.g., arbitrary spatial and temporal correlation patterns among the diversity branches), and are valid for arbitrary linear channel estimators and square and rectangular M -QAM with different constellation sizes. In addition, we evaluate the performance of minimum mean-squared error (MMSE)- and sinc-interpolator-based channel estimators with PSAM, and provide some new insights into the performance of M-QAM with PSAM in generalized fading channels     

Iterative multiuser detection for coded CDMA signals in AWGN andfading channels

A new iterative receiver for joint detection and decoding of code division multiple access (CDMA) signals is presented. The new scheme is based on a combination of the minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion and the turbo processing principle by Hagenauer (see Proc. Int. Symp. Turbo Codes and Related Topics, Brest, France, p.1-9, 1997). The complexity of the new scheme is of polynomial order in the number of users. The new scheme is applicable to two situations: (a) when the receiver is capable of decoding the signals from all users and (b) when the receiver is only capable of decoding the signals from a subset of users. In the first scenario, we establish that the proposed receiver achieves superior performance to the iterative soft interference cancellation technique under certain conditions. On the other hand, in the second scenario, we argue that the proposed receiver outperforms both the iterative soft interference canceler and the iterative maximum a posteriori (MAP) receiver because of its superior near-far resistance. For operation over fading channels, the estimation of the complex fading parameters for all users becomes an important ingredient in any multiuser detector. In our scheme, the soft information provided by the decoders is used to enhance this estimation process. Two iterative soft-input channel estimation algorithms are presented: the first is based on the MMSE criterion, and the second is a lower-complexity approximation of the first. The proposed multiuser detection algorithm(s) are suitable for both terrestrial and satellite applications of CDMA     

New closed-form expressions for SNR estimates of Nakagami fading channels by the method of moments

Method of moments has been a parameter estimation technique appropriate to calculate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimates in fading channel models in which an optimal technique like maximum likelihood estimation is not mathematically tractable. In this article, the ratio of the second moment squared to the fourth moment of the received signal envelope is considered to calculate an exact expression for the SNR estimate in Nakagami-m fading channel for M-QAM and \(\theta \)-MQAM modulations as well as expressions to evaluate the variance and the mean of the estimate. The paper presents two useful contributions for SNR estimation theory on Nakagami fading. Besides the exact algebraic expression for the estimate for a generalized QAM modulation scheme, its performance is evaluated through a statistical linearization argument.     

Switched-Diversity FSK in Frequency-Selective Rayleigh Fading

This paper presents the measured performance of a 64 kbit/s switched-diversity FSK receiver subjected to simulated frequency-selective Rayleigh fading. The single receiver input is switched between two, three, or four uncorrelated Rayleigh-fading signals whenever the instantaneous receiver output falls below a threshold. The optimum level of this threshold relative to the mean signal level is relatively insensitive to frequency selectivity and vehicle speed. A nearly optimum threshold may be determined using an AGC amplifier and fixed comparator. Switched diversity is a powerful tool for combating frequency selectivity and Rayleigh fading. Two-branch switched diversity can achieve 10^-2BER, with 6 dB lower SNR than that needed without diversity. In the absence of frequency selectivity, two-branch switched diversity can perform within 3 dB SNR of maximal-ratio diversity and within 1 dB of selection diversity. Switched diversity can achieve BER's lower than the irreducible single-channel BER produced by frequency selectivity. Four-branch switched diversity typically requires 4 dB lower SNR to achieve a given BER than does two-branch switched diversity.     

Fading channels: how perfect need "perfect side information" be?

