Multipath Parameter Estimation from OFDM Signals in Mobile Channels

We study multipath parameter estimation from orthogonal frequency division multiplex signals transmitted over doubly dispersive mobile radio channels. We are interested in cases where the transmission is long enough to suffer time selectivity, but short enough such that the time variation can be accurately modeled as depending only on per-tap linear phase variations due to Doppler effects. We therefore concentrate on the estimation of the complex gain, delay and Doppler offset of each tap of the multipath channel impulse response. We show that the frequency domain channel coefficients for an entire packet can be expressed as the superimposition of two-dimensional complex sinusoids. The maximum likelihood estimate requires solution of a multidimensional non-linear least squares problem, which is computationally infeasible in practice. We therefore propose a low complexity suboptimal solution based on iterative successive and parallel cancellation. First, initial delay/Doppler estimates are obtained via successive cancellation. These estimates are then refined using an iterative parallel cancellation procedure. We demonstrate via Monte Carlo simulations that the root mean squared error statistics of our estimator are very close to the Cramer-Rao lower bound of a single two-dimensional sinusoid in Gaussian noise.Comment: Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications (26 pages, 9 figures and 3 tables

Intersymbol and Intercarrier Interference in OFDM Transmissions through Highly Dispersive Channels

This work quantifies, for the first time, intersymbol and intercarrier interferences induced by very dispersive channels in OFDM systems. The resulting achievable data rate for \wam{suboptimal} OFDM transmissions is derived based on the computation of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio for arbitrary length finite duration channel impulse responses. Simulation results point to significant differences between data rates obtained via conventional formulations, for which interferences are supposed to be limited to two or three blocks, versus the data rates considering the actual channel dispersion

Low-complexity LSMR equalisation of FrFT-based multicarrier systems in doubly dispersive channels

The discrete fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) has been suggested to enhance performance over DFT-based multicarrier systems when transmitting over doubly-dispersive channels. In this paper, we propose a novel low-complexity equaliser for inter-symbol and inter-carrier interference arising in such multicarrier transmission system. Due to a lower spreading in the FrFT-domain compared to the DFTchannel matrix as compared to the DFT domain, the equaliser cam approximate the fractional-domain channel matrix by a band matrix. Further, we utilise the least squares minres (LSMR) algorithm in the calculation of the equalisation, which exhibits attractive numerical properties and low complexity. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed LSMR equaliser over benchmark schemes

Performance enhancement for LTE and beyond systems

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyWireless communication systems have undergone fast development in recent years. Based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specified the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard to cope with rapidly increasing demands, including capacity, coverage, and data rate. To achieve this goal, several key techniques have been adopted by LTE, such as Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO), Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM), and heterogeneous network (HetNet). However, there are some inherent drawbacks regarding these techniques. Direct conversion architecture is adopted to provide a simple, low cost transmitter solution. The problem of I/Q imbalance arises due to the imperfection of circuit components; the orthogonality of OFDM is vulnerable to carrier frequency offset (CFO) and sampling frequency offset (SFO). The doubly selective channel can also severely deteriorate the receiver performance. In addition, the deployment of Heterogeneous Network (HetNet), which permits the co-existence of macro and pico cells, incurs inter-cell interference for cell edge users. The impact of these factors then results in significant degradation in relation to system performance. This dissertation aims to investigate the key techniques which can be used to mitigate the above problems. First, I/Q imbalance for the wideband transmitter is studied and a self-IQ-demodulation based compensation scheme for frequencydependent (FD) I/Q imbalance is proposed. This combats the FD I/Q imbalance by using the internal diode of the transmitter and a specially designed test signal without any external calibration instruments or internal low-IF feedback path. The instrument test results show that the proposed scheme can enhance signal quality by 10 dB in terms of image rejection ratio (IRR). In addition to the I/Q imbalance, the system suffers from CFO, SFO and frequency-time selective channel. To mitigate this, a hybrid optimum OFDM receiver with decision feedback equalizer (DFE) to cope with the CFO, SFO and doubly selective channel. The algorithm firstly estimates the CFO and channel frequency response (CFR) in the coarse estimation, with the help of hybrid classical timing and frequency synchronization algorithms. Afterwards, a pilot-aided polynomial interpolation channel estimation, combined with a low complexity DFE scheme, based on minimum mean squared error (MMSE) criteria, is developed to alleviate the impact of the residual SFO, CFO, and Doppler effect. A subspace-based signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation algorithm is proposed to estimate the SNR in the doubly selective channel. This provides prior knowledge for MMSE-DFE and automatic modulation and coding (AMC). Simulation results show that this proposed estimation algorithm significantly improves the system performance. In order to speed up algorithm verification process, an FPGA based co-simulation is developed. Inter-cell interference caused by the co-existence of macro and pico cells has a big impact on system performance. Although an almost blank subframe (ABS) is proposed to mitigate this problem, the residual control signal in the ABS still inevitably causes interference. Hence, a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) interference cancellation algorithm, utilizing the information in the ABS, is proposed. First, the timing and carrier frequency offset of the interference signal is compensated by utilizing the cross-correlation properties of the synchronization signal. Afterwards, the reference signal is generated locally and channel response is estimated by making use of channel statistics. Then, the interference signal is reconstructed based on the previous estimate of the channel, timing and carrier frequency offset. The interference is mitigated by subtracting the estimation of the interference signal and LLR puncturing. The block error rate (BLER) performance of the signal is notably improved by this algorithm, according to the simulation results of different channel scenarios. The proposed techniques provide low cost, low complexity solutions for LTE and beyond systems. The simulation and measurements show good overall system performance can be achieved

