Concatenated space-time coding with optimal trade-off between diversity and coding gains

We propose a flexible method for designing space-time block codes capable of achieving the desired trade-off between diversity and coding gain. The proposed system is valid for frequency selective, block fading channels and refers to a block coding scheme capable of achieving full rate transmission, for any number of transmit antennas. We derive a closed form expression for the pairwise error probability and the maximum diversity and coding gain. These expressions are instrumental in designing a coding strategy able to yield the required trade-off between coding and diversity gain, in order to reach the desired average BER with the smallest SNR. Finally, we check our theoretical derivations with simulations and compare our approach with alternative ones.