Soft output diversity combining for CPM signals over space-time correlated Rayleigh fading channels

Soft output detection algorithms are useful in systems where soft-decision metrics are important, e.g., systems with interleaved coded modulation. Receive diversity techniques can provide significant performance improvement for fading channels encountered in mobile communication systems. A soft-output receive diversity combining algorithm for the demodulation of continuous phase modulated (CPM) signals over space-time correlated frequency flat Rayleigh fading channels in the absence of perfect channel state information (CSI) is developed. The derived soft output algorithm is used in the iterative detection of interleaved TC-CPM. The performance of the algorithm is extensively characterized by means of Monte-Carlo simulations.