TABLE OF CONTENTS In this chapter, the sensitivity of a receiver will be discussed. The sensitivity of a receiver is defined as its capability to measure the weakest signal. The output of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is digital. This output will impact the measurement approach of input signals and thus the receiver sensitivity. The conventional way to calculate sensitivity is through mathematical modeling. However, due to the nonlinear property of the ADC, it is difficult to manipulate the calculations mathematically. As a result, the basic analysis is still based on an analog approach. If the ADC has a large number of bits, the result will be close to the analog approach. The threshold for detecting false alarms and signals in a digital receiver cannot be set arbitrarily in a continuous sense. The threshold can only be chosen from a finite number of levels.
This chapter discusses different types of detection schemes. The difference between the detection schemes of analog and digital receivers will be emphasized. The possible advantages of a digital receiver from a detection point of view will be discussed. The detection based on one data sample will be discussed first. The one sample case will be extended to multiple samples. Finally, frequency domain detection, which can be applied to digital receivers, will be examined. Examples with computer programs are used to illustrate some of the detection schemes.
Before the general discussion, let us clarify the meaning of the word detection. This word has two distinct applications in a discussion...
