Two-Stage Blind Detection of Differential Space-Time Block Coded Continuous Phase Modulation

We introduce a space-time (ST) continuous phase modulation (CPM) and its companion noncoherent receiver. Through careful selection of an underlying differential code, the defining characteristics of the CPM transmissions are effectively maintained. Using a set of interference suppressed statistics and taking advantage of the ST differential encoding, the receiver first performs low complexity block detection. Channel estimates are then obtained at a rate notably higher than the CPM symbol rate, enabling a second-stage coherent sequence detector to refine the initial decisions. Simulation results for two CPM formats, with two and four transmit antennas, validate the proposed ST-CPM scheme.