Asynchronous multiple-access channel capacity

The capacity region for the discrete memoryless multiple-access channel without time synchronization at the transmitters and receivers is shown to be the same as the known capacity region for the ordinary multiple-access channel. The proof utilizes time sharing of two optimal codes for the ordinary multiple-access channel and uses maximum likelihood decoding over shifts of the hypothesized transmitter words.     

The Poisson multiple-access channel

The Poisson multiple-access channel (MAC) models many-to-one optical communication through an optical fiber or in free space. For this model we compute the capacity region for the two-user case as a function of the allowed peak power. Focusing on the maximum throughput we generalize our results to the case where the users are subjected to an additional average-power constraint and to the many-users case. We show that contrary to the Gaussian MAC, in the Poisson MAC the maximum throughput is bounded in the number of users. We quantify the loss that is incurred when time-division multiple access (TDMA) is employed and show that while in the two-user case and in the absence of dark current the penalty is rather mild, the penalty can be quite severe in the many-users case in the presence of large dark current. We introduce a generalized TDMA technique that mitigates this loss to a large extent     

Resolvability theory for the multiple-access channel

We study the randomness needed for approximating the output distribution of a multiple-access channel, where the original input processes are independent of each other. The approximation is achieved by simulating (possibly alternative) input processes at each of the entries, where the sources of randomness available for the simulators are independent of each other, and the simulators do not cooperate. The resolvability region of a multiple-access channel is defined as the set of all random-bit rate pairs at which accurate output approximation is possible, where the simulation accuracy is measured by the variational distance between finite-dimensional output distributions. Inner and outer bounds on the resolvability region are derived, and close relations between the concepts of resolvability region and capacity region are demonstrated     

Coding for a multiple-access channel

In this paper, coding for a multiple-access discrete memoryless channel is investigated. Block codes which are uniquely decodable and capable of correcting errors are constructed.     

List detection for the K-symmetric multiple-access channel

A K-symmetric channel is a K-user linear multiple-access channel in which the cross correlations between each pair of users are identical. The main contribution of this correspondence is an algorithm which finds the P sequences with highest a posteriori probability (APP) in the case of binary transmission over a K-symmetric channel with additive white Gaussian noise. This list detector is applied to the problem of iterative multiple-user decoding, approximating the APP computation by marginalization over these P sequences, rather than all possible 2/sup K/ sequences. Simulation results indicate that using only small values of P, very good performance may be obtained. It is also demonstrated how to incorporate prior probabilities (a requirement for iterative decoding). The overall per-bit computational complexity of the approach is O(K/sup 2/+PlogP). It is also shown that for any multiuser system possessing a polynomial complexity optimal detection algorithm it is possible to obtain the P most probable sequences with polynomial complexity.     

Mismatched decoding of intersymbol interference using a parallelconcatenated scheme

A turbo-type scheme that uses parallel concatenation and soft-output iterative detection is proposed for transmission over linear intersymbol interference channels. When the receiver has perfect knowledge of the channel, the scheme offers only marginal improvement in performance over optimum linear coded modulation with Viterbi or reduced search detection. However, the improvement is significantly higher when the detector is mismatched, i.e., if it uses an imperfect channel estimate. The delay is low since the block sizes are small, and the performance improvement is achieved with few iterations. The technique may be applied as a retransmission strategy in order to save power for systems that suffer from losses due to ISI and channel mismatch     

Joint multiuser equalization and Group decoding for asynchronous trellis-coded multiple-access channels

Reduced-complexity multiuser interference equalization and group decoding (ME-GD) is an attractive way to improve performance of multiuser transmissions for narrowband additive white Gaussian noise channels. ME-GD receivers have been investigated in the past for convolutionally coded synchronous multiple-access channels (MACs). In this paper, we propose a new ME-GD for trellis-coded asynchronous MACs. The coding information of a subset of users and the multiuser interference are jointly taken into account in the branch metric computation using per-survivor processing. The novel approach leads to a family of Viterbi decoders which offers a good tradeoff between performance and complexity. As a second contribution of this paper, we derive theoretical bounds for the performance of ME-GD considering the effect of error propagation, which is critical for asynchronous MACs. Numerical results show the excellent accuracy of the proposed bounds. Finally, based on the novel theoretical analysis, we derive a new criterion to achieve good tradeoffs between performance and complexity.     

