Decoding the Golden Code: a VLSI design

TL;DR

This paper presents a VLSI decoder architecture for the Golden code in 2x2 MIMO systems, based on a modified sphere decoding algorithm that offers high ML performance and adaptability to various modulation schemes.

Contribution

It introduces a flexible VLSI decoder design for the Golden code using a rearranged sphere decoding algorithm, enabling adaptive modulation support.

Findings

Achieves maximum-likelihood decoding performance.

Supports various QAM modulation sizes.

Offers inherent flexibility for adaptive modulation schemes.

Abstract

The recently proposed Golden code is an optimal space-time block code for 2 X 2 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. The aim of this work is the design of a VLSI decoder for a MIMO system coded with the Golden code. The architecture is based on a rearrangement of the sphere decoding algorithm that achieves maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding performance. Compared to other approaces, the proposed solution exhibits an inherent flexibility in terms of modulation schemes QAM modulation size and this makes our architecture particularly suitable for adaptive modulation schemes.