Space-time coding - an introduction

Abstract

In addition to the well-known receive diversity techniques, diversity schemes applying several transmit and receive antennas have recentlybeen intorduced. These schemes handle the radio channel as Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) system. Space diversity reults from applying several antennas while time „diversity” is also intorduced due to the coding used. Hence the designation space-time coding is generally used for such methods that can result in considerable overall gain. Accordingly, several recent wireless standards include support for space-time coding. This paper is an intorduction to space-time coding. In addition, some applications are reviewed.