Computer Aided Performance Analysis of Multi-h CPM Data Transmission Systems in Practical Environments

This paper describes a technique for applying Monte Carlo simulation methods to a digital communication system employing a high-level carrier phase modulation scheme known as multi-h CPM [1], [2]. This modulation format provides a means for achieving gains in the power/bandwidth tradeoff at the expense of increased complexity. Most papers in the literature on multi-h CPM deal with ideal environments in the respect that the effect of channel perturbations and nonideal modem implementations are not considered. The computer simulations described in this paper provide a means for gathering performance data for systems operating under channel bandlimiting, channel nonlinearities, phase error in the coherent reference at the receiver, symbol timing error, and decision depth in the Viterbi algorithm data detector. The simulations also provide detailed performance characterizations of algorithms designed for joint estimation of noisy carrier phase and data detection. Typical results for these cases are presented.