The capacity region of the symbol-asynchronous Gaussian multiple-access channel

An equivalent discrete-time Gaussian channel parametrized by the signal cross-correlations is derived to obtain an equivalent channel model with discrete-time outputs. The main feature introduced by the lack of symbol synchronism is that the channel has memory. This is due to the overlap of each symbol transmitted by a user with two consecutive symbols transmitted by the other user. It is shown that if the transmitters are assigned the same waveform, symbol asynchronism has no effect on the two-user capacity region of the white Gaussian channel which is equal to the Cover-Syner pentagon, whereas if the assigned waveforms are different (e.g., code division multiple access), the symbol-asynchronous capacity region is no longer a pentagon. An alternative representation of the capacity region which results in a particularly compact characterization of the fundamental limits of the multiple-access channel in the region of signal-to-noise ratios is also considered