Adaptive complex interpolator for channel estimation in pilot-aided OFDM system

In an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system, conventional interpolation techniques cannot correctly balance performance and overhead when estimating dynamic long-delay channels in single frequency networks (SFNs). In this study, classical filter analysis and design methods are employed to derive a complex interpolator for maximizing the resistible echo delay in a channel estimator on the basis of the correlation between frequency domain interpolating and time domain windowing. The coefficient computation of the complex interpolator requires a key parameter, i.e., channel length, which is obtained in the frequency domain with a tentative estimation scheme having low implementation complexity. The proposed complex adaptive interpolator is verified in a simulated digital video broadcasting for terrestrial/handheld receiver. The simulation results indicate that the designed channel estimator can not only handle SFN echoes with more than 200 μs delay but also achieve a bit-error rate performance close to the optimum minimum mean square error method, which significantly outperforms conventional channel estimation methods, while preserving a low implementation cost in a short-delay channel.