On MIMO Transmission over Fading Channels: Reliable Throughput vs. Outage Probability

In this paper, we first introduce the new proposed measure on channel capacity, reliable throughput, which set up a coherent relationship among the error detection probability, signal transmission rate and channel capacity in a systematic way. Based on the new measure, we then discuss the efficient transmission rate for single input single output (SISO) Rician fading channels and further confirm such a finding for Nakagamim fading channels that both high transmission efficiency and low outage probability can be achieved simultaneously only for either very high signal to noise ratio case or very low signal to noise ratio case. Furthermore, we apply the developed reliable throughput to discuss Multiple Input Multiple output (MIMO) transmission over Rayleigh fading channels and get some important insights that (1) MIMO system will have much higher reliable date rate and much lower outage probability compared to the single input single output system. (2) For the same diversity order, the system with more receiver antennas will have higher reliable data rate as the signal to noise ratio is relatively low. In contrast, as the signal to noise ratio is relatively high, the system with the same numbers of antennas at the transmitter and receiver will have higher reliable data rate.