Alex J. Grant

Iterative detection in code-division multiple-access with error control coding

A code-division multiple-access system with channel coding may be viewed as a serially-concatenated coded system. In this paper we propose a low complexity method for decoding the resulting inner code (due to the spreading sequence), which allows iterative (turbo) decoding of the serially-concatenated code pair. The per-bit complexity of the proposed decoder increases only linearly with the number of users. Performance within a fraction of a dB of the single user bound for heavily loaded asynchronous CDMA is shown both by simulation and analytically.

Performance Analysis of MIMO-MRC in Double-Correlated Rayleigh Environments

We consider multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmit beamforming systems with maximum ratio combining (MRC) receivers. The operating environment is Rayleigh fading with both transmit and receive spatial correlation. We present exact expressions for the probability density function (pdf) of the output signal-to-noise ratio, as well as the system outage probability. The results are based on explicit closed-form expressions which we derive for the pdf and cumulative distribution function of the maximum eigenvalue of double-correlated complex Wishart matrices. For systems with two antennas at either the transmitter or the receiver, we also derive exact closed-form expressions for the symbol-error rate. The new expressions are used to prove that MIMO-MRC achieves the maximum available spatial diversity order, and to demonstrate the effect of spatial correlation. The analysis is validated through comparison with Monte Carlo simulations

Rayleigh fading multi-antenna channels

Information theoretic properties of flat fading channels with multiple antennas are investigated. Perfect channel knowledge at the receiver is assumed. Expressions for maximum information rates and outage probabilities are derived. The advantages of transmitter channel knowledge are determined and a critical threshold is found beyond which such channel knowledge gains very little. Asymptotic expressions for the error exponent are found. For the case of transmit diversity closed form expressions for the error exponent and cutoff rate are given. The use of orthogonal modulating signals is shown to be asymptotically optimal in terms of information rate.

Convergence analysis and optimal scheduling for multiple concatenated codes

An interesting practical consideration for decoding of serial or parallel concatenated codes with more than two components is the determination of the lowest complexity component decoder schedule which results in convergence. This correspondence presents an algorithm that finds such an optimal decoder schedule. A technique is also given for combining and projecting a series of three-dimensional extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) functions onto a single two-dimensional EXIT chart. This is a useful technique for visualizing the convergence threshold for multiple concatenated codes and provides a design tool for concatenated codes with more than two components.

Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems: 5.9-GHz Field Trials

The mobile outdoor radio environment is challenging for vehicular communications. Although multipath propagation offers diversity and benefits in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions, simultaneous multipath and mobility results in a doubly-selective fading channel. In practice, this means that the channel parameters vary significantly in both time and frequency within the bandwidth and typical packet durations used in 802.11p/WAVE standards for short-range vehicular communications. This paper presents the results of extensive field trial campaigns conducted in several countries, totaling over 1100 km. These field trials are scenario based, focusing on challenging low-latency, high-reliability vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety applications including intersection collision warning, turn across path, emergency electronic brake light, do not pass warning, and precrash sensing. Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) applications are also considered. The field trials compared the performance of off-the-shelf WiFi-based radio equipment with a more advanced 802.11p compliant radio employing more sophisticated channel estimation and tracking. Field trial results demonstrate significantly improved performance using the advanced radio, translating into greatly increased driver warning times and stopping distances. In fact the results show that off-the-shelf WiFi equipment fails to provide sufficient stopping distance to avert accidents in some cases. During the field trials, channel sounding data were also captured. Analysis of these channel measurements reveals the critical importance of accurate channel estimation, tracking the channel in both time and frequency within each packet. Delay spread and Doppler spread statistics computed from the channel measurements validate previously reported results in the literature. The results in this paper, however, provide the first instance of channel measurements performed simultaneously to application performance evaluation. The objective is to firmly establish the link between radio channel characteristics and the performance of critical V2V safety applications.

Random sequence multisets for synchronous code-division multiple-access channels

The effect of using randomly selected sequence multisets for the uplink of a synchronous code-division multiple-access channel is considered. A tight lower bound on the expected value of the sum capacity over the ensemble of randomly selected sequence multisets is given. For large systems, the sum rate penalty for using randomly selected multisets is shown to be at most 1 nat and to vanish as the number of users becomes large, compared to the sequence length.

Performance analysis of transmit beamforming

Using the theory of random matrices, a performance analysis is given for uncoded binary transmission over multiple-input multiple-output channels, under the assumption that transmitter beamforming is used. In particular, exact finite antenna expressions are found for the average bit error rate (in the case of ergodic channels) for both noncoherent and coherent detection. Expressions for the the outage probability (in the case of quasi-static channels) are also given.

Convergence of linear interference cancellation multiuser receivers

We consider the convergence in norm of several iterative implementations of linear multiuser receivers, under the assumption of long random spreading sequences. We find that asymptotically, linear parallel interference cancellation diverges for systems loads of greater than about 17%. Using known results from the theory of iterative solutions for linear systems we derive optimal or near-optimal relaxation parameters for parallel (first- and second-order stationary, Chebyshev) and serial cancellation (successive relaxation) methods. An analytic comparison of the asymptotic convergence factor for the various methods is given. Simulations are used to verify results for finite size systems.

Dualities Between Entropy Functions and Network Codes

In communications networks, the capacity region of multisource network coding is given in terms of the set of entropy functions Gamma*. More broadly, determination of Gamma* would have an impact on converse theorems for multi-terminal problems in information theory. This paper provides several new dualities between entropy functions and network codes. Given a function g ges 0 defined on all subsets of N random variables, we provide a construction for a network multicast problem which is ldquosolvablerdquo if and only if g is the entropy function of a set of quasi-uniform random variables. The underlying network topology is fixed and the multicast problem depends on g only through link capacities and source rates. A corresponding duality is developed for linear network codes, where the constructed multicast problem is linearly solvable if and only if g is linear group characterizable. Relaxing the requirement that the domain of g be subsets of random variables, we obtain a similar duality between polymatroids and the linear programming bound. These duality results provide an alternative proof of the insufficiency of linear (and abelian) network codes, and demonstrate the utility of non-Shannon inequalities to tighten outer bounds on network coding capacity regions.

Outdoor Mobile Broadband Access with 802.11

The IEEE 802.11 OFDM physical layer was designed primarily for indoor local area networks. Commercially available 802.11 radios suffer greatly reduced performance, even failing completely, when deployed outdoors, where long delay spreads cause self-interference, and vehicular mobility causes fast variations in the radio channel parameters. This article describes an advanced OFDM receiver that overcomes these problems. It works by combining all useful received energy, accounting for inter-symbol interference, and accurately tracking radio channel variations. Complexity and performance advantages arc gained by splitting the processing between the time and frequency domains. Computer simulations show that even for outdoor urban environments at speeds greater than 140 mph, this receiver delivers performance comparable to a non-mobile, indoor system.