Soft-decision Viterbi Decoding with Diversity Combining

T.Sakai, K.Kobayashi, S.Kubota, M.Morikura, S.Kato

NTT Radio Communication Systems Laboratories
1-2356 Take, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa, 238-03 Japan
In mobile satellite communication systems, combining diversity
is more promising than selective diversity because the combining
offers remarkable diversity improvements even in an AWGN
channels in contrast to selective diversity which offers no
improvement at all.
In this paper, the performance of the three methods, (a)post-

ABSTRACT
Diversity combining methods for convolutional coded and
soft-decision Viterbi decoded channels in mobile satellite
communication systems are evaluated. Computer simulations
confirm that the pre-Viterbi-decoding maximal ratio combining
method has better performance than other methods in Rician
fading channels. Pe performances derived from the analysis
model using the probability density function of Rician fading
and the bit error probability performance of Viterbi decoding in
AWGN channels agree with the simulation results. This
diversity method is applied to trellis coded 8PSK modulation
and coherent detection 1 differential detection and their
performances are compared with conventional QPSK
modulation and coherent detection with high coding-rate and
high coding-gain Viterbi decoding. In consequence, QPSK with
high coding-rate Viterbi decoding can be an attractive candidate
for mobile satellite systems as well as TC8PSK.

Viterbi-decoding selection, (b)selection in ACS output of Viterbi

algorithm, (c)pre-Viterbi-decodingmaximal ratio combining, are
evaluated by computer simulation. It is clarified that the third
method shows more improvement in bit error probability than
the others. Moreover, simulation results are approximately
analyzed using the probability density function of Rician fading
and the bit error probability performance of Viterbi decoding in
AWGN channels. Furthermore, this diversity method is applied

1. INTRODUCTION
In mobile satellite systems, a radio terminal must stably
operate in quite low C/N and Rician fading environments. To
improve bit error probability (Pe) in low C/N satellite links, softdecision Viterbi decoding has been widely adopted as a
maximum likelihood decoding for a convolutional code in
AWGN (additive white Gaussian noise) channels('). On the
other hand, to overcome fading in a radio channel, diversity
combining has been used for mobile communication and
microwave transmission, and recently it has been considered for
mobile satellite communication systems(2).Therefore, more Pe
performance improvement is expected in a R i c h fading channel
using soft-decision Viterbi decoding together with diversity
techniques.
Previous studies on Viterbi decoding with diversity
combining considered several methods for various systems. For
example, selection diversity in(3) or afted4) Viterbi decoding was
investigated for Rayleigh fading channels in portable radio
communication systems, where Viterbi decoding used harddecision signals. With soft-decision Viterbi decoding, it is
possible to adopt maximal ratio combining before decoding(5).

to trellis coded 8PSK (TC8PSK) modulation and coherent

detection / differential detection and their performances are
compared with that of conventional QPSK modulation and
coherent detection with high coding-rate and high coding-gain
Viterbi decoding.
2. COMPARISON OF DIVERSITY COMBINING

METHODS
Three methods for soft-decision Viterbi decoding with
diversity combining are investigated and their performances are
evaluated by computer simulation.
(a) Post-Viterbi-decoding Selection
In this method, each diversity branch signal received by
diversity is individually demodulated and Viterbi-decoded as
shown in Fig.l(a). Decoded results are compared,and a selection
is made based on some likelihood information such as the path
metrics provided by Viterbi decoder. In this simulation, path
metrics of symbols equal to the path memory length are adopted
as the likelihood information to make selection more accurate.

(b) Selection in ACS Output of Viterbi Algorithm

In a Viterbi algorithm, the branch memcs associated with the
state transitions are computed and then added to the previous
path metrics. The contending path metrics are compared and the
path with the largest metrics is selected as the survivor. In this
diversity method, the path metrics are computed for each

702.2.1
CH2827-4/90/0000-1127 $1 .OO 0 1990 IEEE

1127

DEM
maximal
ratio
combiner

selector

U
Viterbi
decoder

informatlon
path metric
path select

path metric in the last 20 symbols

(equal to path memory length)

CSI #I (channel state information)

soft-decision

#21".
Viterbi
decoder

soft-decision

CSI #2 (channel state information)

(a) Post-Viterbi-decoding selection.

