Sequential Estimation of Multipath MIMO-OFDM Channels

• Published in: IEEE transactions on signal processing Vol. 57; no. 8; pp. 3167 - 3181
• Main Authors: Angelosante, D., Biglieri, E., Lops, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-08-2009; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Subjects: Algorithms; Amplitude estimation; Applied sciences; Bayes theory; Bayesian analysis; Bayesian methods; Channel capacity; Channel estimation; Channels; Comunicació sense fil, Sistemes de; Delay estimation; Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction; Equations; Estimators; Exact sciences and technology; Exact solutions; Fading; Frequency division multiplexing; Information, signal and communications theory; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; MIMO-OFDM; Miscellaneous; Multiplexing; OFDM; Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing; Particle filtering; Random finite set theory; Receiving antennas; Robustness; Sequential Monte Carlo; Signal and communications theory; Signal processing; Signal, noise; Sistemes MIMO; Studies; Telecommunications and information theory; Parameter estimation; Wireless telecommunication; random finite set theory; Multipath channels; Implementation; Finite sets; sequential Monte Carlo; Channel estimation; particle filtering; Radio transmission; Robustness; Delay time; Receiving antenna; Particle filter; Fading channels; Fading; MIMO system; Channel capacity; Probabilistic approach; Bayes theory; Algorithm; Information transmission; Transmitting antenna; MIMO-OFDM; Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing; Recursive method; Signal processing; Numerical simulation; Set theory; Random set; Sequential estimation
• ISSN: 1053-587X; 1941-0476
• DOI: 10.1109/TSP.2009.2020049

Wireless ldquoMIMOrdquo systems, employing multiple transmit and receive antennas, promise a significant increase of channel capacity, while orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is attracting a good deal of attention due to its robustness to multipath fading. Thus, the combination of both techniques is an attractive proposition for radio transmission. The goal of this paper is the description and analysis of a new and novel pilot-aided estimator of multipath block-fading channels. Typical models leading to estimation algorithms assume the number of multipath components and delays to be constant (and often known), while their amplitudes are allowed to vary with time. Our estimator is focused instead on the more realistic assumption that the number of channel taps is also unknown and varies with time following a known probabilistic model. The estimation problem arising from these assumptions is solved using Random-Set Theory (RST), whereby one regards the multipath-channel response as a single set-valued random entity. Within this framework, Bayesian recursive equations determine the evolution with time of the channel estimator. Due to the lack of a closed form for the solution of Bayesian equations, a (Rao-Blackwellized) particle filter (RBPF) implementation of the channel estimator is advocated. Since the resulting estimator exhibits a complexity which grows exponentially with the number of multipath components, a simplified version is also introduced. Simulation results describing the performance of our channel estimator demonstrate its effectiveness.