Concatenated space-time coding

A serially concatenated space-time encoder is proposed that can utilize the high capacities available for large-dimensional multiple-transmitter, multiple-receiver wireless systems under fading conditions. For sufficiently long block lengths, it satisfies the code state complexity lower bounds and the rank criterion required for maximal diversity. A 3-stage iterative decoding structure, treating the modulator and channel stages as an additional encoder in serial concatenation, is presented. Its decoding complexity is non-exponential in the number of antennas or the transmission bit rate and it also provides a performance gain compared to the traditional, 2-stage exponential-complexity decoding.