(c) Pre-Viterbi-decoding combining.

(b) Selection at ACS in Viterbi decoder.

Fig.1 Combining methods under consideration.

1. 0- - 1 I

diversity branch, and then simultaneously compared to select the

survivor as shown in Fig.l(b). Therefore, this method has only
one set of path-history storage.

10-2

(c) Pre-Viterbi-decoding Combining

In the last method, shown in Fig.l(c), conventional post-

a,

10-3-

10-4 10-5

are decoded by the usual Viterbi algorithm.

error probabilities are shown in Fig.2. In this comparison, the

Rician parameter C/M,that is the ratio of direct path signal
power to diffused signal power, is set to lOdB and fDT (fD :
maximum Doppler frequency, T : symbol period) is set to 5x103 . It is clarified that method (c), pre-Viterbi-decoding
combining, has the best performance. Similar results are
obtained with other Rician parameters. For practical use, a novel
combining circuit has been realized using soft-decision
demodulated signals(@.

3. APPROXIMATE ANALYSIS
(a) Method of Analysis
In this section, it is assumed that fading is much slower than
the bit rate, namely fDT<<1. Thus, the average bit error
probability in a Rician fading channel is given(7)by Eq.( 1).
(1)

10-6;

I
8

Eb/No [dB]
Fig.2 Comparison of combining methods with
bit error probability
channel, and rice(s) is the probability density function of Rician
fading.
(b) Approximate Calculation of PAWGN
The relation of bit error probability after Viterbi decoding
(Pout)to that before decoding (Pi,) which is channel bit error
probability in AWGN, is shown in Fig.3. Since Poutand Pi,
have linear relation in logarithmic scale, Poutis given by Eq.(2).
(2)
Pout=k.P i",
where k and m are constants, and Pi, is given for theoretical bit
error probability of QPSK modulation and coherent detection by
Eq43).
Pi, = +rfc(

m7K)

(3)

(c) pdf of Rician fading with diversity

The probability density function (pdf) of received signals in a
Rician fading channel is

where PAWGN(S)
is the bit error probability in an AWGN

702.2.2
1128

A method (a)
0

The performances of the above three methods in Rician

fading channels are evaluated for QPSK modulation and
coherent detection with convolutional coding and Viterbi
decoding (r=1/2,K=4) by computer simulation. Simulated bit

PAwcj,r(s).rice(s).ds

detection combining is applied to soft-decision Viterbi decoding.

Soft-decision demodulated signals from each diversity branch
are weighted for maximal ratio combining in proportion to their
signal to noise power ratio, and then summed. After that, they

.he=[

QPSK, Viterbi r=1/2,K=4

10 -2
0dB

-3

-5dB

VTB r=?IB,K=?

TCBPSK l6states

branch-]

branch-2

0dB
w

0'

-5dB

10-4

0dB
-5dB

10 -5

Sclcctlve dlvsrslty

0dB

10 -6

IO -3

10

-*

-5dB

10 -l

Maximal r a t i o c o m b l n l n g

Pin
Fig.3 Relation between bit error probabilities
before and after Viterbi decoding.

15

I0

25

20

30

Csl

Time

(a) Simulation example, C/M=lOdB, f D = l H z .

99
rl

where A2/202 is the Rician factor C/M, and the distribution

*\.

