New Performance Results for Multiuser Optimum Combining in the Presence of Rician Fading

This paper analyzes the performance of multiuser optimum combining systems. We consider the practical scenario where the desired user undergoes Rician fading, and the received signals are corrupted by Rayleigh-faded interference and noise. We derive new closed-form expressions for the symbol error rate, ergodic capacity, level crossing rate, and average fade duration. These results are given as either accurate approximations or asymptotic (eg. high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)) expressions, and are based on new closed-form statistical properties which we derive for the signal-to-interference noise ratio (SINR). Specifically, we derive exact first order expansions and accurate gamma approximations for the SINR distribution, as well as simplified exact expressions for the moments. We also present closed-form expressions for key performance parameters such as the diversity order and array gain, wideband slope, and high SNR power offset, and analyze the impact of the Rician K-factor, which is shown in all cases to yield a performance improvement.