A general moment generating function for MRC diversity over fading channels with Gaussian channel gains

For maximal ratio combining (MRC) diversity over correlated fading channels with Gaussian channel gains, we utilize unitary diagonalization of the channel covariance matrix to decorrelate the physical channels into uncorrelated virtual channels to obtain the moment generating function (MGF) of the received signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). The MGF thus obtained has a compact form and can be universally applied to various popular fading models. In addition to the advantage of simple derivation procedure, this general MGF can be readily modified to express various scenarios of channel power distributions as well as joint fading models. To demonstrate these advantages, we use the generalized Ricean fading as a specific example to compare our derivation and our MGF expression with an existing work in the literature. Again, we present numerical simulations for MRC reception of binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signals over Nakagami fading to compare with existing results appearing in the literature. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enhanced switch combining for spatial diversity with a switch window over correlated Nakagami‐m fading channels

On the basis of a mixture of the selection combining and switch‐and‐stay combining schemes, the enhanced switch combining (ESC) scheme is proposed for antenna diversity over multiple correlated Nakagami‐m fading channels, where a switch window with upper and lower switch thresholds are used. Compared with the existing select‐and‐stay combining or switch with post‐examining, the ESC scheme reduces simultaneous multiantenna observations and hence saves processing time and energy from multibranch observations, while achieving matched receiver performance. Thus, ESC also has better performance than switch‐and‐examine combining (SEC). To assess the reduction of simultaneous observations, a dual‐observation rate is defined. Moreover, the ESC unifies some well‐known switch‐based combining schemes (for example selection combining, switch‐and‐stay combining, or SEC) in the sense that, by adjusting switch thresholds, these combining schemes become different special cases of ESC. The CDF, PDF, and moment generating function of the combined signal‐to‐noise ratio for ESC are derived for general fading channels. Then, the outage probability and the average BER of different binary modulations over correlated Nakagami‐m fading channels are evaluated. Numerical results from analysis and simulation are presented to demonstrate ESC performance. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Model for the Performance Evaluation of Packet Transmissions Using Type-II Hybrid ARQ over a Correlated Error Channel

Type-II Hybrid-ARQ (Type-II HARQ) has been shown, under certain circumstances, to increase the efficiency and reduce loss of data transmissions over a wireless channel. However, it is difficult to predict how it will perform when transmission symbol errors are correlated. We present a computationally efficient approach to the performance evaluation of packet transmissions over a wireless link employing Type-II HARQ error mitigation when the physical channel is subject to correlated transmission symbol errors. This provides a tool for static or online optimization of system parameters. We present numerical results for a wide range of channel statistics, illustrating the effect of bit error correlation, bit error rate, and block size on packet latency and loss rate.