90

function is

Rice(s)=

rice(x)dx

50

(5)

0
0

When 2-branch selective diversity is adopted for a Rician

fading channel, the pdf, p,,l(s) and the distribution function,

+r

Pcom(S)=

I
I

r i c e ( x ) . r i c e ( m ) . dx

Pcom(S).dX

0
U

CZ

(6)

Psel(s)={Rice(s)]*
(7)
and in the case of maximal ratio combining, the pdf, p-(s)
and
the distribution function, Pcom(s)is given by Eq.(8) and (9).
Pcom(S)=

10

P,,l(s) are given by Eq.(6) and (7).

psei(s)=2.rice(s).Rice(s)

20

.5

2
U

.2
. I_
.
-18

(8)

-8

-6

-4

-2

R e c e i v e s i g n a l level ( r e l a t i v e ) CdBl

(b) Cumulative probability distribution function.

(9)

Fig.4 Probability distribution of Rician fading.

These cumulative distribution functions, Rice(s), Psel(s),

Pco,,,(s), and an example of simulated fading in C/M=lOdB are

illustrated in Fig.4.

simulation
0 no d i v e r s i t y A method ( a )
i
0 method (b)
method ( c )
.

(d) Pe Performance Calculation

Substituting p,,l(s), or pcom(s)for rice(s) in Eq.(l) yields bit
error probability when using 2-branch diversity. Calculation
results for QPSK modulation and coherent detection with
r=1/2,K=4 Viterbi decoding are shown in Fig.5, and previous
simulation data by diversity methods, (a), (b), (c) are also
plotted in this graph.
Calculated curves approximately fit the simulation data except
for diversity method (b), selection in ACS output of Viterbi
algorithm. In the diversity method (b), it is considered that

P)

diversity improvement is obtained not only for fading but also

somewhat for AWGN from the path memcs selection in ACS
output. In consequence, simulation data of method (b) gets

Eb/No

CdBl

Fig.5 Approximate analyzed Pe performance.

702.2.3

1129

10

10
a,

10

03

10
10

4
5
6
Eb/NO [dB]

h:

IO+
0

Fig.6 Diversity improvement with correlation

of fading as a parameter.

't

on
s: 1 mu 1 at iion
0
coh dif
0 A no diversity
0 A method
me thod (c)

o-s

lo-;

I( ,,,I
combining
(2-branch)

, \,,,,,

Eb/No

,,

CdBl

Fig.7 Analyzed and simulated Pe performance

better than the model performance of conventional selective

of 16states TCSPSK with diversity.

diversity.

EFFECT OF CORRELATION
DIVERSITY BRANCHES

4.

BETWEEN

Prior to this section, the received signals from the two

diversity branches in a Rician fading channel are supposed to be
uncorrelated. In practice, however, there is no position at which
the two diversity antennas can yield uncorrelated signals. In a
previous repod8) on sea surface reflection fading, coefficient of
correlation was found to be about 0.3 when the two antennas
are separated by a few multiples of the wave length in the
vertical direction.
The diversity improvement in Pe performance with
correlation of fading as a parameter is shown in Fig.6, where the
diversity method (c), pre-Viterbi decoding combining, is
adopted and other parameters are the same as in Fig.2. As seen
from this figure, the improvement with diversity degrades less
than 1dB when the coefficient of correlation is less than 0.3.
Therefore, this diversity method is effective in practical
situations such as under sea surface reflection fading.

5 . APPLICATION TO
MODULATION
(a) Application to TC8PSK

TRELLIS

CODED

The diversity method (c), pre-Viterbi decoding combining, is

considered for trellis coded modulation. In conventional
convolutional coding and Viterbi decoding, branch metrics are
calculated based on the Hamming distance. On the other hand, in
coded modulation, they are based on Euclidean distance.
Therefore, maximal ratio combining for coded modulation is
realized by weighting the received signals in the signal state
space.

