OFDM-MIMO communication system using smart spatial symbol mapping and associated methods

A MIMO transmitter comprising:

• a multiplexer for dividing a serial bit information stream into a plurality of serial bit information substreams;
• and
• a plurality of transmitter chains coupled to said multiplexer, each transmitter chain for receiving a respective serial bit information substream and comprising
• a serial-to-parallel converter coupled to said multiplexer for converting the respective serial bit information substream to a parallel bit information substream,
• a signal mapper coupled to said serial-to-parallel converter for receiving as input a first group of bits from the parallel bit information substream, each signal mapper corresponding to a specific subcarrier,
• an antenna selector having a first input coupled to said serial-to-parallel converter for receiving a second group of bits from the parallel bit information substream, and a second input coupled to said signal mapper for receiving a channel symbol therefrom,
• a plurality of inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules coupled to a plurality of outputs from said antenna selector,
• a transmit antenna coupled to each IFFT module, and
• said antenna selector selecting one of said transmit antennas for transmitting the channel symbol for the corresponding subcarrier based upon the second group of bits from said serial-to-parallel converter.

A method for communicating between a transmitter and a receiver in a wireless communication system, the transmitter comprising a multiplexer and a plurality of transmitter chains coupled to the multiplexer, the method comprising:

• dividing a serial bit information stream into a plurality of serial bit information substreams using the multiplexer in the transmitter;
• and
• receiving a respective serial bit information substream at each transmitter chain in the transmitter, and performing the following
• converting the respective serial bit information substream to a parallel bit information substream using a serial-to-parallel converter coupled to the multiplexer,
• receiving as input at a signal mapper coupled to the serial-to-parallel converter a first group of bits from the parallel bit information substream, each signal mapper corresponding to a specific subcarrier,
• receiving at an antenna selector having a first input coupled to the serial-to-parallel converter as input a second group of bits from the parallel bit information substream as input, and receiving at a second input coupled to the signal mapper a channel symbol therefrom, and
• selecting via the antenna selector one of a plurality of transmit antennas coupled to a plurality of OFDM modulators which are connected to the antenna selector, the transmit antennas for transmitting the channel symbol for the corresponding subcarrier based upon the second group of bits from the serial-to-parallel converter.