Analysis of noncoherent orthogonal modulation for mobile computing

Abstract

Wireless communication is employed to connect mobile computers in a networked environment for information exchange. In a tactical space, sensors and computers typically need to operate on-the-move while transmitting data over both short and long distances in different terrain and conditions. The wireless communication is thus susceptible to effects of Doppler shift and channel fading. In addition, when security and anti jamming features are required, such as frequency-hopping techniques, then coherent signal detection is difficult and noncoherent modulation is used instead. Our study will focus on the bit error rate (BER) performance analysis of noncoherent orthogonal modulation, specifically M-ary frequency-shift keying (MFSK) and code-shift keying (CSK) modulation, in both additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and for a Rayleigh fading channel with Doppler shift. The potential applications include communications between mobile computer-sensor devices, such as a mobile ground control station maintaining a datalink with UAV.