M-PPM noncoherent receivers for UWB applications

The paper investigates ultra-wideband receivers for applications in sensor and control networks, M-ary pulse position modulation is considered and the detector operates with no knowledge of the channel response. It is shown that the optimum decision rule consists of comparing the signal energies received in the M possible pulse positions in a symbol interval and deciding for that position corresponding to the maximum energy. Simple synchronization algorithms are proposed and their performance is assessed by simulation over realistic multipath channels. The algorithms are non-data-aided (blind) and have a feedback structure in which the error signal is based on energy measurements from the received waveform. The receiver performance degradations due to timing errors are found to be marginal