A suboptimal algorithm for modulation classification

Abstract

In this paper we present a suboptimal algorithm for modulation classification to classify the general M-ary phase-shifted keying (MPSK) signal buried in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). We first derive the phase density functions of MPSK signals, then develop the required statistics for modulation classification and demonstrate a classifier for CW, binary phase-shifted keying (BPSK), quadrature phase-shifted keying (QPSK), and 8PSK. The structure of the proposed classifier is flexible and is easy to expand. The performance of classifier is evaluated in terms of the probability of successful classification. An example (BPSK/QPSK case) is provided to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed classifier. The performance is evaluated through the theoretical approach and the Monte Carlo computer simulations and is compared with that previously published in 1992. It is shown that the performance of the proposed classifier is better. Further improvement in performance can be obtained by increasing the length of observation interval.