Near optimum tree-search detection schemes for bit-synchronous multiuser CDMA systems over Gaussian and two-path Rayleigh-fading channels

Simple reduced tree-search detection schemes of the breadth-first type are applied to suboptimal joint multiuser detection in bit-synchronous code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems over both Gaussian and two-path Rayleigh-fading channels. It is pointed out that in contrast to the case of the optimal multiuser detector, the choice of the receiver filter severely influences the performance of suboptimal multiuser detectors. Simulation results supported by analysis show that breadth-first tree-search algorithms using a decorrelating noise whitening receiver filter perform better than similar receivers, which solely use a matched filter (MF) for virtually all nonsingular spreading code sets studied. Most of the code sets are randomly generated. The M- and T-algorithm detectors based on decorrelating noise whitening filter (WF) outputs can achieve near optimum performance at a very low complexity compared to the optimal detector, although the proposed detectors are more complex than some known suboptimum detectors. Furthermore, the use of combining techniques is considered for a two-path Rayleigh-fading channel, and a semi-synchronous CDMA structure is proposed. It is shown that if maximum ratio combining (MRC) is employed, the decorrelating noise WF still exists. The corresponding suboptimal combining detector with a decorrelating noise WF outperforms a similar noncombining detector