A universal framework is developed for constructing full-rate and full-diversity coherent space--time codes for systems with arbitrary numbers of transmit and receive antennas. The proposed framework combines space--time layering concepts with algebraic component codes optimized for single-input--single-output (SISO) channels. Each component code is assigned to a "thread" in the space--time matrix, allowing it thus full access to the channel spatial diversity in the absence of the other threads. Diophantine approximation theory is then used in order to make the different threads "transparent" to each other. Within this framework, a special class of signals which uses algebraic number-theoretic constellations as component codes is thoroughly investigated. The lattice structure of the proposed number-theoretic codes along with their minimal delay allow for polynomial complexity maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding using algorithms from lattice theory. Combining the design framework with the Cayley transform allows to construct full diversity differential and noncoherent space--time codes. The proposed framework subsumes many of the existing codes in the literature, extends naturally to time-selective and frequency -selective channels, and allows for more flexibility in the tradeoff between power efficiency, bandwidth efficiency, and receiver complexity. Simulation results that demonstrate the significant gains offered by the proposed codes are presented in certain representative scenarios.

We present some general techniques for constructing full-rank, minimal-delay, rate at least one space-time block codes (STBCs) over a variety of signal sets for arbitrary number of transmit antennas using commutative division algebras (field extensions) as well as using noncommutative division algebras of the rational field embedded in matrix rings. The first half of the paper deals with constructions using field extensions of . Working with cyclotomic field extensions, we construct several families of STBCs over a wide range of signal sets that are of full rank, minimal delay, and rate at least one appropriate for any number of transmit antennas. We study the coding gain and capacity of these codes. Using transcendental extensions we construct arbitrary rate codes that are full rank for arbitrary number of antennas. We also present a method of constructing STBCs using noncyclotomic field extensions. In the later half of the paper, we discuss two ways of embedding noncommutative division algebras into matrices: left regular representation, and representation over maximal cyclic subfields. The 4 4 real orthogonal design is obtained by the left regular representation of quaternions. Alamouti's code is just a special case of the construction using representation over maximal cyclic subfields and we observe certain algebraic uniqueness characteristics of it. Also, we discuss a general principle for constructing cyclic division algebras using the th root of a transcendental element and study the capacity of the STBCs obtained from this construction. Another family of cyclic division algebras discovered by Brauer is discussed and several examples of STBCs derived from each of these constructions are presented.

Abstract—Space–time block codes (STBCs) from orthogonal designs proposed by Alamouti, and Tarokh–Jafarkhani–Calderbank have attracted considerable attention lately due to their fast maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding and full diversity. However, the maximum symbol transmission rate of an STBC from complex orthogonal designs for complex signals is only Q R for three and four transmit antennas, and it is difficult to construct complex orthogonal designs with rate higher than I P for more than four transmit antennas. Recently, Jafarkhani, Tirkkonen–Boariu–Hottinen, and Papadias–Foschini proposed STBCs from quasi-orthogonal designs, where the orthogonality is relaxed to provide higher symbol transmission rates. With the quasi-orthogonal structure, the quasi-orthogonal STBCs still have a fast ML decoding, but do not have the full diversity. The performance of these codes is better than that of the codes from orthogonal designs at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), but worse at high SNR. This is due to the fact that the slope of the performance curve depends on the diversity. It is desired to have the quasi-orthogonal STBCs with full diversity to ensure good performance at high SNR. In this paper, we achieve this goal by properly choosing the signal constellations. Specifically, we propose that half of the symbols in a quasi-orthogonal design are chosen from a signal constellation set and the other half of them are chosen from a rotated constellation. The resulting STBCs can guarantee both full diversity and fast ML decoding. Moreover, we obtain the optimum selections of the rotation angles for some commonly used signal constellations. Simulation results show that the proposed codes outperform the codes from orthogonal designs at both low and high SNRs. Index Terms—Diversity, multiple antennas, orthogonal designs, quasi-orthogonal designs, space–time block codes (STBC), wireless communications. I.

In this paper, noncoherent receivers for differential space-time modulation (DSTM) are investigated. It is shown that the performance of the previously proposed conventional differential detection (DD) receiver is satisfactory only for very slow flat fading channels. However, conventional DD suffers from a considerable loss in performance even for moderately fast fading. In order to overcome this problem, multiple-symbol detection (MSD) and low-complexity decision-feedback differential detection (DF-DD) receivers are derived.

