Performance Analysis of Space-Time Block Codes in Nakagami-m Keyhole Channels with Arbitrary Fading Parameters

In certain multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) fading environments, the offered channel capacity can be very low even when the MIMO channels are uncorrelated; this effect has been termed as keyhole or pinhole effect. In this paper, we present rigorous error rate analysis of orthogonal space time block codes in Nakagami-m keyhole channels with arbitrary fading parameters. Using a moment-generation-function based approach, we provide the exact expressions of symbol error rate. Furthermore, the closed-form asymptotic expressions are derived, based on which one can easily quantify the diversity gain of the considered system with arbitrary m-fading parameters while existing methods in literature fail to do so. Simulation results are also provided to verify our analytical results.