Orthogonal Space-Time Block Code Optimization using Varied Input Constellations

This paper addresses the improved performance of linear orthogonal space-time block codes (OSTBC) for three and four antennas at two specific data rates. Considerable performance improvement is achieved through the application of different size constellations for the linear OSTBC to obtain data rates of 2 bits/s/Hz and 4 bits/s/Hz with the sporadic OSTBC designs of code rate 3/4 rather than the code rate 1/2 designs typically utilised to obtain these spectral efficiencies.