Aufgaben:Exercise 4.11Z: OOK and BPSK once again

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Error probabilities of On–Off Keying and Binary Phase Shift Keying

The error probabilities  $p_{\rm S}$  of the digital modulation methods On–Off Keying  (OOK) and Binary Phase Shift Keying  (BPSK) are given here without derivation. For example, one obtains with the so-called Q function

$${\rm Q} (x) = \frac{\rm 1}{\sqrt{\rm 2\pi}}\cdot \int_{\it x}^{+\infty}\rm e^{\it -u^{\rm 2}/\rm 2}\,d \it u$$

for the AWGN channel – identified by  $E_{\rm S}/N_0$  – and other optimal conditions (e.g. coherent demodulation)

• for On–Off Keying  (OOK), often also called Amplitude Shift Keying  (2–ASK):

$$p_{\rm S} = {\rm Q}\left ( \sqrt{{E_{\rm S}}/{N_0 }} \hspace{0.1cm}\right ) \hspace{0.05cm},$$

• für Binary Phase Shift Keying  (BPSK):

$$p_{\rm S} = {\rm Q}\left ( \sqrt{{2 \cdot E_{\rm S}}/{N_0 }} \hspace{0.1cm}\right ) \hspace{0.05cm}.$$

These symbol error probabilities (at the same time the bit error probabilities) are shown in the graph.

For example, for  $10 \cdot {\rm lg} \, E_{\rm S}/N_0 = 10 \ \rm dB$  one obtains according to the exact functions:

$$p_{\rm S} = 7.83 \cdot 10^{-4}\,\,{\rm (OOK)}\hspace{0.05cm},\hspace{0.5cm} p_{\rm S} = 3.87 \cdot 10^{-6}\,\,{\rm (BPSK)}\hspace{0.05cm}.$$

In order to achieve  $p_{\rm S} = 10^{\rm -5}$  with BPSK,  $10 \cdot {\rm lg} \, E_{\rm S}/N_0 ≥ 9.6 \ \rm dB$  must hold.

Notes:

• The exercise belongs to the chapter  "Carrier Frequency Systems with Coherent Demodulation".
• You can also find the derivations in the chapter  "Linear Digital Modulation – Coherent Demodulation".

• For the complementary Gaussian error function, use the following upper bound:

$${\rm Q}(x) \approx \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi} \cdot x} \cdot {\rm e}^{-x^2/2} \hspace{0.05cm}.$$

Questions

1

Calculate the OOK symbol error probability for  $10 \cdot {\rm lg} \, E_{\rm S}/N_0 = 10 \ \rm dB$  using the upper bound.

$p_{\rm S}\ = \ $ $\ \cdot 10^{\rm –5}$

2

What is the  BPSK symbol error probability for  $10 \cdot {\rm lg} \, E_{\rm S}/N_0 = 10 \ \rm dB$?

$p_{\rm S}\ = \ $ $\ \cdot 10^{\rm –5}$

3

For  OOK, give the minimum value of  $E_{\rm S}/N_0$  $($in $\rm dB)$  required for  $p_{\rm S} = 10^{\rm -5}$.

${\rm Minimum} \big[10 \cdot {\rm lg} \, E_{\rm S}/N_0 \big ] \ = \ $ $\ \rm dB$

Solution

Solution

(1)  From $10 \cdot {\rm lg} \, E_{\rm S}/N_0 = 10 \ \rm dB$ it follows that $E_{\rm S}/N_0 = 10$ and thus

$$p_{\rm S} = {\rm Q}\left ( \sqrt{10} \right ) \approx \frac{\rm 1}{\sqrt{\rm 20\pi} }\cdot \rm e^{-5 } \underline{=85 \cdot 10^{-5}}\hspace{0.05cm}.$$

• The actual value according to the data section is $78.3 \cdot 10^{\rm -5}$.
• So the given equation is actually an upper bound for ${\rm Q}(x)$.
• The relative error when using this approximation instead of the exact function ${\rm Q}(x)$ is less than $10\%$ in this case.

(2)  For BPSK, the corresponding equation is:

$$p_{\rm S} = {\rm Q}\left ( \sqrt{20} \right ) \approx \frac{\rm 1}{\sqrt{\rm 40\pi} }\cdot \rm e^{-10 } \underline{=0.405 \cdot 10^{-5}}\hspace{0.05cm}.$$

• Now the relative error using the approximation is only $5\%$.
• In general: The smaller the error probability, the better the approximation.

(3)  According to the specification, a (logarithmic) value of $9.6 \ \rm dB$ is required for BPSK.

• With the OOK, the logarithmic value must be increased by about $3 \ \rm dB$ ⇒ $10 \cdot {\rm lg} \, E_{\rm S}/N_0 \ \underline {\approx 12.6 \ \rm dB}$.