Transmission and detection for space-time block coding and v-blast systems

This dissertation focuses on topics of data transmission and detection of space -time block codes (STBC). The STBCs can be divided into two main categories, namely, the orthogonal space-time block codes (OSTBC) and the quasi-orthogonal space-time codes (Q-OSTBC). The space-time block coded systems from transceiver design perspective for both narrow-band and frequency selective wireless environment are studied. The dissertation also processes and studies a fast iterative detection scheme for a high-rate space-time transmission system, the V-BLAST system. In Chapter 2, a new OSTBC scheme with full-rate and full-diversity, which can be used on QPSK transceiver systems with four transmit antennas and any number of receivers is studied. The newly proposed coding scheme is a non-linear coding. Compared with full-diversity QOSTBC, an obvious advantage of our proposed new OSTBC is that the coded signals transmitted through all four transmit antennas do not experience any constellation expansion. In Chapter 3, a new fast coherent detection algorithm is proposed to provide maximum likelihood (ML) detection for Q-OSTBC. The new detection scheme is also very useful to analysis the diversity property of Q-OSTBC and design full diversity Q-OSTBC codes. The complexity of the new proposed detection algorithm can be independent to the modulation order and is especially suitable for high data rate transmission. In Chapter 4, the space-time coding schemes in frequency selective channels are studied. Q-OSTC transmission and detection schemes are firstly extended for frequency selective wireless environment. A new block based quasi-orthogonal space-time block encoding and decoding (Q-OSTBC) scheme for a wireless system with four transmit antennas is proposed in frequency selective fading channels. The proposed MLSE detection scheme effectively combats channel dispersion and frequency selectivity due to multipath, yet still provides full diversity gain. However, since the computational complexity of MLSE detection increases exponentially with the maximum delay of the frequency selective channel, a fast sub-optimal detection scheme using MMSE equalizer is also proposed, especially for channels with large delays. The Chapter 5 focuses on the V-BLAST system, an important high-rate space-time data transmission scheme. A reduced complexity ML detection scheme for VBLAST systems, which uses a pre-decoder guided local exhaustive search is proposed and studied. A polygon searching algorithm and an ordered successive interference cancellation (O-SIC) sphere searching algorithm are major components of the proposed multi-step ML detectors. At reasonable high SNRs, our algorithms have low complexity comparable to that of O-SIC algorithm, while they provide significant performance improvement. Another new low complexity algorithm termed ordered group-wise interference cancellation (O-GIC) is also proposed for the detection of high dimensional V-BLAST systems. The O-GIC based detection scheme is a sub-optimal detection scheme, however, it outperforms the O-SIC

I/Q imbalance mitigation for space-time block coded communication systems

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) space-time block coded (STBC) wireless communication systems provide reliable data transmissions by exploiting the spatial diversity in fading channels. However, due to component imperfections, the in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) imbalance caused by the non-ideal matching between the relative amplitudes and phases of the I and Q branches always exists in the practical implementation of MIMO STBC communication systems. Such distortion results in a complex conjugate term of the intended signal in the time domain, hence a mirror-image term in the frequency domain, in the data structure. Consequently, I/Q imbalance increases the symbol error rate (SER) drastically in MIMO STBC or STBC MIMO orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication systems, where both the signal and its complex conjugate are utilized for the information transmission, hence should be mitigated effectively. In this dissertation, the impact of I/Q imbalance in MIMO STBC systems over flat fading channels, the impact of I/Q imbalance in STBC MIMO-OFDM systems and in time- reversal STBC (TR-STBC) systems over frequency-selective fading channels are studied systematically. With regard to the MIMO STBC and the STBC MIMO-OFDM systems with I/Q imbalance, orthogonal space-time block codes (OSTBCs), quasi-orthogonal STBCs (QOSTBCs) and rotated QOSTBCs (RQOSTBCs) are studied, respectively. By exploiting the special structure of the received signal, low-complexity solutions are provided to mitigate the distortion induced by I/Q imbalance successfully. In addition, to mitigate I/Q imbalance while at the same time to exploit the multipath diversity for STBC OFDM systems over frequency-selective fading channels, a new encoding/decoing scheme for the grouped linear constellation precoded (GLCP) OFDM systems with I/Q imbalance is studied. In Chapter 1, the objectives of the research are elaborated. In Chapter 2, the various I/Q imbalance models are introduced, and the model used in this dissertation is established. In Chapter 3, the performance degradation caused by I/Q imbalance of the transceivers in MIMO STBC wireless communication systems over flat fading channels and the solutions are studied. A 2 Tx Alamouti system, a 4 Tx quasi-orthogonal STBC (QOSTBC) system, and a 4 Tx rotated QOSTBC (RQOSTBC) system with I/Q imbalance are studied in detail. By exploiting the special structure of the received signal, low-complexity solutions are proposed to mitigate I/Q imbalance successfully. Since STBCs are developed for frequency-flat fading channels, to achieve the spatial diversity in frequency-selective fading channels, MIMO-OFDM arrangements have been suggested, where STBCs are used across different antennas in conjunction with OFDM. In Chapter 4, the performance degradation caused by I/Q imbalance in STBC MIMO-OFDM wireless systems over frequency-selective fading channels and the solutions are studied. Similarly, a 2 Tx Alamouti system, a 4 Tx quasi-orthogonal STBC (QOSTBC) system, and a 4 Tx rotated QOSTBC (RQOSTBC) system with I/Q imbalance are studied in detail, and low-complexity solutions are proposed to mitigate the distortion effectively. However, OFDM systems suffer from the loss of the multipath diversity by converting frequency-selective fading channels into parallel frequency-flat fading subchannels. To exploit the multipath diversity and reduce the decoding complexity, GLCP OFDM systems with I/Q imbalance are studied. By judiciously assigning the mirror-subcarrier pair into one group, a new encoding/decoding scheme with a low-complexity is proposed to mitigate I/Q imbalance for GLCP OFDM systems in Chapter 5. Since OFDM communication systems have high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) problem and are sensitive to carrier frequency offset (CFO), to achieve both the spatial and multipath diversity, time-reversal STBC (TR-STBC) communication systems are introduced. In Chapter 6, the I/Q imbalance mitigating solutions in TR-STBC systems, both in the time domain and in the frequency domain, are studied

