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Home » Wireless Communication »

Diversity Techniques in Wireless Communication

Diversity Techniques in Wireless Communication

 Wireless Communication  No Comments

Table of Contents
1. Diversity Techniques
2. Diversity Techniques Concept
3. Types of Fading
3.1. Small-scale fading
3.2. Large-scale fading
4. Types of Diversity
4.1. Microscopic diversity techniques
4.2. Macroscopic diversity techniques
5. Important Diversity Techniques
5.1. Space Diversity Technique
5.2. Space Diversity Combining Schemes
5.2.1. Selective Diversity
5.2.2. Feedback Diversity
5.2.3. Maximal Ratio Combining Technique
5.2.4. Equal Gain Combiner Technique
5.3. Polarization Diversity Techniques
5.4. Time Diversity Techniques
5.5. Frequency Diversity
5.6. Directional Diversity
5.7. Path Diversity
6. Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Diversity Schemes
Diversity Techniques

Diversity is a good technique applied in mobile communication receiver

circuits where there are multipath environments. The diversity techniques use
the nature of the propagation path characteristics for improving the
sensitivity of receivers. It will improve the wireless links, at less cost. It does not
require prior training because a training sequence is not needed by a
transmitter like an equalizer. The diversity technique finds a way of analyzing
signal paths for the multipath cellular environment.

The diversity decisions made at the receiver end and they are not known to
the transmitter.

Diversity Techniques Concept

The simple concept of diversity is that even if a radio signal path experiences a
deep face, there will be another independent signal path available for analysis.

Let us consider the received signal that is observed with many signal level
variations. We assume two antennas with a specific separation between them
are located on a terminal. They experience different fading levels as the
mobile terminal moves. An example of received signal variations is
represented in the figure below. The received signal levels differ with their
corresponding fading levels. Therefore, we select an antenna that possess
higher signal level so that the probability of deep fading can be avoided.

In the figure shown below, the signal level of antenna #1 suffers fading
whereas the signal level of antenna #2 fades in seldom cases. Note that
branch #1 is deeply faded whereas branch #2 is not highly faded.

Received signal level variations at various diversity

branches

Types of Fading

There are two types of fading as under:

small-scale
large-scale fading.
Small-scale fading

The small-scale fading are mainly characterized by rapid amplitude

fluctuations and deep fades of less wavelength (λ). The small-scale fading is
due to signal fades caused by multiple path and reflections with respect to
mobile movement.

Large-scale fading

The large-scale fading is generated by shadowing effects which is due to

changes in both the nature of surroundings and the terrain profile involved.
The large scale fading is log-normally spreaded with particular standard
deviation value of approximately 10 decibels in the urban area.

Types of Diversity

The two basic types of diversity are as under:

Microscopic diversity
Macroscopic diversity

Microscopic diversity techniques

To counteract small-signal fading that is to avoid deep fading in the signal

received under small distances, fading can be minimized by this technique. It
can prevent small signal fades in case of less antenna separations, if two
antennas are used.

By choosing the signal of higher strength most of the time, the receiver can
reduce the fading effects in the graph shown in the figure below. The small-
signal fades rapidly whereas the large-signal fades gradually with respect to
an indoor environment.

Macroscopic diversity techniques

In large signal fading, the signal strength reduces that is because of

shadowing problems. By choosing a base station that is not shadowed when
compared to other base stations, the mobile unit can acquire a better signal-
to-noise ratio (SNR) in its forward path. Such a type of counteracting to large-
scale fading effects or the method of diversity used to reduce large-scale
signal fades is termed as macroscopic diversity technique. This is highly useful
at the base station receiver end.
Important Diversity Techniques

The important diversity techniques are discussed in the following ways:

Types of Diversity Techniques

1. Space diversity techniques

Selection diversity
Feedback diversity
Maximal-ratio combining method
Equal gain combining.
2. Polarization diversity technique
3. Time diversity technique
4. Frequency diversity technique
5. Directional diversity technique
6. Path diversity technique
7. Macroscopic diversity technique
8. Transmitter diversity technique

Each diversity technique is unique in its functionality but aims towards a

common goal of reducing the fading effects in multipath receiver circuit.

