Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) System in Multipath

Environment

Vidya kant Dwivedi 1 Manoj KR Shukla 2

1
Senior Lecturer , United College of Engg. & Research, Allahabad
2
Research Scholar, Deptt. of ECE, MNNIT, Allahabad

Key words: CDMA, Spread spectrum, Bit Error Rate, Multipath fading

ABSTRACT large number of users share a common

communication channel to transmit information
Many Digital cellular and mobile systems are to a receiver. This can be done by different
in use today. Analog cellular systems use methods, viz., Frequency Division Multiple
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple
technique. Digital systems use Frequency Access (TDMA), and Code Division Multiple
Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Access (CDMA) [1, 6].
Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Code Frequency Division Multiple Access
Division Multiple Access (CDMA) techniques (FDMA), First Generation (1G) cellular
[1]. CDMA system separates users through communication networks [2, 7] is an analogue
the assignment of different code sequences. transmission technique used for mobile phone
communications, in which the frequency band
These sequences should have low cross
allocated to a network is divided into sub-bands
correlation properties and should allow the
or channels. Each frequency channel can carry
multipath effects commonly found in wireless
either a voice conversation or digital data, and
channels. CDMA system uses the idea of one channel will be assigned to each subscriber
tolerating interference by Spread spectrum for the duration of a call. Using FDMA in this
modulation (spreading the spectrum) [1, 6]. way, multiple users can share the available
In this paper simulation of CDMA system has band without the risk of interference between
been described which is operating in the simultaneous calls.
multipath environment by considering Time Division Multiple Access
thermal noise and interference. The (TDMA) is digital transmission technology
simulation results are analyzed using Ricean that allows a number of users to access a
K factor (Racian K factor is a factor that single radio frequency (RF) channel
measures propagation loss in multipath without interference by allocating unique
fading environment). time slots to each user within each channel.
The TDMA digital transmission scheme
1. Introduction multiplexes three signals over a single
Multiple access schemes [1, 6] allow channel. The current TDMA standard for
multiple users to access the services. One cellular divides a single channel into six
type of multiple access system is, in which a time slots, with each signal using two slots,

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providing a 3 to 1 gain in capacity over The cellular system offers mobile and
advanced mobile-phone service (AMPS). portable telephone stations the same service
Each caller is assigned a specific time slot provided fixed stations over conventional wired
for transmission. This technique is used in loops. It has the capacity to serve tens of
thousands of subscribers in a major
second generation (2G) cellular
metropolitan area. The cellular communications
communication networks [2, 7].
system consists of the following four major
In Code Division Multiple Access
components that work together to provide
(CDMA), every station uses a code for data
mobile service to subscribers [2].
transmission, which is only understood by
 Public switched telephone network
partner stations with an identical code. Code
(PSTN)
Division Multiple Access (CDMA) has
 Mobile telephone switching office
emerged as the mainstream air interface
(MTSO)
solution for the third-generation networks,
 Cell site with antenna system
since it will provide a multitude of services,
especially multimedia and high-bit-rate  Mobile subscriber unit (MSU)
packet data [7]. 2.1.1 PSTN [2]
The PSTN is made up of local
2. Basics of Cellular communications networks, the exchange area networks, and the
long- haul network that interconnect telephones
A cellular radio system consists of
and other communication devices on a
mobile units linked via a radio network to
worldwide basis.
switching equipment interconnecting the
2.1.2 Mobile Telephone Switching Office
different parts of the system and allowing
access to the fixed PSTN [2]. The technology (MTSO) [2]
is hidden from view-incorporated in The MTSO is the central office for
numerous transceivers called Base Stations mobile switching. It houses the mobile
(BS) which are located at selected strategic switching center (MSC), field monitoring, and
places, and covering a given area or cell - relay stations for switching calls from cell sites
hence the term cellular communications. A to wire line central offices (PSTN). In analog
number of cells grouped together form the cellular networks, the MSC controls the system
"area" and the corresponding Base Stations operation. The MSC controls calls, tracks
are connected to a Mobile Switching Centre billing information, and locates cellular
(MSC) which stores information and directs subscribers.
calls to phones within its area. The various
Mobile Switching Centers communicate with 2.1.3. The Cell Site [2]
each other. The term cell site is used to refer to the
The frequencies used by GSM [2, 7] are: physical location of radio equipment that
For transmission 890-915 MHz provides coverage within a cell. A list of
hardware located at a cell site includes power
For reception 935-960 MHz
sources, interface equipment, radio frequency
2.1. Cellular System Components transmitters and receivers, and antenna
systems.