Distributed Quasi-Orthogonal Space-Time coding in wireless cooperative relay networks

Cooperative diversity provides a new paradigm in robust wireless re- lay networks that leverages Space-Time (ST) processing techniques to combat the effects of fading. Distributing the encoding over multiple relays that potentially observe uncorrelated channels to a destination terminal has demonstrated promising results in extending range, data- rates and transmit power utilization. Specifically, Space Time Block Codes (STBCs) based on orthogonal designs have proven extremely popular at exploiting spatial diversity through simple distributed pro- cessing without channel knowledge at the relaying terminals. This thesis aims at extending further the extensive design and analysis in relay networks based on orthogonal designs in the context of Quasi- Orthogonal Space Time Block Codes (QOSTBCs). The characterization of Quasi-Orthogonal MIMO channels for cooper- ative networks is performed under Ergodic and Non-Ergodic channel conditions. Specific to cooperative diversity, the sub-channels are as- sumed to observe different shadowing conditions as opposed to the traditional co-located communication system. Under Ergodic chan- nel assumptions novel closed-form solutions for cooperative channel capacity under the constraint of distributed-QOSTBC processing are presented. This analysis is extended to yield closed-form approx- imate expressions and their utility is verified through simulations. The effective use of partial feedback to orthogonalize the QOSTBC is examined and significant gains under specific channel conditions are demonstrated. Distributed systems cooperating over the network introduce chal- lenges in synchronization. Without extensive network management it is difficult to synchronize all the nodes participating in the relaying between source and destination terminals. Based on QOSTBC tech- niques simple encoding strategies are introduced that provide compa- rable throughput to schemes under synchronous conditions with neg- ligible overhead in processing throughout the protocol. Both mutli- carrier and single-carrier schemes are developed to enable the flexi- bility to limit Peak-to-Average-Power-Ratio (PAPR) and reduce the Radio Frequency (RF) requirements of the relaying terminals. The insights gained in asynchronous design in flat-fading cooperative channels are then extended to broadband networks over frequency- selective channels where the novel application of QOSTBCs are used in distributed-Space-Time-Frequency (STF) coding. Specifically, cod- ing schemes are presented that extract both spatial and mutli-path diversity offered by the cooperative Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) channel. To provide maximum flexibility the proposed schemes are adapted to facilitate both Decode-and-Forward (DF) and Amplify- and-Forward (AF) relaying. In-depth Pairwise-Error-Probability (PEP) analysis provides distinct design specifications which tailor the distributed- STF code to maximize the diversity and coding gain offered under the DF and AF protocols. Numerical simulation are used extensively to confirm the validity of the proposed cooperative schemes. The analytical and numerical re- sults demonstrate the effective use of QOSTBC over orthogonal tech- niques in a wide range of channel conditions

