Equiprobable Subcarrier Activation Method for OFDM With Index Modulation

Abstract

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing with index modulation (OFDM-IM) conveys additional information bits via the indices of active subcarriers. Consequently, the determination of the active subcarriers according to the incoming bits arises as a challenging problem. The existing solution resorts to the lexicographic ordering, which leads to a low implementation complexity but an unequal subcarrier activation probability. This letter proposes a distinct solution that allows the equiprobable activation of all OFDM-IM subcarriers with comparable implementation complexity. The signal-to-noise ratio gain achieved by the proposed solution is also analyzed. Computer simulations reveal the advantages of the proposed solution.