Study of complexity and performance trade-offs in wireless communication systems

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Our research proposal focuses on the trade-offs between implementation complexity and performance in order to optimize overall throughput in wireless communications. We have two applications in mind, namely mobile personal communications and wireless sensor networks. In this proposal, we will look at turbo and low-density parity check codes in combination with optimal and sub-optimal decoders for various modulations. We will use a two-prong approach to evaluate or estimate the best code-decoder-modulation combination given a certain communication scenario. The most straightforward approach is to proceed with a performance study using computer simulations. The constraint will be overall complexity required given a certain channel condition. The performance measure will be bit error rate (BER). Once we have selected the proper schemes, the programs used in the first part of our proposal will be ported in hardware, but care will be taken to make the implementation modular and scalable. Our second approach is a semi-analytical one. We will start with a sample of BER performance data for code-decoder-modulation combinations. We will then choose carefully the cases in between in order to have a good sample. The second step will be to find a way to interpolate performance using the samples that we have in order to find the best code-decoder-modulation combination for a given communications scenario. This project will provide useful results that can be transferred to Canadian industry, helping Canada to be a major player in defining future wireless systems. Personal wireless communication systems are becoming prevalent and it is very important to train HQPs in this area. However, several technological problems still remain to be solved but we believe that this proposal is a major step in solving some of the important ones. The same can be said about wireless sensor networks which, in the context of an underground mine, can be used for personnel/material location, detection of dangerous situations and communications.