Method for transmitting a sequence of symbols for exploiting transmit diversity

A method for transmitting data through at least a channel in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• encoding the data by performing a forward-error-correction encoding,
• forming a sequence of independent symbols from the encoded data,
• forming an M-by-T coding matrix from said sequence of independent symbols, said coding matrix comprising only the symbols of said sequence of independent symbols and zeros, each column of the coding matrix comprising N different symbols of the sequence of symbols and M−N zeros, N being an integer equal at least to one, T being an integer equal at least to two and representing the number of consecutive transmission intervals, M being an integer greater than N and representing the total number of transmit antennas, at least two columns of said coding matrix having zeros at different locations, and
• using the coding matrix for transmitting the sequence of independent symbols during the T consecutive transmission intervals, by transmitting one different column of the coding matrix at each transmission interval through N transmit antennas over the M transmit antennas;
• wherein the coding matrix comprises rotated symbols with swapped in-phase and quadrature components over time and spatial dimensions;
• and
• wherein the coding matrix is defined as:
• X
• ⁢
• ⁢
• 3
• =
• [
• s
• ~
• 0
• 0
• s
• ~
• 1
• s
• ~
• 2
• 0
• s
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• 3
• ]
• ,
• {tilde over (s)}k being defined as {tilde over (s)}k=Re{skejθ}+jIm{slejθ}, for k=0 to 3, l=k+2 modulo 4.

A device for transmitting an input signal through at least a channel in a wireless communication system, the device comprising:

• a forward-error correction encoder for encoding the input signal,
• a plurality of transmit antennas, and
• a mapping module configured to:
• encode data by performing a forward-error-correction encoding,
• form a sequence of independent symbols from the encoded data,
• form an M-by-T coding matrix from said sequence of independent symbols, said coding matrix comprising only the symbols of said sequence of independent symbols and zeros, each column of the coding matrix comprising N different symbols of the sequence of symbols and M−N zeros, N being an integer equal at least to one, T being an integer equal at least to two and representing the number of consecutive transmission intervals, M being an integer greater than N and representing the total number of transmit antennas, at least two columns of said coding matrix having zeros at different locations, and
• use the coding matrix for transmitting the sequence of independent symbols during the T consecutive transmission intervals, by transmitting one different column of the coding matrix at each transmission interval through N transmit antennas over the M transmit antennas.