A new automatic repeat request protocol based on Alamouti space-time block code over Rayleigh fading channels.

Abstract

Spatial and multiplexing diversity of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) schemes improves link reliability and data rates of wireless networks. MIMO-based space-time block codes (STBCs) improve wireless network reliability by using different copies of the receiver’s original data. Recently automatic repeat request (ARQ) technique was introduced for MIMO schemes to enhance the system's link reliability. ARQ improves the link reliability by using acknowledgments and timeouts to ensure efficient transmission of data over an insecure system. In this dissertation, we propose a new ARQ protocol based on Alamouti space-time block code (STBC) over Rayleigh fading channels. The proposed system transmits data by employing two transmit antennas ( ) and four receive antennas , and it is developed by applying the recent technique called uncoded space-time labeling diversity (USTLD). The main idea behind the proposed technique is to use two distinct mappers to improve the error performance of the system. The theoretical expression of the proposed technique is derived employing the union bound approach, and the theoretical analysis is validated with the simulation results. Furthermore, the results revealed that there is a symbol error probability (SEP) performance improvement of 4 dB for 16-QAM and 4.90 dB for 64-QAM when one mapper is employed as compared to the Alamouti system at a SEP of . The results also revealed that when the proposed system uses two mappers, there is a SEP performance improvement of 7.98 dB for 16-QAM and 9.8 dB for 64-QAM compared to the Alamouti system at a SEP of .