This letter discusses the performance of online SNR estimation including fading parameter estimation for parallel combinatorial SS (PC/SS) systems. The PC/SS systems are partial-code-parallel multicode SS systems, which have high-rate data transmission capability. Nakagami-m distribution is assumed as fading channel model to cover a wide range of fading conditions. The SNR and fading parameter estimation considered in this letter is based on only a statistical ratio of correlator outputs at the receiver. Numerical results show that SNR estimation performance with fading parameter estimation is close to the one in the case of perfect fading parameter information, if the number of transmitting PN codes is less than a half of assigned PN codes.

This paper investigates the error rate performance of parallel combinatorial spread spectrum (PC/SS) communicaion systems that use coherent and differential multiphase modulation: multiphase parallel combinatorial spread spectrum (MPC/SS) communication systems. The PC/SS systems are multicode SS systems based on orthogonal pseudo-noise (PN) sequences. Data is transmitted by delivering a combination of multiple PN sequences among a set of pre-assigned PN sequences. In the MPC/SS systems, every PN sequence on transmission is modulated by q-ary coherent or differential phase shift keying (PSK). Symbol error rate (SER) and average bit error rate (BER) in coherent and differential MPC/SS systems are investigated. The BER comparison between the MPC/SS systems and simple multicode SS systems with q-ary coherent and differential PSK is also presented. Numerical results show that the MPC/SS systems are superior to the conventional q-ary PSK systems, if they have equal spectral efficiency.