Innovations-based MLSE for Rayleigh fading channels

This paper deals with the use of the innovations approach for developing a general and practical MLSE algorithms for signals transmitted over Rayleigh fading channels. The proposed MLSE receiver can be implemented by a bank of FIR time-invariant filters followed by a Viterbi processor and is applicable to any practically modulated signal over either frequency-nonselective or selective, fast or slowly fading channels. Simulation results are presented that demonstrate the superiority of the innovations-based receiver over differential detection in the presence of fast fading. To further improve the error performance, the derived MLSE receiver is combined with diversity reception. The simulation also shows that the diversity technique results in a significant improvement of the error performance. A unified interpretation of MLSE of signals transmitted over both Gaussian noise channels in the presence of ISI and Rayleigh fading channels is obtained by using the innovations approach.<>