Simulation performance of optimal and suboptimal nonsynchronized receivers

Two optimal receivers, along with their approximations derived for the optical on-off keying channel, are briefly described. These receivers make symbol decisions in the absence of synchronization. The various approximations to the optimal rules are derived. Computer simulations are presented that compare the performance of suboptimal receivers to that of jointly optimal receivers, as well as to receivers utilizing a separate synchronizer. It is observed that one of the approximations, which is rather simple to implement, performs as well as the significantly more complicated receiver that utilizes a separate, optimal, synchronizer. Further computer simulations show that the suboptimal receivers are quite robust to nonperfect knowledge of the received signal power