Simulation results of trellis coded 8PSK modulation and

coherent detection / differential detection using 16 states
Ungerboeck code(9) with the diversity method (c) are shown in
Fig.7, where C/M=lOdB, f ~ T = 8 x l O - As
~ . in the previous
approximate analysis, calculated Pe performances are shown
using the relation of Pe before and after decoding in Fig.3,
where Pi, is 8PSK demodulated bit error performance. In this
simulation, ideal CSI (channel state information) is assumed.
The improvement of required Eb/No at Pe=10-4 with the
proposed diversity scheme is 7dB over that with no diversity in
both coherent detection and differential detection. Furthermore,
the Pe performance of differential detection with the diversity
scheme is superior to that of coherent detection without it.

(b) Comparison of TCSPSK and QPSK with High

Coding-rate Viterbi Decoder
Above mentioned, TC8PSK with pre-decoding combining
diversity shows a significant improvement in Pe performance in
the simulation results. Especially, TC8PSK modulation and
coherent detection has both efficient frequency use and good Pe
performance in Rician fading channels. An 8PSK coherent
demodulator, which is assumed to be ideal in the simulation, is,
however, quite difficult to operate stably in low C/N and Rician
fading environments. Therefore, differential detection tends to
be adopted for mobile satellite systems(10).
For QPSK, new coherent demodulation techniques(lW*)
have been proposed for mobile satellite systems and satisfactory
performances were reported in a Rician fading channel with
C/M=lOdB. Consequently, QPSK coherent detection and
conventional Viterbi decoding with high coding-rate and high
coding-gain, for example, r=7/8, K=7('), can be a candidate for
mobile satellite systems.

702.2.4
1130

Eb/No

Ebl'No CdB1
(a) D/U=OdB.

1Q

12

CdBl

(b) D/U=-SdB.

Fig.8 Pe performance comparison of TCSPSK and QPSK with r=7/8 Viterbi decoding.
A bit error probability performance comparison of TC8PSK
(16states) and QPSK coherent detection with r=7/8, K=7 Viterbi
decoding by the previous approximate analysis is shown in
Fig.8 for a Rician fading channel with C/M=lOdB. In this
comparison, supposing the following system parameters; voice
codec is 4.8kbps, channel space is SlrHz, and frequency stability
in a mobile station is 5 ~ 1 0 .in~ L-band, thus, the TC8PSK
system operates in 1.4bpsIHz frequency efficiency and for the
QPSK system, adjacent channel interference (ACI) with
1.6bps/Hz is considered because in QPSK with r=7/8 Viterbi
decoding, required frequency band is 817 times as wide as
TC8PSK which has no band expansion. In calculation of ACI
effect, a=0.5 roll off band limited and linear channel is
assumed. Even in the case of D/U=-SdB, which is desired signal
level difference from adjacent channel signals, Pe performance
of QPSK coherent detection with r=7/8 Viterbi is degraded only
1dB from TC8PSK coherent detection and it has an advantage of
2dB over TC8PSK differential detection. Considering difficulty
of stable operation, or degradation caused by phase error of
8PSK coherent demodulation in a Rician fading channel, it is not
wrong to select QPSK modulation and coherent detection with
r=7/8 Viterbi decoding for mobile satellite communication
systems.

6. CONCLUSION
In this paper, diversity combining methods for convolutional
coded and soft-decision Viterbi decoded channels in mobile
satellite communication systems are evaluated. It is clarified that
the pre-Viterbi-decoding maximal ratio combining has the best
performance in Rician fading channels by computer simulation,
and Pe performances derived from the analysis model using the
probability density function of Rician fading and the bit error

probability performance of Viterbi decoding in AWGN channels

agree with the simulation results. Furthermore, this diversity
method is applied to TC8PSK and QPSK with high coding-rate
Viterbi decoding. In consequence, QPSK modulation and
coherent detection with high coding-rate Viterbi decoding can be
an attractive candidate for mobile satellite systems as well as
TC 8PSK.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to thank Dr. H.Yamamoto and Mr.
K.Morita for their encouragement and helpful guidance, and Mr.
T.Dohi for his assistance during the computer simulation runs.

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