In the context of broadband wireless communications using code division multiple access (CDMA), the main multiple access (MA) options include single-carrier direct sequence CDMA (SC-DS-CDMA) using time-domain direct sequence spreading [1, p. 728], multicarrier CDMA (MC-CDMA) using frequency-domain spreading [2, 3] and multicarrier DS-CDMA (MC-DS-CDMA) using time-domain direct sequence spreading of the individual sub-carrier signals [4, 5]. It was shown in [6] that MC-DS-CDMA has the highest degrees of freedom in the family of CDMA schemes that can be beneficially exploited during the system design and reconfiguration procedures. An amalgam of MC-CDMA and MC-DS-CDMA known as time and frequency domain spreading (TF-domain spreading) MC-DS-CDMA was proposed in [6]. TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA has several benefits over conventional MC-DS-CDMA with regard to both capacity and performance [7]. However, in contrast to conventional MC-DS-CDMA, TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA introduces MUI, which necessitates the use of joint detection at the receiver. Recently, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) or multi-antenna TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA schemes have been proposed in the literature that e ciently exploit both the spatial and frequency diversity available in MIMO frequency-selective channels [8, 9]. Although an extensive amount of research has been done on single and multi-antenna TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA schemes that achieve both spatial and frequency diversity in frequency-selective slow fading channels [6–9], very little research considers the time-selectivity of the wireless channels encountered. Thus, the above-mentioned schemes may not be su ciently e cient, when communicating over wireless channels exhibiting both frequency-selective and time-selective fading. There are very few MC-DS-CDMA schemes in the literature that consider the time-selectivity of the wireless channels encountered. This study considers the design of single and multi-antenna TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA, for frequency-selective block-fading channels, which are capable of exploiting the full diversity available in the channel (i.e. spatial, frequency and temporal diversity), using various methods of joint detection at the receiver. It has been shown that the diversity gain in block-fading channels can be improved by coding across multiple fading blocks [10–12]. Single-antenna TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA is considered for the quasi-synchronous uplink channel, and multi-antenna TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA is considered for the synchronous downlink channel. Numerous simulated bit error rate (BER) performance curves, obtained using a triply selective MIMO channel platform, are presented in this study using optimal and sub-optimal joint detection algorithms at the receiver. In addition, this study investigates the impact of spatial correlation on the BER performance of the MC-DS-CDMA schemes considered. From these simulated results, one is able to conclude that TF-domain spreading MC-DS-CDMA designed for frequency-selective block-fading channels performs better than previously proposed schemes designed for frequency-selective slow fading channels, owing to the additional temporal diversity exploited under the block-fading assumption. AFRIKAANS : In die konteks van bre¨eband- draadlose kommunikasie deur die gebruik van kodeverdelingveelvuldige toegang (KVVT) behels die belangrikste veelvuldigetoegang- (VT) opsies enkel-draer direkte-sekwensie KVVT (ED-DS-KVVT), deur die gebruik van tyd-domein direkte sekwensie-verspreiding [1, p. 728], veelvuldigedraer-KVVT (VD-KVVT) deur die gebruik van frekwensiedomein-verspreiding [2, 3] en VD-DS- KVVT deur die gebruik van tyd-domein direkte sekwensie-verspreiding van die individuele sub-draerseine [4, 5]. Daar is in [6] aangetoon dat VD-DS-KVVT die hoogste vlakke van vryheid in die familie KVVT-skemas het wat voordelig benut kan word gedurende sisteemontwerp en rekonfigurasieprosedures. ’n Amalgaam van VD-KVVT en VD-DS-KVVT bekend as tyd-en-frekwensiedomeinverspreiding (TF-domeinverspreiding) VD-DS-KVVT is voorgestel in [6]. TF-domeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT het verskeie voordele bo konvensionele VD-DS-KVVT wat sowel kapasiteit as werkverrigting betref [7]. In teenstelling met konvensionele VD-DS-KVVT benut TF-domeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT multi-gebruiker-interferensie, wat die gebruik van gesamentlike opsporing by die ontvanger noodsaak. In die onlangse verlede is in die literatuur veelvuldige-inset-veelvuldige-uitset- (VIVU) of veelvuldige-antenna TF-omeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT-skemas voorgestel wat sowel die ruimtelike as frekwensiediversiteit wat in VIVU frekwensie-selektiewe kanale beskikbaar is, e ektief gebruik [8, 9]. Hoewel uitgebreide navorsing onderneem is oor enkel- en multi-antenna TF-domeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT-skemas wat sowel ruimtelike as frekwensie diversiteit in frekwensie-selektiewe stadig deinende kanale bereik [6–9], oorweeg baie min navorsing die tyd-selektiwiteit van die draadlose kanale wat betrokke is. Bogenoemde skemas mag dus nie e ektief genoeg wees nie wanneer kommunikasie plaasvind oor draadlose kanale wat sowel frekwensie-selektiewe as tyd-selektiewe wegsterwing toon. Baie min VD-DS-KVVT-skemas in die literatuur skenk aandag aan die tyd-selektiwiteit van die betrokke draadlose kanale. Die studie ondersoek die ontwerp van enkel- en multi-antenna TF-domeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT vir frekwensie-selektiewe blokwegsterwingkanale, wat in staat is om die volle diversiteit wat in die kanaal beskikbaar is, te benut (i.e. ruimtelike, frekwensie- en tyddiversiteit), deur die gebruik van verskeie metodes van gesamentlike opsporing by die ontvanger. Daar is aangetoon dat die diversiteitwins in blokwegsterwingkanale verbeter kan word deur kodering oor veelvuldige deinende blokke [10–12]. Enkel-antenna TF-domeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT word oorweeg vir die kwasi-sinchroniese opverbinding-kanaal, en multi-antenna TF-domeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT vir die sinchroniese afverbinding-kanaal. Talryke gesimuleerde bisfouttempo (BFT) werkverrigtingkurwes wat verkry is deur die gebruik van ’n drie-voudige selektiewe VIVU-kanaalplatform, word in hierdie studie aangebied, deur die gebruik van optimale en sub-optimale gesamentlike opsporingsalgoritmes by die ontvanger. Daarbenewens ondersoek hierdie studie die impak van ruimtelike korrelasie op die BFT-werkverrigring van die VD-DS-KVVT-skemas wat oorweeg word. Uit hierdie gesimuleerde resultate is dit moontlik om tot die gevolgtrekking te kom dat TF-domeinverspreiding VD-DS-KVVT wat ontwerp is vir frekwensie-selektiese blokwegsterwingkanale beter werkverrigting toon as vroe¨er voorgestelde skemas wat ontwerp is vir frekwensie-selektiewe stadig deinende kanale, te danke aan die ekstra tyddiversiteit wat deur die blokwegsterwing-aanname benut word. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted