Optimization of Coded Spread Spectrum System Performance

Error correction coding techniques significantly improve performance of spread spectrum communication systems in environments containing jamming, multipath, and unregulated multiple access. This paper investigates the optimization of spread spectrum system performance for time-varying unknown interference. Noncoherent frequency hopping (FH) spread spectrum modulation, and hybrid FH-PN incorporating a direct sequence PN modulation on each hopped frequency are studied. For FH or FH-PN, the data modulations considered are differential phase-shift-keying (DPSK), differential quadriphase-quadriphase-shift-keying (DQPSK), and multiple-frequency-multiple-frequency-shift-keying (MFSK). Both block and convolutional error correction coding techniques are studied as a means of improving the spread spectrum performance.