Estimation and detection techniques for doubly-selective channels in wireless communications

A fundamental problem in communications is the estimation of the channel. The signal transmitted through a communications channel undergoes distortions so that it is often received in an unrecognizable form at the receiver. The receiver must expend significant signal processing effort in order to be able to decode the transmit signal from this received signal. This signal processing requires knowledge of how the channel distorts the transmit signal, i.e. channel knowledge. To maintain a reliable link, the channel must be estimated and tracked by the receiver. The estimation of the channel at the receiver often proceeds by transmission of a signal called the 'pilot' which is known a priori to the receiver. The receiver forms its estimate of the transmitted signal based on how this known signal is distorted by the channel, i.e. it estimates the channel from the received signal and the pilot. This design of the pilot is a function of the modulation, the type of training and the channel. [Continues.

Intercarrier Interference Suppression for the OFDM Systems in Time-Varying Multipath Fading Channels

Due to its spectral efficiency and robustness over the multipath channels, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) has served as one of the major modulation schemes for the modern communication systems. In the future, the wireless OFDM systems are expected to operate at high carrier-frequencies, high speed and high throughput mobile reception, where the fasting time-varying fading channels are encountered. The channel variation destroys the orthogonality among the subcarriers and leads to the intercarrier interference (ICI). ICI poses a significant limitation to the wireless OFDM systems. The aim of this dissertation is to find an efficient method of providing reliable communication using OFDM in the fast time-varying fading channel scenarios. First, we investigate the OFDM performance in the situation of time-varying mobile channels in the presence of multiple Doppler frequency shifts. A new mathematical framework of the ICI effect is derived. The simulation results show that ICI induces an irreducible error probability floor, which in proportional to the Doppler frequency shifts. Furthermore, it is observed that ICI power arises from a few adjacent subcarriers. This observation motivates us to design the low-complexity Q-tap equalizers, namely, Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) linear equalizer and Decision Feedback (DF) non-linear equalizer to mitigate the ICI. Simulation results show that both Q-tap equalizers can improve the system performance in the sense of symbol error rate (SER). To employ these equalizers, the channel state information is also required. In this dissertation, we also design a pilot-aided channel estimation via Wiener filtering for a time-varying Wide-sense Stationary Uncorrelated Scatterers (WSSUS) channel model. The channel estimator utilizes that channel statistical properties. Our proposed low-complexity ICI suppression scheme, which incorporates the Q-tap equalizer with our proposed channel estimator, can significantly improve the performance of the OFDM systems in a fast time-varying fading channels. At the last part of the dissertation, an alternative ICI mitigation approach, which is based on the ICI self-cancellation coding, is also discussed. The EM-based approach, which solves the phase and amplitude ambiguities associated with this approach, is also introduced