UC Santa Cruz

Space-time convolutional code (STCC) is a technique that combines transmit diversity and coding to improve reliability in wireless fading channels. In this proposal, we demonstrate a sys- tematic design of multi-level quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) STCCs utilizing quadra- ture phase shift keying (QPSK) STCC as component codes for any number of transmit antennas. Morever, a low complexity decoding algorithm is introduced, where the decoding complexity in- creases linearly by the number of transmit antennas. The approach is based on utilizing a group interference cancellation technique also known as combined array processing (CAP) technique.

Finally, our research topic will explore:

* with the current approach, a scalable STTC with better performance as compared to space- time block code (STBC) combined with multiple trellis coded modulation (MTCM) also known as STBC-MTCM;

* the design of low complexity decoder for STTC;

* the combination of our approach with multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM).