An error probability analysis of the optimum noncoherent multiuser detector for multipath and multiantenna diversity communications over Rayleigh-fading channels

The optimum noncoherent multiuser detector is obtained for generalized diversity symbol-synchronous communication systems that employ nonorthogonal multipulse modulation. A unified approach is adopted to simultaneously address various forms of diversity such as time, frequency, multipath, and/or receiver-antenna diversity. Upper and lower bounds on the average bit-error probability of the optimum noncoherent detector are derived. While these bounds are numerically computable, they are too complicated to give insights about the relative influence of system parameters on the essential behavior of the bit-error rate. To address this issue, an asymptotic (low noise) analysis of the bit-error probability is undertaken. It is shown that the upper and lower bounds are indeed asymptotically convergent. A formula for the asymptotic efficiency of the optimum noncoherent detector is thereby derived. Interestingly, the asymptotic efficiency is found to be positive, and independent of the signal strengths of the interfering users.