Performance analysis of space-time trellis coded modulations in quasi-static Rayleigh fading channels

We analyze the performance of space-time codes. In particular, we derive an upper bound of the frame error probabilities for space-time trellis coded modulations over quasi-static Rayleigh fading channels. Two techniques, modified bounding and limiting before averaging, are used to derive the new bound. The newly derived upper bound is very accurate, needs only the distance spectrum of the space-time code, and can be computed through single numerical integration. Numerical results show that the new upper bound is much tighter than other existing bounds, especially in the case of one receive antenna.