The analysis of flat-fading channels is often performed under the assumption that the additive noise is white and Gaussian, and that the receiver has precise knowledge of the realization of the fading process. These assumptions imply the optimality of Gaussian codebooks and of scaled nearest-neighbor decoding. Here we study the robustness of this communication scheme with respect to errors in the estimation of the fading process. We quantify the degradation in performance that results from such estimation errors, and demonstrate the lack of robustness of this scheme. For some situations we suggest the rule of thumb that, in order to avoid degradation, the estimation error should be negligible compared to the reciprocal of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)     

Non Data Aided SNR Estimation for OFDM Signals in Frequency Selective Fading Channels

This paper deals with the problem of non data aided (NDA) signal to noise ratio (SNR) estimation of OFDM signals transmitted through unknown multipath fading channel. Most of present day’s SNR estimators are based on the knowledge of pilot sequences which is not applicable in some contexts such as cognitive radio for example. Moreover in Multipath fading channels SNR also depends on frequency offset which is caused by mismatch between the oscillator in the transmitter and that in the receiver. Previous NDA SNR estimation schemes assumed a perfect synchronization at reception (i.e. τ = 0 and ${\varepsilon = 0}$ ) which results estimation of SNR with less accuracy. The frequency offset attenuates the desired signal and causes intercarrier interference, thus reducing the SNR. In this paper we propose a new NDA SNR estimator which uses periodic redundancy induced by the cyclic prefix, considering SNR degradation due to frequency offset ( ${\varepsilon}$ ).     

Receiver structures for time-varying frequency-selective fadingchannels

Several receiver structures for linearly modulated signals are proposed for time-varying frequency-selective channels. Their channel estimators explicitly model the time variation of the channel taps via polynomials. These structures are constructed from the following building blocks: (i) sliding or fixed block channel estimators; (ii) maximum likelihood sequence detectors (MLSDs) or decision feedback equalizers (DFEs); and (iii) single or multiple passes. A sliding window channel estimator uses a window of received samples to estimate the channel taps within or at the end of the window. Every symbol period, the window of samples is slid along another symbol period, and a new estimate is calculated. A fixed block channel estimator uses all received samples to estimate the channel taps throughout the packet, all at once. A single pass receiver estimates the channel and detects data once only. A multipass receiver performs channel estimation and data detection repetitively. The effect of the training symbol positions on the performance of the block multipass approach is studied. The bit error rate (BER) performance of the MLSD structures is characterized through simulation and analysis. The proposed receivers offer a range of performance/complexity tradeoffs, but all are well suited to time-varying channels. In fast fading channels, as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increases, they begin to significantly outperform the per-survivor processing-based MLSD receivers which employ the least mean-squares (LMS) algorithm for channel estimation     

Partially Coherent EGC Reception of Uncoded and LDPC-Coded Signals over Generalized Fading Channels

This paper studies the bit-error rate (BER) performance of partially coherent equal-gain combining reception of uncoded and low-density parity-check (LDPC)-coded binary and quaternary phase-shift keying signals over generalized ?? ? ?? fading channels. For the uncoded signal detection case the obtained numerical and simulation results illustrate the BER performance degradation due to the imperfect reference signal recovery, receiver unbalancing and fading. It is demonstrated that imperfect cophasing causes an irreducible BER performance. Furthermore, we design large girth quasi-cyclic LDPC code with high code rate, suitable for use in communications over generalized fading channels. The proposed LDPC code does not exhibit the error floor phenomena, in the region of interest, even in the presence of imperfect cophasing and receiver unbalances, and outperforms standard convolutional code of lower code rate in the observed impairments. The effects of number of iterations in decoding algorithm and codeword length on BER performance are also investigated.     

地空衰落信道下JTIDS信号信噪比盲估计

针对地空衰落信道下联合战术信息分发系统（JTIDS）信号信噪比的估计问题,提出了一种适用于单脉冲和双脉冲时隙结构JTIDS信号的接收信噪比盲估计方法。首先,利用信道实时最大时延粗估计值确定无符号间干扰的数据区间;其次,基于JTIDS信号脉冲时隙结构中静默时间的保护间隔特性估计噪声功率;最后,根据选定区间数据的自相关函数估计接收信号的信号功率,从而估计出接收链路的信噪比。仿真实验结果表明,取单时隙样本长度时,在巡航、起降两种空中平台状态下,提出估计方法在较宽信噪比范围内具有良好的均方误差估计性能,可满足JTIDS系统的信噪比估计需求。     

