Generalized Space Shift Keying Modulation for MIMO Channels

A fundamental component of spatial modulation (SM), termed generalized space shift keying (GSSK), is presented. GSSK modulation inherently exploits fading in wireless communication to provide better performance over conventional amplitude/phase modulation (APM) techniques. In GSSK, only the antenna indices, and not the symbols themselves (as in the case of SM and APM), relay information. We exploit GSSK's degrees of freedom to achieve better performance, which is done by formulating its constellation in an optimal manner. To support our results, we also derive upper bounds on GSSK's bit error probability, where the source of GSSK's strength is made clear. Analytical and simulation results show performance gains (1.5-3 dB) over popular multiple antenna APM systems (including Bell Laboratories layered space time (BLAST) and maximum ratio combining (MRC) schemes), making GSSK an excellent candidate for future wireless applications.