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 constrains on the implemented pseudo-random bit-wise odd-even information interleaving.(1)