A rate-splitting approach to the Gaussian multiple-access channel

It is shown that any point in the capacity region of a Gaussian multiple-access channel is achievable by single-user coding without requiring synchronization among users, provided that each user “splits” data and signal into two parts. Based on this result, a new multiple-access technique called rate-splitting multiple accessing (RSMA) is proposed. RSMA is a code-division multiple-access scheme for the M-user Gaussian multiple-access channel for which the effort of finding the codes for the M users, of encoding, and of decoding is that of at most 2M-1 independent point-to-point Gaussian channels. The effects of bursty sources, multipath fading, and inter-cell interference are discussed and directions for further research are indicated     

Linear receivers for the multiple-input multiple-output multiple-access channel

We consider a multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system using code-division multiple access (CDMA) and multiuser detection to discriminate the different users. Our focus is on the CDMA uplink of a frequency-nonselective Rayleigh fading channel. We study two types of receivers: joint receivers, which address simultaneously both spatial and multiple-access interference; and separate receivers, addressing the two types of interference individually. This approach allows assessing the benefits of adding MIMO processing capabilities to existing multiuser single-input single-output systems. For both receiver types, we analyze solutions based on linear (matched filter, decorrelator, minimum mean-square error) and maximum-likelihood receivers. For all the receivers considered, we provide closed-form expressions (as expectations of given functions) of the resulting pairwise error probabilities. Performance results are obtained in terms of frame-error rate versus E/sub b//N/sub 0/, following two different approaches. An analytic approach using large-system asymptotic methods, whereby the system parameters (number of users and antennas, spreading gain) are assumed to grow to infinity with finite limiting ratios. A computer-simulation approach is used to illustrate the differences between asymptotic and simulation results.     

Error exponents for the two-user Poisson multiple-access channel

The error exponent of the two-user Poisson multiple-access channel under peak and average power constraints, but unlimited in bandwidth, is considered. First, a random coding lower bound on the error exponent is obtained, and an extension of Wyner's (1988) single-user codes is shown to be exponentially optimum for this case as well. Second, the sphere-packing bounding technique suggested by Burnashev and Kutoyants (see Probl. Inform. Transm., vol.35, no.2, p.3-22, 1999) is generalized to the case at hand and an upper bound on the error exponent, which coincides with the lower bound, is derived. Thus, this channel joins its single-user partner as one of very few for which the reliability function is known     

Maximum-likelihood-based multipath channel estimation forcode-division multiple-access systems

The problem of estimating the channel parameters of a new user in a multiuser code-division multiple-access (CDMA) communication system is addressed. It is assumed that the new user transmits training data over a slowly fading multipath channel. The proposed algorithm is based on maximum-likelihood estimation of the channel parameters. First, an asymptotic expression for the likelihood function of channel parameters is derived and a re-parametrization of this likelihood function is proposed. In this re-parametrization, the channel parameters are combined into a discrete time channel filter of symbol period length. Then, expectation-maximization algorithm and alternating projection algorithm-based techniques are considered to extract channel parameters from the estimated discrete channel filter, to maximize the derived asymptotic likelihood function. The performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated through simulation studies. In addition, the proposed algorithms are compared to previously suggested subspace techniques for multipath channel estimation     

The capacity region of the totally asynchronous multiple-access channel

It is shown that the capacity region of the asynchronous multiple-access channel differs from that of the synchronous channel only by the lack of a convex hull operation.     

