Higher Order Statistics in Switched Diversity Systems

We analyze the level crossing rate (LCR) and the average fade duration of the output signalto-noise-ratio (SNR) in generalized switched diversity systems. By using a common approach, we study these higher order statistics for two different kinds of configurations: (1) Colocated diversity, i.e. receiver equipped with multiple antennas, and (2) Distributed diversity, i.e. relaying link with multiple single-antenna threshold-based decode-and-forward (DF) relays. In both cases, we consider the switched diversity combining strategies Selection Combining and Switch & Stay Combining (SSC). Whenever using threshold-based techniques such as DF or SSC, the output SNR is a discontinuous random process and hence classic Rice approach to calculate the LCR is not applicable. Thus, we use an alternative formulation in terms of the one and two-dimensional cumulative distribution functions of the output SNR. Our results are general, and hold for any arbitrary distribution of fading at the different diversity branches. Moreover, we develop a general asymptotic framework to calculate these higher order statistics in high mean SNR environments which only needs of the univariate probability density function.