A new ordered decision feedback equalization algorithm for spatial multiplexing systems in MIMO channel

In rich scattering environments, multiple antenna systems designed to accomplish spatial multiplexing have enormous potential of lifting the capacity of corresponding multiple input multiple output channels. In this paper, we present a new low complexity algorithm for decision feedback equalization detector in the SM scheme. The basic idea is to reduce the joint optimization problem to separate optimization problems to achieve better performance-complexity tradeoffs. Concretely, we separately optimize the detection order and the detector filters so that the complexity of the entire signal detection task is reduced. The new order search rule approximates the optimal Bell Labs layered space time (BLAST) approach from a geometrical perspective, and the detector filters are derived using a Cholesky based QR decomposition. The new algorithm is able to switch from zero forcing to minimum mean square error without additional operations and the computational effort is a small fraction of that in the optimal BLAST algorithm. Despite its low complexity, the error performance of new detector closely approximates that of the standard BLAST.