Mimo symbol decoder and method for decoding spatially multiplexed symbols using combined linear equalization and maximum likelihood decoding

A method for decoding symbols concurrently received through more than one spatial channel in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) receiver, the method comprising:

• decoding a first group of symbols using a linear equalization decoding technique;
• and
• decoding a second group of symbols using a maximum likelihood decoding (MLD) technique to generate a soft-bit output.

A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) receiver comprising:

• fast Fourier transform circuitry to generate symbols from orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signals concurrently received through two or more spatial channels;
• and
• a MIMO symbol decoder to decode a first group of symbols received through the spatial channels using a linear equalization decoding technique and to decode a second group of the symbols received through the spatial channels using a maximum likelihood decoding (MLD) technique to generate a soft-bit output.