Enhanced array-receiver operation with turbo codes for increasing the capacity of wideband CDMA networks

STAR, the spatio-temporal array-receiver was shown to outperform RAKE-type array-receivers and to increase the capacity of wideband CDMA networks. Turbo codecs were also identified as offering significant performance improvements. We demonstrate the gain achieved by turbo codecs over conventional convolutional codecs in a STAR-based CDMA system. For high data-rates of 153.6 Kbps with low mobility, link-level simulations on the uplink indicate that turbo codecs gain 2 to 3 dB in required SNR at a BER<10^-6. System-level simulations confirm that SNR gains almost double capacity, from 7 to 13 mobiles/cell for blind STAR (i.e., without pilot) and from 10 to 22 mobiles/cell for pilot-aided STAR.