Performance Improvement by Microdiversity for Wideband Signals in Frequency Selective Fading Indoor Channels with Co-Channel Interference

A comprehensive analytical bit-error-rate (BER) model is presented to analyse the performance of antenna-microdiversity for wideband BPSK modulated signals in the frequency selective fading multipath channel, specified by its complex impulse response. The model includes the disturbance by intersymbol interference (ISI) and co-channel interference (CCI), as well as the channels' impact on the carrier phase- and clock recovery in the receiver. The channel impulse responses at the antenna elements are determined by taking into account the direction of arrival of the individual paths. Computational BER- and SNIR-gain results (SNIR = signal-to-noise+interference-ratio) show that a substantial performance improvement is achieved with antenna combining for wideband signals which suffer ISI and/or CCI. For the indoor multipath channel with exponentially decaying power delay profile, the performance enhancement is compared for several antenna combining schemes. Quasi-coherent equal gain combining (QCEGC) is proposed as an novel EGC scheme based on a less accurate phase estimation technique. For wideband signals, QCEGC shows a slight performance degradation when compared to maximal ratio combining or minimum mean square error combining (MMSEC), but has a much lower implementation complexity. In the channel with CCI, where the best performance is achieved with MMSEC, QCEGC performs very poor.     

Analysis of Transmit Antenna Selection/Maximal-Ratio Combining in Rayleigh Fading Channels

In this paper, we investigate a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) scheme combining transmit antenna selection and receiver maximal-ratio combining (the TAS/MRC scheme). In this scheme, a single transmit antenna, which maximizes the total received signal power at the receiver, is selected for uncoded transmission. The closed-form outage probability of the system with transmit antenna selection is presented. The bit error rate (BER) of the TAS/MRC scheme is derived for binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) in flat Rayleigh fading channels. The BER analysis demonstrates that the TAS/MRC scheme can achieve a full diversity order at high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), as if all the transmit antennas were used. The average SNR gain of the TAS/MRC is quantified and compared with those of uncoded receiver MRC and space-time block codes (STBCs). The analytical results are verified by simulation. It is shown that the TAS/MRC scheme outperforms some more complex space-time codes of the same spectral efficiency. The cost of the improved performance is a low-rate feedback channel. We also show that channel estimation errors based on pilot symbols have no impact on the diversity order over quasi-static fading channels.     

分组相关快衰落信道下自适应Turbo码译码算法研究

分析了分组相关快衰落信道的特性，推导出该信道下Turbo码译码算法；研究了迭代次数对Turbo编码系统的影响，在小信噪比弥散度条件下，提出基于平均信噪比的最佳迭代译码次数自适应选择方案，可以兼顾译码性能和译码速度，得到较低的平均误比特率和较高的平均译码速度。仿真结果说明，本文提出的Turbo码译码算法，降低了对信道估计精度要求的同时，得到精确信道估计时的性能；对于目标误比特率为10^-4时，采用自适应Turbo译码算法，与固定迭代4次相比，平均误比特率降低了40％，提高了系统性能；而与固定迭代8次相比，迭代次数降低了约1／4，提高了译码速度。     

Turbo乘积码在衰落信道中的应用

基于Turbo乘积码的编译码原理,利用Matlab仿真工具,对以(64,57,4)扩展汉明码为子码的Turbo乘积码进行迭代次数、量化比特数等不同参数的性能仿真,根据仿真结果选取最佳的设计参数,同时通过仿真给出了Turbo乘积码在衰落信道中的应用效果。结合Matlab仿真,在Quartus环境中完成编译码算法的硬件设计与调试,并将其应用到无线通信调制解调器中。测试结果表明,Turbo乘积码显著改善了调制解调器在衰落信道中的误码性能。