Distributed Linear Convolutive Space-Time Codes for Asynchronous Cooperative Communication Networks

In user cooperative communications, time offsets among the relay nodes may distort the structure of a distributed space-time code, and therefore impair the diversity gain. In this paper, a distributed linear convolutive space-time coding scheme is proposed for asynchronous scenario. We present a systematic construction method of distributed linear convolutive space-time codes that can achieve the full diversity under any delay profile. Furthermore, we show that with the MMSE decision feedback equalizer (MMSE-DFE) receiver, our proposed codes also achieve the full diversity, even when time offsets occur.