In this paper, the effect of spatial diversity on the throughput and reliability of wireless networks is examined. Spatial diversity is realized through multiple independently fading transmit/receive antenna paths in single-user communication and through independently fading links in multiuser communication. Adopting spatial diversity as a central theme, we start by studying its information-theoretic foundations, then we illustrate its benefits across the physical (signal transmission/coding and receiver signal processing) and networking (resource allocation, routing, and applications) layers. Throughout the paper, we discuss engineering intuition and tradeoffs, emphasizing the strong interactions between the various network functionalities.

We consider the problem of designing signal constellations for the multiple transmit--multiple receive antenna Rayleigh-fading communication channel, when neither the transmitter nor the receiver know the fading. In particular, by employing the asymptotic union bound (AUB) on the probability of error, we give a new formulation of the problem of signal design for the noncoherent fading channel. Since unitary signals are optimal for this channel (in the limit of large signal-to-noise ratios SNRs), the problem can be posed in terms of packings on the Grassmanian manifold. A key difference in our approach from that of other authors is that we use a notion of distance on this manifold that is suggested by the union bound. As a consequence of our use of this distance measure, we obtain signal designs that are guaranteed to achieve the full diversity order of the channel, a result that does not hold when the chordal distance is used. We introduce a new method of recursively designing signals, termed successive updates, to approximately optimize this performance measure. We then examine the use of our signals with several convolutional codes over the fading channel. An upper bound on the bit error probability of the maximum-likelihood decoder is presented together with an asymptotic analysis of that bound.

Information theoretic properties of flat fading channels with multiple antennas are investigated. Perfect channel knowledge at the receiver is assumed. Expressions for maximum information rates and outage probabilities are derived. The advantages of transmitter channel knowledge are determined and a critical threshold is found beyond which such channel knowledge gains very little. Asymptotic expressions for the error exponent are found. For the case of transmit diversity closed form expressions for the error exponent and cutoff rate are given. The use of orthogonal modulating signals is shown to be asymptotically optimal in terms of information rate.

We propose a new differential modulation scheme for multiple-antenna systems based on square spacetime block codes (STBC) when neither the transmitter nor the receiver knows channel state information. Compared with the known differential unitary space-time modulation (DUSTM), the proposed constellations generally have multiple amplitudes and do not have group properties. This generalization potentially allows the spectral efficiency to be increased by carrying information not only on orientations (or phases) but also on amplitudes. Two non-coherent decoders, optimal differential decoder (DD) and near-optimal DD, are derived for flat Rayleigh fading channels. Particularly, the near-optimal DD inherits the decomposition decoding property retained by STBC with coherent receiver and thus has linear complexity. Compared with the bestknown cyclic group constellations designed for DUSTM, our proposed constellations with the near-optimal DD have significantly lower probability of error and lower decoding complexity.

Abstract—Training codes are introduced for the multiple-antenna, noncoherent, multiple block-Rayleigh-fading channel in which the fading coefficients, which are constant over a fixed number of dimensions (coherence interval) for each block and then change independently to a new realization, are known neither at the transmitter nor at the receiver. Each codeword of a training code consists of a part known to the receiver—used to form a minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) estimate of the channel—and a part that contains codeword(s) of a space–time block or trellis code designed for the coherent channel (in which the receiver has perfect knowledge of the channel). The channel estimate is used as if it were error-free for decoding the information-bearing part of the training codeword. Training codes are hence easily designed to have high rate and low decoding complexity by choosing the underlying coherent code to have

Most existing space-time coding schemes assume time-invariant fading channels and offer antenna diversity gains relying on accurate channel estimates at the receiver. Based on a diagonal unitary matrix group, a novel double differential space-time block coding approach is derived in this paper for time-selective fading channels. Without estimating the channels at the receiver, information symbols are recovered with antenna diversity gains regardless of frequency offsets. The resulting transceiver has very low complexity and is applicable to an arbitrary number of transmit and receive antennas. Approximately optimal space-time codes are also designed to minimize bit error rate. System performance is evaluated both analytically and with simulations. I. INTRODUCTION The rapidly growing demand for reliable high data rate transmissions over fading channels has stimulated much interest in space-time (ST) coding. The effectiveness of most ST coding schemes relies on accurate channel estimate...