Frequency-selective Fading Multiple-input Multiple-output Channels Research Articles

New OSTBC for Blind Channel Estimation and Tracking in MIMO-OFDM Systems

Applying orthogonal space time block coding (OSTBC) to multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems helps reduce receiver complexity. However, this approach has been applied only to flat fading channels, as when the channel is a frequency selective fading MIMO channel, OSTBC cannot be used directly since its orthogonal propriety may be lost. Furthermore, the MIMO channel is not always known. To deal with this problem, many techniques were proposed to estimate the channel using a training sequence. Unfortunately, these techniques reduce the useful spectral bandwidth. This paper proposes OSTBC for blind channel estimation and data detection in the case of a MIMO frequency selective channel. The aim of this new OSTBC is twofold: to solve the ambiguity of channel estimation and to reduce the complexity of the detector. By exploiting the well-known technique of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), the frequency selective fading MIMO channel is split into a set of flat fading subchannels. Moreover, to accommodate the fact that a MIMO channel can be time varying, the steady state Kalman channel estimator (SS-KCE) is extended to track the channel’s fast variations. The performance of the proposed blind algorithm is related by the adequate choice of the number of subcarriers and it is compared with other existing approaches by means of Monte Carlo simulations.

Unifying eigen-mode MIMO transmission

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique plays a key role in improving the spectrum and power efficiency in future mobile communication systems. Exploiting a unified MIMO transmission scheme that can adapt with various channel conditions is well motivated both in theory and practical applications. An eigen-mode based closed-loop MIMO transmission over frequency selective fading MIMO channels, which considers receive correlation, transmit correlation and line of sight (LOS) components, is investigated by maximizing the upper bound of channel capacity under the assumption that the channel is partially known at the transmitter and perfectly known at the receiver. Based on the eigen-mode transmission, several key techniques including linear precoding, stream selection, virtual spatial hopping and online capacity estimation are proposed, and a unified MIMO transmission scheme is established. Both computer simulation and field test results show that the proposed scheme can significantly improve the spectral efficiency and link reliability under various channel conditions.

A Pre-BLAST-DFE Technique for the Downlink of Frequency-Selective Fading MIMO Channels

In this paper, we propose a pre-Bell Laboratories layered space-time (BLAST)-decision-feedback equalization technique for the downlink of frequency-selective fading multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels to combat multiple-access interference (MAI) and intersymbol interference (ISI). In our technique, we perform MIMO pre-equalization and prelayered space-time processing at the transmitter or base station, with a simplified receiver at the mobile station that requires only limited signal processing. An important application is in the downlink, so that a simplified mobile station can be constructed. An expression for the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and error probability based on the Gaussian approximation of the output noise term is derived. Performance is investigated by analysis and simulation results. In particular, it is demonstrated that the diversity order of this technique is higher than that of the MIMO orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) with vertical (V)-BLAST and MIMO OFDM with linear transmit preprocessing. It is also noticed that this technique performs better at high SNR values.