A subspace blind channel estimation method for OFDM systems without cyclic prefix

We propose a subspace based blind channel estimation method for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems over a time-dispersive channel. Our approach is motivated by the resemblance of the multichannel signal model resulting from oversampling (or use of multiple receive sensors) of the received OFDM signal to that in conventional single carrier system. The proposed algorithm distinguishes itself from many previously reported channel estimation methods by the elimination of the cyclic prefix, thereby leading to higher channel utilization. Comparison of the proposed method with other two reported subspace channel estimation methods is presented by computer simulations to support its effectiveness.     

MIMO-OFDM系统中的信道盲估计技术

MIMO-OFDM能极大提高系统的容量,同时能克服频率选择信道对于信号的影响.文中讨论了MIMO-OFDM信道估计中能解决带宽有效利用率的信道盲估计技术.在虚载波可用的情况下,信道盲估计可以不用循环前缀来提高信道利用率,避免由于插入导频符号而带来的资源浪费.通过对一个二传送、三接收天线系统的仿真结果表明,文中提出的噪声子空间方法,能有效地减少信道估计错误,使系统容量达到更高信道利用率.     

Subspace-based blind and semi-blind channel estimation for OFDMsystems

This paper proposes a new blind channel estimation method for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. The algorithm makes use of the redundancy introduced by the cyclic prefix to identify the channel based on a subspace approach. Thus, the proposed method does not require any modification of the transmitter and applies to most existing OFDM systems. Semi-blind procedures taking advantage of training data are also proposed. These can be training symbols or pilot tones, the latter being used for solving the intrinsic indetermination of blind channel estimation. Identifiability results are provided, showing that in the (theoretical) situation where channel zeros are located on subcarriers, the algorithm does not ensure uniqueness of the channel estimation, unless the full noise subspace is considered. Simulations comparing the proposed method with a decision-directed channel estimator finally illustrates the performance of the proposed algorithm     

循环前缀块传输系统中的一种MIMO盲信道估计算法

信道估计一直是无线通信领域的研究热点之一,信道参数估计的好坏对系统的整体性能有着至关重要的影响。针对采用循环前缀的多输入多输出(MIMO-CP)系统,本文提出了一种基于子空间的盲信道估计方法,该算法利用了循环前缀所引起的冗余信息。基于子空间的盲信道估计算法都是通过对接收块的自相关矩阵进行奇异值分解(SVD)来实现信道估计的,因此需要利用尽可能多的接收块来得到准确的自相关矩阵的估计值,这就意味着会产生过久的判决延迟以及不能准确对快变信道进行跟踪。利用MIMO-CP系统中系统矩阵特有的块循环特性,对于连续的两个接收数据块以及对应的循环前缀部分组成的向量,可以重新构造一组新的向量而不改变系统的信道矩阵,因此可以通过较少的接收块来得到准确的自相关矩阵的估计值,该方法十分适用于对快变信道的盲估计。文章通过仿真分析了在不同的重复系数以及不同的接收块下该算法的性能并且比较了该算法与现有的“预编码”、“虚拟子载波”等盲信道估计算法的性能。仿真结果表明,提出的算法利用较少的数据块个数就得到了一个可靠的信道估计值和很好的误码率性能。      

Blind Frequency Synchronization in OFDM via Diagonality Criterion

In this paper, we address the problem of blind carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems in the case of frequency-selective channels. CFO destroys the orthogonality between the carriers leading to nondiagonal signal covariance matrices in frequency domain. The proposed blind method enforces a diagonal structure by minimizing the power of nondiagonal elements. Hence, the orthogonality property inherent to OFDM transmission with cyclic prefix is restored. The method is blind since it does not require a priori knowledge of the transmitted data or the channel, and does not need any virtual subcarriers. A closed-form solution is derived, which leads to accurate and computationally efficient CFO estimation in multipath fading environments. Consistency of the estimator is proved and the convergence rate as a function of the sample size is analyzed as well. To assess the large sample performance, we derive the CramÉr–Rao bound (CRB) for the blind CFO estimation problem. The CRB is derived assuming a general Gaussian model for the OFDM signal, which may be applied to both circular and noncircular modulations. Finally, simulation results on CFO estimation are reported using a realistic channel model.     

OFDM系统信道盲估计的一种新算法

利用循环前缀（CP）引入的信息冗余，在利用接受信号的二阶统计特性实现正交频分复用（OFDM）系统信道盲估计的子空间算法基础上，采用矩阵变换的方法，改善信息序列的非周期相关函数，推导出信道估计的新算法。     

Exploiting input cyclostationarity for blind channel identificationin OFDM systems

Transmitter-induced cyclostationarity has been explored previously as an alternative to fractional sampling and antenna array methods for blind identification of FIR communication channels. An interesting application of these ideas is in OFDM systems, which induce cyclostationarity due to the cyclic prefix. We develop a novel subspace approach for blind channel identification using cyclic correlations at the OFDM receiver. Even channels with equispaced unit circle zeros are identifiable in the presence of any nonzero length cyclic prefix with adequate block length. Simulations of the proposed channel estimator along with its performance in OFDM systems combined with impulse response shortening and Reed-Solomon coding are presented     

