Performance analysis of un-coded multiband OFDM UWB system

This paper provides analytical derivation for the average pairwise error probability (PEP) of un-coded multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MB-OFDM) system for Ultra wideband (UWB) communications. To capture the behaviour of UWB channels in terms of cluster arrival rate, ray arrival rate, cluster and ray decay factors, the Saleh and Valenzuela model is employed. It is shown clearly that the system in which the information is not jointly encoded across subcarriers cannot gain performance improvement from the multi path clustering property of UWB channels. Its performance is similar to that of an OFDM system for narrow band communications in a Rayleigh fading channel. The analytical results are compared with computer simulations in order to support the derivation. Some features of UWB channels are also discussed.