Second-Order Statistics for STBC Classification Over Amplify-and-Forward Cooperative Systems

The space-time block code (STBC) classification has recently been recognized as a prominent fundamental tool for the development of smart communication systems, which are applied in both the defense and private sectors. The use of multiple antennas at the transmitter introduces a new dimension of difficulty to the signal classification task since it is essential to make judgments about the number and arrangement of broadcast antennas. The reported research has only addressed STBC classification over non-cooperative environments, with no solutions offered for cooperative transmissions. A comprehensive STBC classification algorithm for amplify-and-forward cooperative transmissions is proposed in this investigation. The classification procedure is predicated on analytical formulas established for the time-domain features of the STBC signals. There are two phases involved in implementing the offered algorithm into practice. The first stage includes estimating the correlation functions of the incoming signals across two different time periods using second-order statistics, and a false alarm oriented assessment is utilized in the second stage to produce a judgment. The proposed algorithm’s many benefits involve not necessitating any previous information about the modulation form, channel characteristics, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), or the start of STBC blocks. Simulation experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can give adequate classification performance in the presence of transmission imperfections even at relatively low SNR levels.