This paper focuses on the problem of efficient packet combining techniques for coded systems with hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocols operating over the frequency selective fading multiple input multiple output (MIMO) channel. We introduce a receiver scheme where space-time soft equalization is integrated into the packet combiner. This allows to create at each transmission an additional set of virtual receive antennas, thereby increasing the diversity order of the system. We also propose a second packet combining scheme where equalization is performed separately for each transmission. Iterative channel estimation is also investigated, and a training scheme where the pilot symbols are not retransmitted is introduced. Block error rate (BLER) performance is investigated via computer simulations for both perfect and imprecise channel state information (CSI) at the receiver side for demonstrating the potential of integrated soft equalization-based packet combining for transmission over multipath MIMO channels.
I. INTRODUCTIONHybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocols and multiple input multiple output (MIMO) space-time multiplexing oriented architectures are two major techniques for the evolution of wireless high speed packet access networks [1]. While MIMO multiplexing techniques allow to increase the spectrum efficiency through the transmission of different parallel substreams over multiple antennas [2], hybrid ARQ protocols perform packet combining of different packet transmissions to increase the system throughput. In the literature, several packet combining strategies have been proposed. In [3], Chase has developed a maximum likelihood (ML)-based technique for combining multiple coded packets. In [4], the authors have introduced different diversity-based combining schemes for hybrid ARQ systems.Recently, particular attention has been paid to the design of packet combining algorithms for MIMO systems. In general, multi-antenna transmission techniques provide multiplexing and diversity gains. If a ARQ protocol is employed at the upper layer, retransmission of the same data packet increases the diversity gain, especially if the MIMO channel changes from one transmission to another. In addition, the presence of intersymbol interference (ISI) caused by frequency selective fading translates into additional diversity branches if an efficient equalization scheme is employed. Therefore, the maximum achievable diversity order of a multi-antenna transmission link with ARQ over a time varying MIMO-ISI fading channel is kLN R , where k, L, and N R are the numbers of transmissions, MIMO paths, and receive antennas, respectively. Symbol-level combining techniques based on