Timing and carrier synchronization in wireless communication systems: a survey and classification of research in the last 5 years

Ali A Nasir,Salman Durrani,Hani Mehrpouyan,Steven D Blostein,Rodney A Kennedy

doi:10.1186/s13638-016-0670-9

Abstract

Timing and carrier synchronization is a fundamental requirement for any wireless communication system to work properly. Timing synchronization is the process by which a receiver node determines the correct instants of time at which to sample the incoming signal. Carrier synchronization is the process by which a receiver adapts the frequency and phase of its local carrier oscillator with those of the received signal. In this paper, we survey the literature over the last five years (2010-2014) and present a comprehensive literature review and classification of the recent research progress in achieving timing and carrier synchronization in single-input-single-output (SISO), multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO), cooperative relaying, and multiuser/multicell interference networks. Considering both single-carrier and multi-carrier communication systems, we survey and categorise the timing and carrier synchronization techniques proposed for the different communication systems focusing on the system model assumptions for synchronization, the synchronization challenges, and the state-of-the-art synchronization solutions and their limitations. Finally, we envision some future research directions.

Highlights

1 Introduction Motivation: The Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF) prediction of seven trillion wireless devices serving seven billion people by 2020 [1] sums up the tremendous challenge facing existing wireless cellular networks: intense consumer demand for faster data rates. Major theoretical advances, such as the use of multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver (multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)) [2, 3], orthogonal frequencydivision multiple access (OFDMA) [4], and cooperative relaying [5,6,7] have helped meet some of this demand and have been quickly incorporated into communication standards
To keep the cost of the devices low, communication receivers use low-cost oscillators which inherently have some drift. In this context, timing synchronization is the process by which a receiver node determines the correct instants of time at which to sample the incoming signal and carrier synchronization is the process by which a receiver adapts the frequency and phase of its local carrier oscillator with those of the received signal
In order to focus on the important recent advances, we limited our search to all journal papers published in the last 5 years only, i.e., from 2010 to 2014

Summary

Introduction

Motivation: The Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF) prediction of seven trillion wireless devices serving seven billion people by 2020 [1] sums up the tremendous challenge facing existing wireless cellular networks: intense consumer demand for faster data rates. Major theoretical advances, such as the use of multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver (multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)) [2, 3], orthogonal frequencydivision multiple access (OFDMA) [4], and cooperative relaying [5,6,7] have helped meet some of this demand and have been quickly incorporated into communication standards. Carrier synchronization may imply integer/fractional frequency offset estimation (in terms of OFDMA), coarse/fine frequency offset estimation (in terms of CDMA), residual frequency offset tracking, etc

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Conclusion