Design of distributed space-time block codes for relay networks

The fading effect often faced in wireless communications can cause severe attenuation in signal strength. To solve this problem, diversity techniques (in terms of spatial/time/frequency) have been considered. For example, spatial diversity can be achieved by using multiple antennas at the transmitter or the receiver or both. One important architecture that can efficiently exploit the multiple antennas is the space-time block coding (STBC). The realization of STBC requires more than one antenna at the transmitter. Unfortunately, the use of multiple antennas is not practical in many wireless devices due to the size limitation. Recently, the “cooperative diversity”, also known as “user diversity”, enables single-antenna mobiles in a multi-user environment to share their antennas and generate a virtual multiple-antenna transmitter that allows them to achieve transmit diversity. To apply concept of the STBC schemes to the cooperative communications, Laneman et al. suggest the use of “conventional” orthogonal STBC in a “distributed” fashion for practical implementation of user cooperation. The pioneering works on distributed STBC (DSTBC) assume flat fading channels. This can be achieved by using multi-carrier techniques such as orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) to divide a whole spectrum into a set of narrower bands. Hence, the channel can be considered flat in each sub-band. However, for current wireless communications with single-carrier transmission, the frequency selective channels cannot be avoided. Thus, in this dissertation, I will consider the application of DSTBC to frequency selective fading channels. In the first part of my thesis, I present a new design of DSTBC to achieve full rate transmission and channel decoupling property as in conventional STBC by using zero-padding (ZP). Several receiver techniques in frequency domain are studied for the signal detection of the proposed DSTBC. The extension from ZP to unique-word (UW) will be proposed in the second part. Exploiting the properties of the UW, I will present in the third part of my thesis a method of channel estimation for relay networks

Blind adaptive equalizer for broadband MIMO time reversal STBC based on PDF fitting

In this paper, we propose a new blind adaptive technique used for the equalisation of space-time block coded (STBC) signals transmitted over a dispersive MIMO channel. The proposed approach is based on minimising the difference between the probability density function (PDF) of the equalizer output — estimated via the Parzen window method — and a desired PDF based on the source symbols. The cost function combines this PDF fitting with an orthogonality criterion derived from the STBC structure of the transmitted data in order to discourage the extraction of identical signals. This cost function motivates an effective and low-cost stochastic gradient descent algorithm for adapting the equaliser. The performance is demonstrated in a number of simulations and benchmarked against other blind schemes for the equalisation of STBC over broadband MIMO channels

Channel Estimation and Equalization for Cooperative Communication

The revolutionary concept of space-time coding introduced in the last decade has demonstrated that the deployment of multiple antennas at the transmitter allows for simultaneous increase in throughput and reliability because of the additional degrees of freedom offered by the spatial dimension of the wireless channel. However, the use of antenna arrays is not practical for deployment in some practical scenarios, e. g. , sensor networks, due to space and power limitations. A new form of realizing transmit diversity has been recently introduced under the name of user cooperation or cooperative diversity. The basic idea behind cooperative diversity rests on the observation that in a wireless environment, the signal transmitted by the source node is overheard by other nodes, which can be defined as "partners" or "relays". The source and its partners can jointly process and transmit their information, creating a "virtual antenna array" and therefore emulating transmit diversity. Most of the ongoing research efforts in cooperative diversity assume frequency flat channels with perfect channel knowledge. However, in practical scenarios, e. g. broadband wireless networks, these assumptions do not apply. Frequency-selective fading and imperfect channel knowledge should be considered as a more realistic channel model. The development of equalization and channel estimation algorithms play a crucial element in the design of digital receivers as their accuracy determine the overall performance. This dissertation creates a framework for designing and analyzing various time and frequency domain equalization schemes, i. e. distributed time reversal (D-TR) STBC, distributed single carrier frequency domain (D-SC-FDE) STBC, and distributed orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (D-OFDM) STBC schemes, for broadband cooperative communication systems. Exploiting the orthogonally embedded in D-STBCs, we were able to maintain low-decoding complexity for all underlying schemes, thus, making them excellent candidates for practical scenarios, such as multi-media broadband communication systems. Furthermore, we propose and analyze various non-coherent and channel estimation algorithms to improve the quality and reliability of wireless communication networks. Specifically, we derive a non-coherent decoding rule which can be implemented in practice by a Viterbi-type algorithm. We demonstrate through the derivation of a pairwise error probability expression that the proposed non-coherent detector guarantees full diversity. Although this decoding rule has been derived assuming quasi-static channels, its inherent channel tracking capability allows its deployment over time-varying channels with a promising performance as a sub-optimal solution. As a possible alternative to non-coherent detection, we also investigate the performance of mismatched-coherent receiver, i. e. , coherent detection with imperfect channel estimation. Our performance analysis demonstrates that the mismatched-coherent receiver is able to collect the full diversity as its non-coherent competitor over quasi-static channels. Finally, we investigate and analyze the effect of multiple antennas deployment at the cooperating terminals assuming different relaying techniques. We derive pairwise error probability expressions quantifying analytically the impact of multiple antenna deployment at the source, relay and/or destination terminals on the diversity order for each of the relaying methods under consideration

MIMO equalization.

Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.In recent years, space-time block co'des (STBC) for multi-antenna wireless systems have emerged as attractive encoding schemes for wireless communications. These codes provide full diversity gain and achieve good performance with simple receiver structures without the additional increase in bandwidth or power requirements. When implemented over broadband channels, STBCs can be combined with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or single carrier frequency domain (SC-FD) transmission schemes to achieve multi-path diversity and to decouple the broadband frequency selective channel into independent flat fading channels. This dissertation focuses on the SC-FD transmission schemes that exploit the STBC structure to provide computationally cost efficient receivers in terms of equalization and channel estimation. The main contributions in this dissertation are as follows: • The original SC-FD STBC receiver that bench marks STBC in a frequency selective channel is limited to coherent detection where the knowledge of the channel state information (CSI) is assumed at the receiver. We extend this receiver to a multiple access system. Through analysis and simulations we prove that the extended system does not incur any performance penalty. This key result implies that the SC-FD STBC scheme is suitable for multiple-user systems where higher data rates are possible. • The problem of channel estimation is considered in a time and frequency selective environment. The existing receiver is based on a recursive least squares (RLS) adaptive algorithm and provides joint equalization and interference suppression. We utilize a system with perfect channel state information (CSI) to show from simulations how various design parameters for the RLS algorithm can be selected in order to get near perfect CSI performance. • The RLS receiver has two modes of operation viz. training mode and direct decision mode. In training mode, a block of known symbols is used to make the initial estimate. To ensure convergence of the algorithm a re-training interval must be predefined. This results in an increase in the system overhead. A linear predictor that utilizes the knowled~e of the autocorrelation function for a Rayleigh fading channel is developed. The predictor is combined with. the adaptive receiver to provide a bandwidth efficient receiver by decreasing the training block size.· The simulation results show that the performance penalty for the new system is negligible. • Finally, a new Q-R based receiver is developed to provide a more robust solution to the RLS adaptive receiver. The simulation results clearly show that the new receiver outperforms the RLS based receiver at higher Doppler frequencies, where rapid channel variations result in numerical instability of the RLS algorithm. The linear predictor is also added to the new receiver which results in a more robust and bandwidth efficient receiver

Spatial diversity in MIMO communication systems with distributed or co-located antennas

The use of multiple antennas in wireless communication systems has gained much attention during the last decade. It was shown that such multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems offer huge advantages over single-antenna systems. Typically, quite restrictive assumptions are made concerning the spacing of the individual antenna elements. On the one hand, it is typically assumed that the antenna elements at transmitter and receiver are co-located, i.e., they belong to some sort of antenna array. On the other hand, it is often assumed that the antenna spacings are sufficiently large, so as to justify the assumption of independent fading. In this thesis, the above assumptions are relaxed. In the first part, it is shown that MIMO systems with distributed antennas and MIMO systems with co-located antennas can be treated in a single, unifying framework. In the second part this fact is utilized, in order to develop appropriate transmit power allocation strategies for co-located and distributed MIMO systems. Finally, the third part focuses on specific synchronization problems that are of interest for distributed MIMO systems

Distributed space–time cooperative schemes for underwater acoustic communications

Author Posting. © IEEE, 2008. This article is posted here by permission of IEEE for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering 33 (2008): 489-50, doi:10.1109/JOE.2008.2005338.In resource limited, large scale underwater sensor networks, cooperative communication over multiple hops offers opportunities to save power. Intermediate nodes between source and destination act as cooperative relays. Herein, protocols coupled with space-time block code (STBC) strategies are proposed and analyzed for distributed cooperative communication. Amplify-and-forward-type protocols are considered, in which intermediate relays do not attempt to decode the information. The Alamouti-based cooperative scheme proposed by Hua (2003) for flat-fading channels is generalized to work in the presence of multipath, thus addressing a main characteristic of underwater acoustic channels. A time-reversal distributed space-time block code (TR-DSTBC) is proposed, which extends the dual-antenna TR-STBC (time-reversal space-time block code) approach from Lindskog and Paulraj (2000) to a cooperative communication scenario for signaling in multipath. It is first shown that, just as in the dual-antenna STBC case, TR along with the orthogonality of the DSTBC essentially allows for decoupling of the vector intersymbol interference (ISI) detection problem into separate scalar problems, and thus yields strong performance (compared with single-hop communication) and with substantially reduced complexity over nonorthogonal schemes. Furthermore, a performance analysis of the proposed scheme is carried out to provide insight on the performance gains, which are further confirmed via numerical results based on computer simulations and field data experiments