Space-time block coding systems and methods

A method in a receiver, the method comprising:

• through a plurality of antennas, receiving a communication signal comprising data symbols encoded using a space-time coding matrix selected from a plurality of space-time coding matrices, the plurality of space-time coding matrices each having a respective associated correlation matrix comprising a plurality of non-zero off-diagonal elements, the associated correlation matrix for the selected space-time coding matrix having a least number of non-zero off-diagonal elements;
• and
• decoding the encoded data symbols.

A system comprising:

• an input configured to receive data symbols;
• and
• a processor configured to determine a plurality of space-time coding matrices, each having a respective associated correlation matrix comprising a plurality of non-zero off-diagonal elements, to select one of the plurality of space-time coding matrices for which the associated correlation matrix has a least number of non-zero off-diagonal elements, and to encode the data symbols using the selected space-time coding matrix.

A method in a transmitter, the method comprising:

• the transmitter obtaining a space-time coding matrix;
• and
• the transmitter encoding data symbols using the space-time coding matrix, the space-time coding matrix having been selected from a plurality of space-time coding matrices, the plurality of space-time coding matrices each having a respective associated correlation matrix comprising a plurality of non-zero off-diagonal elements, the associated correlation matrix for the selected space-time coding matrix having a least number of non-zero off-diagonal elements.