Space Diversity Technique

The space diversity scheme is also called as ‘antenna diversity scheme‘. In

conventional methods of wireless communication, the availability of direct
path between transmitter and receiver is not assured. Therefore, the
occurrence of Rayleigh fading will be present.

But, the antenna space diversity can achieve independent fading changes by
applying spatially separated antennas.

In the space diversity scheme, the receiver configuration is quite simple.

Several number of diversity branches are selectable. For producing diversity
reception at each and every cell site, multiple base station receiving antennas
are used effectively. It is important to note that main scattering takes place in
ground which is in the vicinity of the mobile unit, and hence to attain decor
relation, the antennas at base station have to be placed with necessary
separation distances. This separation distance can be in order or tens of
wavelength (λ) value with respect to base station. Generally, the space
diversity technique can be used at base station or mobile or at both ends.
 Simple block diagram of space diversity technique

Also, in case, the antenna spacing is greater than λ/2, then it is sufficient to
obtain low fading correlation between the diversity branches, and antenna
spacing of 50λ to 100λ is a must at the base station end.

A general schematic of space diversity is shown in the above figure. There are
‘n’ branches with separate gain values namely G1, G2 … Gn, and a set of
demodulators to generate the required output.

Space Diversity Combining Schemes

Selective Diversity

In selective diversity combining, the branches having the strongest received

signal will be selected. In selective diversity method, ‘n’ number of
demodulators are used and their gains can be adjusted to give mean signal to
noise ratio (SNR) for every diversity branch. Then, the antenna signals will be
sampled. Finally, the best signal that possess good signal strength will be sent
to a demodulator. It is also seen that practical diversity system has to be
carefully such that reciprocal of the mobile signal fading rate is a longer than
the internal constant values of selection diversity circuitry.

Feedback Diversity

The feedback diversity technique is also known as scanning diversity. In this

method, the ‘n’ signals are scanned in a proper sequence and monitored to
pick a signal in the sequence which is above the preset threshold value say ‘α’.

Then, a scanning process will be initiated for the received signals. But, the
demerit of this method is that the fading level reduction is less than the other
diversity techniques. In this method, for the received signals (m), the best
signal of better strength is measured by comparing every signal with a preset
threshold value ‘α’ as shown in the figure below.

Feedback diversity technique

One of the merit of feedback diversity is its easier implementation than other
methods.

Maximal Ratio Combining Technique

The concept of this method is that all the branch signals [N] are combined
coherently with necessary weighting coefficients for every diversity branch
signal so that the reduction of fading will be better leading to overall
improvement of system performance.

A block diagram for this method is shown in the figure below. Unlike selection
diversity, the signals are co-phased before the addition process and for this,
individual receiver and phasing circuits are a must for all the antenna
elements.

In the output, signal of maximal ratio combiner will be such that the sum of
individual signal to noise ratio (SNR) values will be equal to the SNR of output
signal measured.

Maximal ratio combiner technique

Advantages of Maximal ratio combiner technique

Maximal ratio combiner generates an acceptable SNR value.

Accuracy is high.
Produces the best reduction of fading

Equal Gain Combiner Technique

In the equal gain combining, all the diversity branches are coherently added
with a same weighting factor. On the other hand, this scheme also co-phases
all the diversity branches and finally adds them up. As the signals are co-
phased from all branches, they provide an equal gain factor. When compared
to maximal ratio combining, the configuration of this method is simple. By
applying equal gain combining, it is convenient for the receiver to get back
the signals.

One of the demerits of this method is that it degrades the SNR value by 0.5 dB
at the output of combiner if two branches are involved. If ten branches are
involved in the reception, then, the SNR degradation would be roughly upto 1
dB value.

Polarization Diversity Techniques

In polarization diversity, both horizontal and vertical polarization are involved.