Robust subspace blind channel estimation for cyclic prefixed MIMO ODFM systems: algorithm, identifiability and performance analysis

A novel subspace (SS) based blind channel estimation method for multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems is proposed in this work. With an appropriate re-modulation on the received signal blocks, the SS method can be effectively applied to the cyclic prefix (CP) based MIMO-OFDM system when the number of the receive antennas is no less than the number of transmit antennas. These features show great compatibility with the coming fourth generation (4G) wireless communication standards as well as most existing single-input single-output (SISO) OFDM standards, thus allow the proposed algorithm to be conveniently integrated into practical applications. Compared with the traditional SS method, the proposed algorithm exhibits many advantages such as robustness to channel order over-estimation, capability of guaranteeing the channel identifiability etc. Analytical expressions for the mean-square error (MSE) and the approximated Cramer-Rao bound (ACRB) of the proposed algorithm are derived in closed forms. Various numerical examples are conducted to corroborate the proposed studies.     

一种循环前缀为PN序列的OFDM信道估计算法

与传统的正交频分复用（OFDM）频域信道估计方法不同，提出了一种循环前缀为PN序列的OFDM信道估计方法：在时域OFDM符号中不插入传统意义上的循环前缀，而是插入PN序列作为训练序列，将PN序列与对应的接收序列作圆周相关处理获得信道频率响应估计；而由于PN序列周期性出现，它也起到了循环前缀的作用。仿真结果表明：在多径瑞利衰落信道中，在相同信噪比和相同信道利用率的条件下，提出的算法比频域梳状导频插入的时域滤波算法具有更高的信道估计精度。     

一种有效的OFDM载波频率偏移的盲估计

导出了具有循环前缀（CP）和虚子载波的正交频分复用（OFDM）通信系统信号的薮学模型。提出了基于PM—ESPRIT算法的0FDM系统载波频率偏移（CFO）偏移不变性的估计算法。经过粗略估计,该算法可以同时获得频率偏移和包含信道信息的矩阵,它们均有利于接收信号的偏移补偿和解调。仿真结果说明了该方法是有效的。     

Scattered Pilots and Virtual Carriers Based Frequency Offset Tracking for OFDM Systems: Algorithms, Identifiability, and Performance Analysis

In this paper, we propose a novel carrier frequency offset (CFO) tracking algorithm for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems by exploiting scattered pilot carriers and virtual carriers embedded in the existing OFDM standards. Assuming that the channel remains constant during two consecutive OFDM blocks and perfect timing, a CFO tracking algorithm is proposed using the limited number of pilot carriers in each OFDM block. Identifiability of this pilot based algorithm is fully discussed under the noise free environment, and a constellation rotation strategy is proposed to eliminate the c-ambiguity for arbitrary constellations. A weighted algorithm is then proposed by considering both scattered pilots and virtual carriers. We find that, the pilots increase the performance accuracy of the algorithm, while the virtual carriers reduce the chance of CFO outlier. Therefore, the proposed tracking algorithm is able to achieve full range CFO estimation, can be used before channel estimation, and could provide improved performance compared to existing algorithms. The asymptotic mean square error (MSE) of the proposed algorithm is derived and simulation results agree with the theoretical analysis.     

MIMO—OFDM系统基于子空间的盲信道估计技术

MIMO-OFDM系统能在宽带无线信道中达到很高的速率。文章建立了MIMO-OFDM信道识别的条件并实现了基于子空间方法的盲信道估计技术。该方法将现存的在SISO-OFDM系统中的基于子空间的盲信道估计进行统一，并且推广到MIMO-OFDM系统中。特别是该方法可以获得信道的精确估计，且能快速收敛。仿真实验的结果显示了该方法的均方误差性能。     

一种基于循环前缀的OFDM时频同步新算法

OFDM符号是由多个子载波信号叠加而成,为确保各子载波之间的正交性,就对载波间的同步有很严格的要求,否则将造成信道间干扰和符号间干扰,严重影响OFDM系统的性能。提出一种新的基于循环前缀的OFDM时频同步算法,通过仿真,将新算法和传统的ML算法及集相关算法相比较。仿真结果表明,新算法定时捕获更快,且能更准确地确定无IBI干扰的循环前缀采样部分,具有更好的频偏和定时估计性能。     

Fast blind channel estimation for space–time block coded MIMO–OFDM systems

Fast blind subspace channel estimation using circular property of the channel matrix is investigated for space–time block coded (STBC) multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO–OFDM) systems in this paper. The noise subspace computed from the correlation matrix of received signals requires a large number of symbols to converge in the subspace channel estimation. Using the circular property of the channel matrix, we propose both the cyclic repetition method (CRM) and the forward–backward method (FBM) to generate N times of equivalent signals for each STBC–OFDM symbol, respectively, where N is the size of FFT operation. With these equivalent symbols, the proposed CRM, FBM and CRM–FBM (CFBM) channel estimations can perform very well within a few OFDM symbols. The CRM, FBM and CFBM schemes are applicable to the CP-OFDM, ZP-OFDM and VC-OFDM systems, respectively. The identifiability of the subspace channel estimation is investigated that the channel matrix is determined up to two ambiguity matrices. Computer simulations demonstrate that the CRM-based, FBM-based and CFBM-based channel estimations have better performances than the conventional ones.     

