The detection of signals perturbed by scatter and noise

In recent years, much study has been devoted to the problem of conveying information efficiently through channels in which the mess*-bearing waveforms may undergo distortion. Statistical methods have proven an effective tool with which to anslyze and synthesize transmission systems as a whole, especially where channel perturbations are of a.random nature. The statistical approach is particularly rewarding whan questions of receiver optimization are considered. Provided that the transmitter ePld channel conform to the realistic, yet very general, mdel proposed by Shannon,1 the ideal receiver assumes the form of a probability-computer. This result was recognized by Woodward and Davies,* and Van Vleck and M.dcUeton3 have similarly treated ideal detection as the testing of statistical hypotheses.