Mismatched decoding revisited: general alphabets, channels withmemory, and the wide-band limit

The mismatch capacity of a channel is the highest rate at which reliable communication is possible over the channel with a given (possibly suboptimal) decoding rule. This quantity has been studied extensively for single-letter decoding rules over discrete memoryless channels (DMCs). Here we extend the study to memoryless channels with general alphabets and to channels with memory with possibly non-single-letter decoding rules. We also study the wide-band limit, and, in particular, the mismatch capacity per unit cost, and the achievable rates on an additive-noise spread-spectrum system with single-letter decoding and binary signaling     

Decorrelating decision-feedback multiuser detector for synchronouscode-division multiple-access channel

A decorrelating decision-feedback detector (DF) for synchronous code-division multiple-access (CDMA) that uses decisions of the stronger users when forming decisions for the weaker ones is described. The complexity of the DF is linear in the number of users, and it requires only one decision per user. It is shown that performance gains with respect to the linear decorrelating detector are more significant for relatively weak users and that the error probability of the weakest user approaches the single-user bound as interferers grow stronger. The error rate of the DF is compared to those of the decorrelator and the two-stage detector     

The discrete memoryless multiple-access channel with cribbing encoders

The capacity regions are determined for various communication situations in which one or both encoders for a multiple access channel crib from the other encoder and learn the channel input(s) (to be) emitted by this encoder. Most of the achievability proofs in this paper hinge upon the new concept of backward decoding. Also, the notion of Shannon strategies seems to be of crucial importance. It is demonstrated that in some situations parts of the total cooperation line are achievable. Moreover, it is proved that if the encoders and the decoder are allowed to be nondeterministic, the capacity regions are not increased.     

A new universal random coding bound for the multiple-access channel

The minimum average error probability achievable by block codes on the two-user multiple-access channel is investigated. A new exponential upper bound is found which can be achieved universally for all discrete memoryless multiple-access channels with given input and output alphabets. It is shown that the exponent of this bound is greater than or equal to those of previously known bounds. Moreover, examples are given where the new exponent is strictly larger     

An achievable rate region for the multiple-access channel with feedback

An achievable rate regionR_{1} leq I(X_{1};Y|X_{2},U), R_{2} leq I(X_{2}; Y|X_{1},U), R_{1}+R_{2} leq I(X_{1}, X_{2};Y), wherep(u,x_{l},x_{2},y)= p(u)p(x_{l}|u)p(x_{2}|u)p(y|x_{l},x_{2}), is established for the multiple-access channel with feedback. Time sharing of these achievable rates yields the rate region of this paper. This region generally exceeds the achievable rate region without feedback and exceeds the rate point found by Gaarder and Wolf for the binary erasure multiple-access channel with feedback. The presence of feedback allows the independent transmitters to understand each other's intended transmissions before the receiver has sufficient information to achieve the desired decoding. This allows the transmitters to cooperate in the transmission of information that resolves the residual uncertainty of the receiver. At the same time, independent information from the transmitters is superimposed on the cooperative correction information. The proof involves list codes and block Markov encoding.     

A concatenated multitone multiple-antenna air-interface for the asynchronous multiple-access channel

In this paper, we present a novel transmission technology approach for application in the asynchronous multiple-access wireless channel (uplink). It is based on the concatenation of an inner filtered multitone (FMT) modulator with transmission over multiple antennas, and an outer space-time cyclically prefixed discrete multitone (ST-CP-DMT) modulator. The inner modulator is used to efficiently realize frequency-division multiplexing of the users by partitioning the FMT subchannels among them. The outer modulator copes with the residual subchannel intersymbol interference and it further implements a form of transmit diversity. Frequency and space diversity is exploited via direct sequence (DS) data spreading across the DMT tones. The design parameters are flexible and are chosen to make the proposed air-interface robust to the time and frequency offsets between uplink users, as well as to the channel time-frequency selectivity. Furthermore, the ST-CP-DMT modulator with DS spreading provides sensible performance gains. In particular, it yields a diversity gain for the users that transmit at low rate and occupy a fraction of the overall spectrum.