无CP的OFDM联合信道估计和干扰抵消

无循环前缀OFDM无线通信系统可以提高频谱利用效率。提出一种基于无循环前缀(CP)OFDM系统的联合信道估计和干扰抵消算法。采用最小二乘法(Least Square)估计信道时域矢量,通过离散傅里叶变换(DFT)得到相应的OFDM信道的频域特性,由迭代算法对信号进行联合检测和干扰抵消。仿真结果表明,信道估计结果能够达到较高的精度,误码率也接近有循环前缀的OFDM无线通信系统。     

Blind Channel Identification for Cyclic-Prefixed MIMO-OFDM Systems with Virtual Carriers

This paper applies the repetition index scheme(RIS)to the channel identification of cyclic prefixed(CP)multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(MIMO-OFDM)systems with virtual carriers(VCs)in the environment of the number of receive antennas being no less than that of transmit antennas.The VCs will cause a rank deficiency problem in computing the subspace information.With the subcarrier mapping matrix,the received signal is simplified to remove the rank deficiency.We use the RIS scheme to generate many times of equivalent symbols so the channel identification can converge with few received OFDM blocks.The RIS scheme will convert the white noise into non-white noise.With the Cholesky factorization,a noise whitening technique is developed to turn the non-white noise back to white noise.We further analyze the necessary conditions of identifiability of channel estimation.Simulations are performed to show the superiority of the proposed method.     

Modulated Coded OFDM Systems with Special Precoder

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) has been considered as a strong candidate for next-generation wireless communication systems to achieve high rate data transmission in a mobile environment. However, the performance of OFDM systems may be degraded when inter-symbol interference (ISI) channels have spectral nulls, and the data rate overhead due to the insertion of cyclic prefix is high when ISI channels have many taps. Recently, the precoded OFDM systems and vector OFDM (VOFDM) systems were proposed to combat these two problems, respectively. We propose a novel modulated coded OFDM system with special precoder that is robust to spectral nulls and with reduced cyclic prefix length. The precoder can be easily formulated by channel coding and digital modulation. This precoding scheme uses the redundancy information introduced by channel coding (such as zeros inserted in precoded OFDM system). It is able to remove the spectral nulls of an ISI channel without knowing the ISI. Simulation results show that our proposed OFDM system performance is better than precoded OFDM and VOFDM system.     

Blind channel estimation for single‐input multiple‐output OFDM systems: zero padding based or cyclic prefix based?

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission equipped with multiple receive antennas constitutes a single‐input multiple‐output (SIMO) OFDM system. SIMO‐OFDM systems have been widely used in wireless communications. Compared to those approaches using training sequences, blind channel estimation methods for SIMO‐OFDM systems have the advantage of saving bandwidth and improving energy efficiency and system throughput. As far as blind channel identification is concerned, it is known that zero padding (ZP)‐based single‐input single‐output (SISO)‐OFDM systems have desirable features compared to conventional cyclic prefix (CP)‐based SISO‐OFDM systems. However, it is yet unknown whether ZP‐ or CP‐based SIMO‐OFDM systems are favourable for blind channel estimation. To investigate this problem, we first propose a short‐data effective method for blind channel estimation for ZP‐based SIMO‐OFDM systems. Then we analyse a number of issues surrounding blind channel estimation for ZP‐ and CP‐based SIMO‐OFDM systems. The issues brought up in the paper have not been discussed in the existing research. The significance of our investigation is that it provides a deep insight into blind channel estimation for ZP‐ and CP‐based SIMO‐OFDM systems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time-domain channel estimator based on cyclic correlation for OFDM systems with guard interval

Channel impulse response （CIR） can be estimated on the basis of cyclic correlation in time-domain for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing （OFDM） systems, This article proposes a generalized channel estimation method to reduce the estimation error by taking the average of different CIRs. Channel impulse responses are derived according to the different starting points of cyclic correlation. In addition, an effective CIR length estimation algorithm is also presented. The whole proposed methods are more effective to OFDM systems, especialiy to those with longer cyclic prefix. The analysis and the simulation results verify that the mean square error performance is 4-5 dB better than the conventional schemes under the same conditions.     

Iterative cyclic prefix reconstruction and channel estimation for a STBC OFDM system

In order to prevent a loss of spectral efficiency due to the use of a cyclic prefix (CP), a CP reconstruction (CPR) method, such as residual intersymbol interference cancellation (RISIC), has recently been developed. In this letter, we apply the RISIC method to an Alamouti space-time block coded (STBC) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system with insufficient CP. It is shown that in the STBC OFDM, tail cancellation as well as cyclic restoration of the RISIC should be repeated. An iterative channel estimation method for the STBC OFDM system with CPR is proposed. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated by computer simulation in a multipath fading environment.