Tentative chip decision-feedback equalizer for multicode wideband CDMA

We investigate a chip-level minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) for the downlink receiver of multicode wideband code-division multiple-access systems over frequency-selective channels. First, the MMSE per symbol achievable by an optimal DFE is derived, assuming that all interchip interference (ICI) of the desired user can be eliminated. The MMSE of DFE is always less than or at most equal to that of linear equalizers (LE). When all the active codes belong to the desired user, the ideal DFE is able to eliminate multicode interference (MCI) and approach the performance of the single-code case at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) range. Second, we apply the hypothesis-feedback equalizer or tentative-chip (TC)-DFE in the multicode scenario. TC-DFE outperforms the chip-level LE, and the DFE that only feeds back the symbols already decided. The performance gain increases with SNR, but decreases with the number of active codes owned by the other users. When all the active codes are assigned to the desired user, TC-DFE asymptotically eliminates MCI and achieves single-user (or code) performance at high SNR, similarly, to the ideal DFE. The asymptotic performance of the DFE is confirmed through bit error rate simulation over various channels.