In case, if a signal is transmitted by a pair of polarized antennas, and they are
received by another pair of antennas, then, two uncorrelated fading signals
will be received because different fading variations are experienced by
horizontal and vertical polarizations and due to different reflection coefficient
values of the tall building walls.

The measured vertical and horizontal polarization signal paths between the
base station and mobile are found to be uncorrelated. Also, the decorrelation
in vertical and horizontal polarization for signals is due to multiple reflections
in the radio channel between base stations and mobile antennas. There will
be an amount of dependence of received polarization on transmitted
polarization.

Time Diversity Techniques

In the time diversity method, the information is transmitted repeatedly at

specific time spacings that would exceed the coherence time of the mobile
channel, and this will lead to repetition of signals for several times; irrespective
of fading conditions.

Thus, when an identical information is sent for different time slots, it is

possible to obtain diversity branch signals.

The time diversity technique is well suited for spread spectrum CDMA system,
in which, RAKE receiver is used for reception.

Frequency Diversity

In this method of frequency diversity, the information is transmitted on many

carrier frequencies. The idea behind this is that if the frequencies are
separated by more than that of the coherence bandwidth of the mobile
channel, these would be uncorrelated with each other and hence these would
not experience same fading status. Also under channels, uncorrelated
situations, the occupancy of fading will be multiple of the individual fading
probability (occurrence).

The frequency diversity scheme is applied in microwave fields whenever line

of sight (LOS) links is used. That is in LOS links, they may carry many channels
in the frequency division multiplex mode (FDM). There are chances of deep
fades in frequency diversity due to tropospheric propagation and the resulting
refractions of the signal.

The fading variation independence factor between the separated frequency

components is a main effect with respect to land mobile communication and
it is known as frequency diversity effect. Thus, the frequency diversity is a
popular diversity reception technique.

Directional Diversity

The received signals would arrive from different incident angles due to any
one of the propagation mechanisms namely reflection, diffraction or scattered
signals around the mobile terminal. By using selective directive antennas, the
independent faded signals (since all the paths arising from various angles are
mutually independent of each other) can be received. This type of diversity is
suitable to apply in mobile terminal end, where limited directions of signals at
base station is linked.

Path Diversity

In path diversity method, the signals are coherently combined. That is both
the direct and delayed signal components are combined together. Thus, the
diversity branches are generated only after signal reception, and this method
is also called as Implicit diversity. As an example, an adaptive equalizer and
RAKE diversity are also categorized as path diversity schemes.

Advantages of Path Diversity schemes are as under:

1. In this scheme, no extra power is required.

2. No extra antennas are required
3. No extra frequency spectrum is required.

Disadvantages of path diversity schemes

This diversity method is very sensitive to Rayleigh fading conditions, and

hence, the propagation path conditions have to be given more attention.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Diversity

Schemes

Table: Some of the advantages and disadvantages of different diversity

schemes

S. Diversity
Advantages Disadvantages
No Scheme

(i) No space and extra (i) 3 dB extra power is a must

1. Polarization bandwidth are (ii) Two branch diversity
required. schemes is only possible.

(i) Several diversity

branches are allowed.
(i) Large hardware size is
(ii) It is also applicable
required.
Space to macroscopic
2. (ii) Larger antenna spacing is a
Diversity diversity.
must for the microscopic
(iii) No extra
diversity at the base station.
bandwidth or power
power is required.

(i) Relevant power level of

Frequency (i) Several diversity
3. frequency spectrum are
Diversity branches are allowed.
important.
 (i) Larger buffer memory is a
must when diversity frequency
(i) Hardware is simple.
Time is small.
4. (ii) Several diversity
Diversity (ii) More frequency spectrum is
branches are allowed.
necessary according to the
number of diversity branches.

Diversity gain will depend on

Angle Doppler spread can
5. the number of obstacles
Diversity be reduced.
available around the terminal.

• No space is required.
Path • No extra bandwidth The diversity gain will depend
6.
Diversity and power are on the delay status.
required.

 Wireless Communication

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