Additional degree of freedom in phased-MIMO radar signal design using space-time codes

In this paper, an additional degree of freedom in phased multi-input multi-output (phased-MIMO) radar with any arbitrary desired covariance matrix is proposed using space-time codes. By using the proposed method, any desired transmit covariance matrix in MIMO radar (phased-MIMO radars) can be realized by employing fully correlated base waveforms such as phased-array radars and simply extending them to different time slots with predesigned phases and amplitudes. In the proposed method, the transmit covariance matrix depends on the base waveform and space-time codes. For simplicity, a base waveform can be selected arbitrarily (ie, all base waveforms can be fully correlated, similar to phased-array radars). Therefore, any desired covariance matrix can be achieved by using a very simple phased-array structure and space-time code in the transmitter. The main advantage of the proposed scheme is that it does not require diverse uncorrelated waveforms. This considerably reduces transmitter hardware and software complexity and cost. One the receiver side, multiple signals can be analyzed jointly in the time and space domains to improve the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio.     

Tomlinson-Harashima precoding with imperfect channel state information

Nonlinear Tomlinson-Harashima precoding (THP) is an attractive solution for a scenario where the transmission system employs multiple antennas at transmitter and multiple users with a single antenna at the receiver, so that the cooperation among the receive antennas are impossible (downlink scenario). THP solution based on zero forcing (ZF) and minimum mean square error (MMSE) criteria is one of the important techniques to achieve near multiple input multiple output channels capacity with reasonable complexity. In this paper, the effect of channel imperfection on THP is considered. At first, the achievable rate of THP with respect to ZF criterion in an imperfect channel state information (CSI) scenario is calculated. Moreover, based on MMSE criterion, a new robust solution is derived which provides a significant improvement with respect to the conventional optimisation method. Then, the effect of channel estimation error on THP is considered as an improved optimisation where THP filters are optimised together with a channel estimator. Spatial power loading is found to be important to the THP performance. This loading for robust/joint optimisation of MMSE THP is developed by minimum average symbol error rate sense. Simulation results show the capacity loss, the performance advantage attained by the robust/joint optimisation and the power loading in an imperfect CSI scenario.     

PN sequence blind estimation in multiuser DS‐CDMA systems with multipath channels based on successive subspace scheme

In this paper, we proposed a new method based on expanding subspace algorithm and finite alphabet characteristics, for blind estimation of the users' spreading sequences in the multiuser direct sequence code division multiple access system in the presence of the multipath channels. In the proposed scheme, we show that the estimation of the users' overall channels in the direct sequence code division multiple access system is equivalent to the impulse response estimation of the multi‐input multi‐output finite impulse response channels. Our proposed approach is based on the successive estimation of the columns of the equivalent multi‐input multi‐output finite impulse response channels from the lowest degree columns to the highest degree ones. Accordingly, each user's overall channel that is the convolution of the original multipath channel and the spreading sequence is estimated. Then we extract PN sequences from the overall channel using finite alphabet characteristics of the spreading sequence chips for each user. According to simulation results, our proposed scheme outperforms the conventional methods in that it does not require symbol synchronization and does not have channel constraints (for example, AWGN and single user system) in the multipath channels.     

Mitigation of channel estimation error in TR–UWB system based on a novel MMSE equalizer

The time reversal (TR) technique combined with the ultra-wideband (UWB) system offers a new potential for decreasing the cost and complexity of the UWB receivers. In spite of TR–UWB's good performance in perfect channel state information (CSI), it is very sensitive to the channel estimation error. The effect of channel imperfection on the TR–UWB system is considered in this paper. At first, based on a minimum mean square error (MMSE) equalizer receiver, a prefilter is calculated in closed form to improve the performance of the TR–UWB system in an imperfect CSI scenario. Furthermore, for comparison purposes, a similar calculation for prefilter is carried out based on a simple matched filter (MF) receiver. Then, in order to improve the MF receiver performance, a two-stage iteration-based algorithm is developed. The initial value for this iteration-based improved algorithm is considered to be a prefilter which is calculated in the TR–UWB system with MMSE equalizer. This optimized algorithm causes the channel estimation error in the TR–UWB system to become zero in some steps. Finally, exhaustive simulations are done to demonstrate the performance advantage attained by the improved algorithm.     

Designing the focused and wide beam pattern in linear and planar phased‐MIMO radar considering the antennas' overlap

Phased‐array multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) radar is a new method for collocated MIMO radar, benefiting from its advantages without losing the coherent processing gain considered the main feature of phased‐array radars. In this method, the whole array is divided into several overlapping subarrays; then a waveform is allocated to the antennas of each subarray, which are orthogonal to other subarray's waveforms. In order to obtain a desired beam pattern, appropriate weighting coefficients for each subarray should be designed. This study aimed to design the phased‐MIMO radar's weighting coefficient matrix in two modes: In the first mode, the aim is to design a beam pattern, which has the maximum value in direction of the desired targets. In the second mode, a desired beam pattern is defined, and the coefficients should calculated in such a way that the obtained pattern be as much as possible compatible with the desired patter. In the two modes, the design, at first, is accomplished for linear array and then is extended to the planar array. Moreover, the impact of subarrays' overlap and the power constraints is investigated. The proposed methods, in special cases, are applicable in MIMO and phased‐array radars, too.