Patent ID: 6678844
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for determining a bit error rate (BER) for a communication system conveying a full set of signals, the method comprising:(a) selecting signal subsets from the full set of signals based upon one or more characteristics of the signals; (b) determining a BER for the communication system conveying signals of a particular signal subset; (c) repeating (b) for a multiplicity of particular signal subsets; and (d) combining the BERs determined for the particular signal subsets, wherein (d) comprises, for each particular signal subset for which a BER is determined in (b) and (c): estimating a probability of occurrence of signals in the full set of signals sharing the selection characteristics of the particular signal subset; multiplying the determined BER by the probability of occurrence of the respective signal subset characteristics to determine a BER contribution for signals conforming to those of the particular subset; and summing the BER contribution for each particular signal subset.