Method and system for implementing a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) decoder scheme

1. A method comprising:

receiving “N” data streams from “N” endpoints, each data stream received from a different respective endpoint, wherein “N” is a number greater than one;

decoding the “N” data streams, wherein decoding the “N” data streams comprises:

generating a decoding signal input comprising the “N” data streams;

iteratively repeating the following steps “N”−1 times:

determining a most reliable data stream;

decoding the most reliable data stream using linear multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) decoding;

outputting the decoded most reliable data stream;

estimating a data stream estimate based on the most reliable data stream and modulation information associated with the most reliable data stream;

generating a residual signal that comprises the remaining data streams less the data stream estimate; and

upon the residual signal comprising two data streams, updating the decoding signal input to be the residual signal; and

upon the residual signal comprising a single received data stream, decoding the residual signal using a maximum likelihood decoder.

2. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of data streams from an equal numbered plurality of endpoints;

decoding the plurality of data streams in an equal numbered plurality of stages, wherein at least a first stage uses linear multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) decoding and at least a last stage uses maximum likelihood decoding; and

generating a residual signal during each stage of decoding except for a final stage, the residual signal comprising a subset of data streams less than the plurality of data streams, wherein:

for the first stage, generating the residual signal comprises removing the stream decoded during the first stage from the plurality of data streams; and

for each subsequent stage except for the last stage, generating the residual signal comprises removing the stream decoded during the respective stage from the plurality of data streams of a previous residual signal generated during an immediately preceding stage.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining a most reliable stream to be the decoded stream.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a reliability of a stream is determined using a power level associated with each of the data streams or a modulation and coding scheme value associated with each of the data streams.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the linear MIMO decoding comprises Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) decoding.

6. A system comprising:

an interface configured to receive a plurality of data streams from an equal numbered plurality of endpoints; and

a processor coupled to the interface, the processor configured to decode the plurality of data streams in an equal numbered plurality of stages, wherein at least a first stage uses linear multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) decoding and at least a last stage uses maximum likelihood decoding;

the processor further configured to generate a residual signal during each stage of decoding except for a final stage, the residual signal comprising a subset of data streams less than the plurality of data streams, wherein:

for the first stage, generating the residual signal comprises removing the stream decoded during the first stage from the plurality of data streams; and

for each subsequent stage except for the last stage, generating the residual signal comprises removing the stream decoded during the respective stage from the plurality of data streams of a previous residual signal generated during an immediately preceding stage.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a most reliable stream to be the decoded stream.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a reliability of a stream using a power level associated with each of the data streams or a modulation and coding scheme value associated with each of the data streams.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the linear MIMO decoding comprises Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) decoding.

10. Logic stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium that when executed by a processor is configured to:

receive a plurality of data streams from an equal numbered plurality of endpoints;

decode the plurality of data streams in an equal numbered plurality of stages, wherein at least a first stage uses linear multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) decoding and at least a last stage uses maximum likelihood decoding; and

generate a residual signal during each stage of decoding except for a final stage, the residual signal comprising a subset of data streams less than the plurality of data streams, wherein:

for the first stage, generating the residual signal comprises removing the stream decoded during the first stage from the plurality of data streams; and

for each subsequent stage except for the last stage, generating the residual signal comprises removing the stream decoded during the respective stage from the plurality of data streams of a previous residual signal generated during an immediately preceding stage.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the logic is further configured to determine a most reliable stream to be the decoded stream.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the logic is further configured to determine a reliability of a stream using a power level associated with each of the data streams or a modulation and coding scheme value associated with each of the data streams.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the linear MIMO decoding comprises Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) decoding.