A high performance CDMA cellular radio system based on low-rate convolutional coding

The field of spread spectrum multiple access is currently receiving considerable attention as a contender for the next generation mobile telephone system. In comparison to advanced time-division multiple access (TDMA) techniques, direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) spread-spectrum systems offer increased flexibility in the frequency management of the cellular network, the prospect of temporary capacity overload and improved handover flexibility and above all, the prospect of maximising the potential number of simultaneous users occupying a given bandwidth within any specific cell boundary. In this respect DS-CDMA schemes are very promising. Although DS-CDMA systems have been under consideration for many years, they are only now implementable due to the availability of very high power digital signal processing circuits.