Simple method for evaluating error probabilities

Abstract

The evaluation of error probabilities in digital communication systems is often amenable to computing a probability of the form P(Δ ≤ 0), where Δ is a random variable whose probability distribution is known. As an example, the pairwise error probability of coded modulations can be expressed in this form. The authors advocate an exceedingly general numerical method for the calculation of P(Δ ≤ 0) based on Gauss-Chebyshev quadratures, which combines simplicity with accuracy.