Space-time turbo coded modulation: analysis and code optimization over fading channels

Space-time turbo coded modulation (STTuCM) is analyzed in terms of the two-dimensional distance spectrum (DS), truncated union bound (UB) and iterative decoding convergence. Modified design criteria for space-time (ST) codes over quasi-static and fast fading channels were further introduced to capture the joint effects of error exponents and multiplicities in the code´s DS. The DS optimization produced new sets of constituent codes (CCs) for STTuCM resulting in a robust ST coding scheme with improved performance over both quasi-static and fast fading channels. Full transmit diversity was achieved with no constraints on the implemented pseudo-random bit-wise odd-even information interleaving.