SPACE-TIME BLOCK CODING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20100202502A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: BAKOULINE, Mikhall Germanovich, CHLOMA, Alexandre Mikhailovich, KREINDELINE, Vitali Borisovich, ZHU, Peiying, TONG, Wen, JIA, Ming
• Granted Patent: US 8,422,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0619 using feedback from receiving side feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0669 using different channel coding between antennas space-time coding H04L1/0618
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0625 Transmitter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0675 characterised by the signaling

Abstract

Although orthonormal space-time coding matrices provide for optimal communication system performance in that associated correlation matrices include no non-zero off-diagonal elements, unity code rate orthonormal coding matrices are difficult to identify for arbitrary communication network equipment. According to embodiments of the present invention, non-orthonormal space-time coding matrices, for which associated correlation matrices include non-zero off-diagonal elements, are used to encode data symbols. The non-orthonormal space-time coding matrices are more easily determined, and undesirable effects of the non-zero off-diagonal components are reduced by selecting a coding matrix from among a number of such matrices. For example, a particular space-time coding matrix may be selected from a number of generated space-time coding matrices based on a number of non-zero off-diagonal elements or a power of a trace of the associated correlation matrices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a plurality of space-time coding matrices, each having a respective associated correlation matrix comprising a plurality of non-zero off-diagonal elements;

selecting one of the plurality of space-time coding matrices for which the associated correlation matrix has a least number of non-zero off-diagonal elements;

encoding data symbols using the selected space-time coding matrix,

determining a phase rotation factor, wherein the phase rotation factor is determined to reduce values of the off-diagonal elements of the correlation matrix associated with the selected space-time coding matrix, wherein determining a phase rotation factor comprises receiving the phase rotation factor from a receiver to which the data symbols are to be transmitted, and,

applying the phase rotation factor to the encoded data symbols.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

puncturing the selected space-time coding matrix, wherein encoding comprises encoding the data symbols using the punctured selected space-time coding matrix.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a phase rotation factor comprises:

receiving feedback information from a receiver to which the data symbols are to be transmitted; and

calculating the phase rotation factor based on the feedback information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the feedback information comprises a code representing a phase angle for the phase rotation factor determined on the basis of communication channel gain factors.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the code has a length selected from the group consisting of:

1 bit, 2 bits, and 4 bits.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the encoded data symbols from a transmitter to a receiver;

receiving the encoded data symbols at the receiver;

decoding the received encoded data symbols;

determining feedback information at the receiver;

transmitting the feedback information to the transmitter;

receiving the feedback information at the transmitter; and

determining a phase rotation factor at the transmitter based on the received feedback information for use in encoding subsequent data symbols.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the encoded data symbols from a transmitter to a receiver;

receiving the encoded data symbols at the receiver;

decoding the received encoded data symbols;

determining the phase angle θ

of the phase rotation factor at the receiver; and

transmitting the phase angle θ

to the transmitter.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a communication signal comprising data symbols encoded using a space-time coding matrix selected from a plurality of space-time coding matrices having respective associated correlation matrices comprising a plurality of non-zero off-diagonal elements, the associated correlation matrix for the selected space-time coding matrix having a least number of non-zero off-diagonal elements;

decoding the encoded data symbols;

determining feedback information, wherein the feedback information comprises a phase angle for a phase rotation factor to be applied to the subsequent data symbols to reduce values of the off-diagonal elements of the correlation matrix associated with the selected space-time coding matrix; and

transmitting the feedback information to a transmitter of the communication signal for use in encoding subsequent data symbols.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the feedback information comprises a code representing the phase angle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining comprises:

determining communication channel gain factors; and

determining the phase angle based on the communication channel gain factors.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the feedback information comprises communication channel gain factors for use in calculating a phase rotation factor to be applied to the subsequent data symbols to reduce values of the off-diagonal elements of the correlation matrix.

12. A system comprising:

an input configured to receive data symbols; and

a processor configured to determine a plurality of space-time coding matrices, each having a respective associated correlation matrix comprising a plurality of non-zero off-diagonal elements, to select one of the plurality of space-time coding matrices for which the associated correlation matrix has a least number of non-zero off-diagonal elements, to encode the data symbols using the selected space-time coding matrix, to determine a phase rotation factor, wherein the phase rotation factor is determined to reduce values of the off-diagonal elements of the correlation matrix associated with the selected space-time coding matrix, and to apply the phase rotation factor to the encoded data symbols, wherein the input is further configured to receive feedback information from a receiver to which the data symbols are to be transmitted, and wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the phase rotation factor based on the feedback information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the feedback information comprises a code representing a phase angle for the phase rotation factor determined on the basis of communication channel gain factors.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor implements a phasor for converting the code to the phase rotation factor.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of multipliers for applying a scrambling code to respective ones of the encoded data symbols; and

a plurality of delay stages connected to at least one of the multipliers for delaying the encoded symbol and the scrambling code for the at least one of the multipliers.