Distributed measurements for estimating and updating cellular system performance

We investigate the use of distributed measurements for estimating and updating the performance of a cellular system. Specifically, we discuss the number and placement of sensors in a given cell for estimating its signal coverage. Here, an "outage" is said to occur at a location if a mobile receiver there has inadequate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR -based outage) or, using another criterion, inadequate signal-to-interference ratio (SIR- based outage); and the "outage probability" is the fraction of the cell area over which outage occurs. A design goal is to improve measurement efficiency (i.e., minimizing the required number of measurement sensors) while accurately estimating the outage probability and mapping the coverage holes. The investigation uses a generic path loss model incorporating distance effects and spatially correlated shadow fading. Our emphasis is on the performance prediction accuracy of the sensor network, rather than on cellular system analysis per se. Through analysis and simulation, we assess several approaches to estimating the outage probability. Applying the principle of importance sampling to the sensor placement, we show that a cell outage probability of P_o can be accurately estimated using ~ 10/P_o power-measuring sensors distributed in a random uniform way over the area with base-sensor distances from 50% to 100% of the cell radius. This result applies to both SNR-based and SIR-based outage estimation for both indoor and outdoor environments.     

Two-dimensional Fourier spectrum of QRST integral maps in classification of patients prone to ventricular arrhythmia

Two-dimensional Fourier spectra of QRST integral maps, obtained by body surface potential mapping, were analyzed to identify subjects prone to ventricular arrhythmia, when they have not been identified by the extrema count method. The diagnostic performance (84.38 percent) of the peak value of the Fourier spectrum as a classifier for subjects prone to ventricular arrhythmia showed an improvement of 3.65 percent over the use of the extrema count method as a classifier.     

An adaptive `Wiener'' filter for estimating the time-derivative ofthe left ventricular pressure signal

This communication presents the development of an optimal digital differentiating filter based on the Wiener theory for estimating the peak derivative of the left ventricular pressure (LVP) signal. The magnitude coherence function is used to estimate the signal and noise spectra. The peak derivative obtained by this method is found to be within 2% of the results obtained by a seven-point second-order data fit and a DFT technique.     

Multiple trellis coded frequency and phase modulation

Multiple trellis coded modulation of constant envelope frequency and phase modulated signal sets (MTCM/FPM) is investigated for performance on the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel and on the one-sided normal, Rayleigh and Rician fading channels. The Nakagami- m fading model is used as an alternative to the Rician fading model to calculate the error probability upper bound for trellis-coded schemes on the fading channel. The likeliness and the disparity between the upper bounds to the error probability for the two fading models are discussed. The design criteria for the one-sided normal fading channel, modeled by the Nakagami-m distribution, are observed to be the same as those for the Rayleigh-fading channel. For the MTCM/FPM schemes, it is demonstrated that the set partitioning designed to maximize symbol diversity (optimum for fading channels) is optimum for performance on the AWGN channel as well. The MTCM/FPM schemes demonstrate improved performance over MTCM/MPSK schemes and TCM/FPM schemes on the AWGN channel and the fading channel     

Trellis coding of quadrature frequency/phase modulated signals

The authors explore the trellis coding of continuous-phase quadrature frequency/phase modulated (CPQFPM) signal sets and continuous-phase FPM (CPFPM) signal sets, which are embodiments of the quadrature biorthogonal modulation (QBOM) technique. Conventional TCM and multiple TCM schemes with these modulation formats are examined using both the AWGN channel and the Rician fading channel design. Asymptotic coding gains in d²(free) are tabulated for trellis-coded rate 3/4, 5/6, and 6/7 QFPM schemes, in comparison with uncoded modulations (8AMPM, 32AMPM) and other trellis-coded modulations [TCM (2FSK/4PSK 16QAM, 64QAM), MTCM (2FSK/8PSK)] of equivalent throughput rate. Performance gains on the Rician fading channel are demonstrated by increased values of the design parameters for this channel, namely symbol diversity L_min and branch distance product P