Multilevel-coded QAM with MIMO turbo-equalization in broadband single-carrier signaling

A new scheme employing multilevel coded bit-interleaved transmission allowing for efficient turbo-equalization is proposed for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) broadband single-carrier signaling. The proposed scheme is based on block-partitioned hierarchical constellations and offers robustness in data throughput efficiency against varying spatio-temporal characteristics of fading channels. The proposed scheme is compared to a standard bit-interleaved-coded-modulation (BICM) system in frequency-selective channels, and found to offer better overall throughput. It is also shown that level-wise retransmission control with the proposed multilevel single-carrier signaling scheme can offer further throughput improvement. Channel measurement-based simulations are used to evaluate performances of both schemes in real fields. Channel parameter analysis using a superresolution technique is performed to clarify the underlying reasons for the performance characteristics of the systems.