Statistical Modeling of Bit-Error-Rates in Asynchronous Multicarrier CDMA and Direct-Sequence CDMA Systems

This paper presents a method for modeling the bit-error-rate (BER) probability density functions (pdf) of asynchronous Multicarrier Code Division Multiple Access (MC-CDMA) and Direct-Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA) systems. An uplink channel is considered and it is assumed that the only channel distortion introduced by the channel is caused by the timing misalignments. Deterministic spreading sequences are used and the pdfs of each interferer'’s multiple access interference (MAI) are determined as a function of timing offset. A Nakagami-m distribution is fitted to the pdf of the total MAI power and the BER pdf is obtained directly from this Nakagami-m pdf. Both Walsh-Hadamard (WH) and Gold sequences are analyzed and the mean BERs are compared amongst the two multiple access systems for both sets of spreading sequences of varying lengths. The results suggest a higher resistance to MAI in the MC-CDMA technique for the considered environment

Statistical Modeling of Multiple Access Interference Power: a Nakagami-m Random Variable

This paper proposes a statistical model for the total multiple access interference (MAI) power for both Direct-Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA) and Multicarrier Code Division Multiple Access (MC-CDMA) systems. We consider the use of both Walsh-Hadamard (WH) and Gold spreading codes transmitting over the asynchronous uplink channel. Detailed signal models of both CDMA systems are derived illustrating the production of MAI under asynchronous conditions. The paper demonstrates the Gaussian nature of the total MAI and shows that the probability density function (pdf) of the total MAI power can be very accurately characterized by the Nakagami-m distribution

Analysis of detection performance in spectrum sensing optimisation for long sensing periods

Spectrum sensing optimisation techniques maximise the efficiency of spectrum sensing while satisfying a number of constraints. Many optimisation models consider the possibility of the primary user changing activity state during the secondary user's transmission period. However, most ignore the possibility of activity change during the sensing period. The observed primary user signal during sensing can exhibit a duty cycle which has been shown to severely degrade detection performance. This paper shows that (a) the probability of state change during sensing cannot be neglected and (b) the true detection performance obtained when incorporating the duty cycle of the primary user signal can deviate significantly from the results expected with the assumption of no such duty cycle

Comparison of speech enhancement algorithms for forensic applications

Speech enhancement algorithms play an essential role in forensic applications, and enhanced speech signals can be used in court as evidence in criminal cases. This paper compares the performance of single channel (spectral subtraction and level dependent wavelet threshold techniques) and multiple channel (independent component analysis or ICA) speech enhancement algorithms to remove real environmental noise from noisy audio recording signals. Experimental results demonstrate that ICA achieves a significant improvement in average signal to noise ratio (SNR) enhancement compared to single channel speech enhancement algorithms, when 100 sentences from a forensic voice comparison database were corrupted with a car, street and factory noise at input SNR (-10 to 10 dB)

Security Considerations for Conducted and Radiated Emissions

Useful information may be leaked by digital electronic circuits in their conducted and radiated electromagnetic emissions. The leakage signals can be captured and analysed using side-channel analysis techniques. This paper describes a current research project to explore the application of statistical analysis to measured electromagnetic emissions from a smart card system. Experimental results showed that logic state switching transient currents contain information related to the hamming weights of processed data. A differential side channel analysis (DSCA) technique was applied and it demonstrated that good correlation could be obtained when a correct sub-key was encountered

Slotted distributed space-time coding

Distributed space-time coding (DSTC) exploits the concept of cooperative diversity and space-time coding to offer a powerful bandwidth efficient solution with improved diversity. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of DSTC with slotted amplify-and-forward protocol (SAF). Relay nodes between the source and the destination nodes are grouped into two relay clusters based on their respective locations and these relay clusters cooperate to transmit the space-time coded signal to the destination node in different time frames. We further extend the proposed Slotted-DSTC to Slotted DSTC with redundant code (Slotted-DSTC-R) protocol where the relay nodes in both relay clusters forward the same space-time coded signal to the destination node to achieve a higher diversity order

Holistically approaching curriculum renewal: A case study of the Queensland University of Technology

There are still many programs in Australia and overseas where curricula comprise largely 20th Century-relevant graduate outcomes, framed in 20th Century learning and teaching approaches. A ‘Dynamic and Deliberative Model for Curriculum Renewal’ (DDMCR) model exists for undertaking such curriculum renewal that draws on the experiences of educators around the world, however there are few experiences to date in applying this model. At the Queensland University of Technology, the 2012 accreditation by Engineers Australia observed that, despite being exposed to relevant discipline-specific engineering curriculum and practice, students did not seem to be aware of the relevance of sustainable development to their degree, beyond first year exposure. In addressing this feedback, level 8 Australian Qualifications Framework, and drawing ideas from the DDMCR model, faculty senior management undertook a full review of the engineering curriculum

Strategies to engage engineering students in group project work

Project focused group work is significant in developing social and personal skills as well as extending the ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems. As a result of increasing undergraduate class sizes, along with the requirement for many students to work part-time, group projects, peer and collaborative learning are seen as a fundamental part of engineering education. Group formation, connection to learning objectives and fairness of assessment has been widely reported as major issues that leave students dissatisfied with group project based units. Several strategies were trialled including a study of formation of groups by different methods across two engineering disciplines over the past 2 years. Other strategies involved a more structured approach to assessment practices of civil and electrical engineering disciplines design units. A confidential online teamwork management tool was used to collect and collate student self and peer assessment ratings and used for both formative feedback as well as assessment purposes. Student satisfaction and overall academic results in these subjects have improved since the introduction of these interventions. Both student and staff feedback highlight this approach as enhancing student engagement and satisfaction, improved student understanding of group roles, reducing number of dysfunctional groups whilst requiring less commitment of academic resources

Detection of dynamic primary user with cooperative spectrum sensing

In this paper we demonstrate that existing cooperative spectrum sensing formulated for static primary users cannot accurately detect dynamic primary users regardless of the information fusion method. Performance error occurs as the sensing parameters calculated by the conventional detector result in sensing performance that violates the sensing requirements. Furthermore, the error is accumulated and compounded by the number of cooperating nodes. To address this limitation, we design and implement the duty cycle detection model for the context of cooperative spectrum sensing to accurately calculate the sensing parameters that satisfy the sensing requirements. We show that longer sensing duration is required to compensate for dynamic primary user traffic