Low-complexity antenna diversity receivers for WCDMA handsets

A low-complexity antenna diversity architecture using a single receiver chain together with a novel combining algorithm suitable for WCDMA systems is designed to improve handset performance in the mobile downlink. Simulation results are presented comparing different diversity receiver configurations under several channel conditions. System sensitivity to the Doppler frequency and correlation between diversity branches are investigated. Both selection diversity (SD) and a receiver using two front-ends (2FE) are compared with the combining algorithm. The results show that the combining architecture outperforms SD, which is a proposed candidate for WCDMA handset by a gain of about 1.25 dB, while being inferior to 2FE by only 0.75 dB.