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2.1.4. Mobile Subscriber Units (MSUs) [2] The spectral spreading of the transmitted signal
The mobile subscriber unit consists gives to CDMA its multiple access capability.
of a control unit and a transceiver that It is therefore important to know the techniques
transmits and receives radio transmissions to necessary to generate spread-spectrum signals
and from a cell site. The following three types and the properties of these signals. A spread-
of MSUs are available: spectrum modulation technique must fulfill two
 The mobile telephone (typical criteria:
transmit power is 4.0 watts) The transmission bandwidth must be
 The portable (typical transmit power much larger than the information bandwidth.
The resulting radio-frequency bandwidth is
is 0.6 watts)
determined by a function other than the
 The transportable (typical transmit
information being sent (so the bandwidth is
power is 1.6 watts)
statistically independent of the information
signal). This excludes modulation techniques
The mobile telephone is installed in
like frequency modulation (FM) and phase
the trunk of a car, and the handset is installed
modulation (PM) [1, 6]. The ratio of
in a convenient location to the driver.
transmitted bandwidth to information
Portable and transportable telephones are
bandwidth is called the processing gain, G p, of
hand-held and can be used anywhere. The use
the spread-spectrum system,
of portable and transportable telephones is
limited to the charge life of the internal Bt
Gp 
battery. Bi ; where Bt is the
transmission bandwidth and Bi is the bandwidth
3. CDMA Concepts of the information-bearing signal.
The receiver correlates the received signal with
In CDMA each user is assigned a
a synchronously generated replica of the
unique code sequence it uses to encode its
spreading code to recover the original
information-bearing signal. The receiver,
information-bearing signal. This implies that
knowing the code sequences of the user,
the receiver must know the code used to
decodes a received signal after reception and
modulate the data.
recovers the original data. This is possible
Because of the coding and the resulting
since the cross correlations between the code
enlarged bandwidth, SS signals have a number
of the desired user and the codes of the other
of properties that differ from the properties of
users are small. Since the bandwidth of the
narrowband signals. To have a clear
code signal is chosen to be much larger than
understanding, each property has been briefly
the bandwidth of the information-bearing
explained with the help of illustrations, if
signal, the encoding process enlarges
necessary, by applying direct sequence spread-
(spreads) the spectrum of the signal and is
spectrum techniques.
therefore also known as spread-spectrum
modulation. The resulting signal is also called
3.1 Multiple Access Capability [6]
a spread-spectrum signal, and CDMA is often
denoted as spread-spectrum multiple access
If multiple users transmit a spread-
(SSMA) [6].
spectrum signal at the same time, the receiver

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will still be able to distinguish between the bandwidth. The spread-spectrum signal (s)
users provided each user has a unique code receives narrowband interference (i). At the
that has a sufficiently low cross-correlation receiver the SS signal is "despread" while the
with the other codes. Correlating the received interference signal is spread, making it appear
signal with a code signal from a certain user as background noise compared to the despread
will then only despread the signal of this user, signal.
while the other spread-spectrum signals will 3.5 Anti-Jamming Capability [6]
remain spread over a large bandwidth. Thus, This is more or less the same as
within the information bandwidth the power interference rejection except the interference is
of the desired user will be larger than the now willfully inflicted on the system. It is this
interfering power provided there are not too property, together with the next one, that makes
many interferers, and the desired signal can spread-spectrum modulation attractive for
be extracted. military applications.
3.6 Low Probability of Interception (LPI) [6]
3.2 Protection Against multi-path Because of its low power density, the
interference [6] spread-spectrum signal is difficult to detect and
In a radio channel there is not just intercept by a hostile listener.
one path between a transmitter and receiver. There are a number of modulation techniques
Due to reflections (and refractions) a signal that generate spread-spectrum signals:
will be received from a number of different
paths. The signals of the different paths are 3.6.1 Direct sequence spread-spectrum [6]
all copies of the same transmitted signal but The information-bearing signal is
with different amplitudes, phases, delays, and multiplied directly by a high chip rate code
arrival angles. Adding these signals at the signal.
receiver will be constructive at some of the
frequencies and destructive at others. In the 3.6.2 Frequency hopping spread-spectrum
time domain, this results in a dispersed signal. [6]
Spread-spectrum modulation can combat this The carrier frequency at which the
multi-path interference; however, the way in information-bearing signal is transmitted is
which this is achieved depends very much on rapidly changed according to the code signal.
the type of modulation used. 3.6.3 Time hopping spread-spectrum [6]
The information-bearing signal is not
3.3 Privacy [6] transmitted continuously. Instead the signal is
The transmitted signal can only be dispread transmitted in short bursts where the times of
and the data recovered if the receiver knows the bursts are decided by the code signal.
the code.
4. Results
3.4 Interference Rejection [6] A simulation [3, 4, and 5] has been done of
Cross-correlating the code signal with CDMA system operating in a multi path/ fading
a narrowband signal will spread the power of environment. Thermal noise and interference
the narrowband signal thereby reducing the are also included in the simulation model. The
interfering power in the information simulation model can generate a number of

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performance results. These include the Bit [2] William C.Y.Lee “Mobile Cellular
Error Rate (BER) as a function of the thermal Telecommunications”, Pearson Education
noise level (PE vs Eb/No) with ricean factor [3]K.S.Shanmugan, “Simulation and
included. Implementation Tools for Signal
Eb /No is stepped from 0-10 dB in one Processing and Communication Systems”
dB steps. Ricean K factor is a factor that IEEE Communications Magazine July
measures propagation loss in multi-path 1994
fading environment. This factor is included [4] William H. Tranter, Kurt L. Kosbar,
and results are obtained. Three values of “Simulation of Communication Systems”
Ricean K factor are used -20 dB, 0 dB and 20 IEEE Communications Magazine, July
dB. 1994
K– factor of -20 dB (k=0.01) produced [5] Brian D. Woerner, Jeffrey H. Reed, and
results close to Raleigh fading. The K-factor Theodore S. Rappaport “Simulation
of 0 dB (K=1) curve is less smooth than other Issues for Future Wireless Modems”
IEEE Communications Magazine, July
curves. This is due to time varying nature of 1994
channel, which is more pronounced for [6] Kamilo Feher, “Wireless Digital
intermediate values of K, where the power in Communications” Modulation and
the LOS component and total scattered power Spread spectrum applications, Prentice
are approximately equal. Hall PTR, NJ 1994
[7] Http:// www.umts-forum.org
5. References
[1] John G. Proakis “Digital
Communication systems” Mc-Graw Hill
publication

6. Appendix

Fig. 5.1 Graph between Eb/No and Probability of Symbol Error

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Fig. 5.2 Graph between Eb/No and Probability of Symbol Error with ricean factor