Generalized unified construction of space-time codes with optimal rate-diversity tradeoff

In this paper, a systematic method for constructing space-time block codes that are optimal in terms of achieving the rate-diversity tradeoff over a large variety of signal constellations whose sizes are power of a prime p is presented. The resulting signal constellation includes the p/sup K/-ary PAM, QAM, and PSK signallings as special cases. The construction is a generalization of the unified construction proposed by the authors earlier. It consists of a generalized unified mapper and a class of maximal, rank-d, p-codes over F/sub p/. The generalized unified construction can also be applied to build optimal space-time block and trellis codes.