Patent ID: 8401115
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A communication system for detecting symbols transmitted from a plurality of transmitting antennas and received at a plurality of receiving antennas using a plurality of candidates for each transmitting antenna, comprising: for an initial transmitting antenna in an ordering of the transmitting antennas, means for determining a distance value for each of a plurality of symbols in a constellation; means for sorting the distance values; means for selecting a limited number of candidates for the initial transmitting antenna from the symbols having smaller values of the distance values, the limited number being less than a total number of symbols in the constellation; for each first transmitting antenna succeeded by a second transmitting antenna in the ordering, the plurality of transmitting antennas including three or more transmitting antennas, respective means for selecting a respective candidate for the second transmitting antenna for each candidate selected for the first transmitting antenna, each respective candidate for the second transmitting antenna being selected from a respective plurality of pairings, each respective plurality of pairings including a corresponding pairing for each of the symbols in the constellation, each corresponding pairing including the candidate selected for the first transmitting antenna and the symbol in the constellation, wherein the means for selecting includes means for determining distance values for the pairings in the respective plurality of pairings, and independent of distance values of pairings in any other plurality of pairings select from the respective plurality of pairings the respective candidate for the second transmitting antenna that has a smallest value of the distance values of the pairings in the respective plurality of pairings; and means for selecting a last candidate that has a smaller value of the distance values among the candidates for a last transmitting antenna in the ordering, wherein the last candidate includes the symbols detected as transmitted by the transmitting antennas.