Iterative QRM-MLD with pilot-assisted decision directed channel estimation for OFDM MIMO multiplexing
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) multiplexing has recently been attracting considerable attention for increasing the transmission rate in a limited bandwidth. In MIMO multiplexing, the signals transmitted simultaneously from different transmit antennas must be separated and detected at a receiver. Maximum likelihood detection with QR-decomposition and M-algorithm (QRM-MLD) can achieve good performance while keeping computational complexity low. However, when the number of surviving symbol replica candidates in the M-algorithm is set to be small, the performance of QRM-MLD degrades compared to that of MLD because of wrong selection of surviving symbol replica candidates. Furthermore, when channel estimation is inaccurate, accurate signal ranking and QR-decomposition cannot be carried out. In this paper, we propose an iterative QRM-MLD with decision directed channel estimation to improve the packet error rate (PER) performance. In the proposed QRM-MLD, decision feedback data symbols are also used for channel estimation in addition to pilot symbols in order to improve the channel estimation accuracy. Signal detection/channel estimation are then carried out in an iterative fashion. Computer simulation results show that the proposed QRM-MLD reduces the required average received E-b/N-0 for PER of 10(-2) by about 1.2 dB compared to the conventional method using orthogonal pilot symbols only.
qrm-mld channel estimation ofdm mimo turbo coding