Reduced-complexity near-capacity downlink iteratively decoded generalized multi-layer space-time coding using irregular convolutional codes

This paper presents a low complexity iteratively detected space-time transmission architecture based on Generalized Multi-Layer Space-Time (GMLST) codes and Irregular Convolutional Codes (IRCCs). The GMLST combines the benefits of the Vertical Bell-Labs LAyered Space-Time (VBLAST) scheme and Space-Time Coding (STC). The GMLST is serially concatenated with a Unity-Rate Code (URC) and an IRCC which are used to facilitate near-capacity operation with the aid of an EXtrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) chart based design. Reduced-complexity iterative multistage Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) is employed in the GMLST decoder, instead of the significantly more complex Maximum Likelihood (ML) detection. For the sake of approaching the maximum attainable rate, iterative decoding is invoked to achieve decoding convergence by exchanging extrinsic information across the three serial component decoders. Finally, it is shown that the SIC-based iteratively detected IRCC-URC-GMLST system is capable of providing a feasible trade-off between the affordable computational complexity and the achievable system throughput.