A Novel Blind Block Timing and Frequency Synchronization Algorithm for Alamouti STBC

Blind estimation algorithms have attracted considerable attention due to their potential applications in bandwidth efficient communications systems, such as the provision of spectrum awareness in cognitive radios. This paper proposes a blind block timing and frequency synchronization algorithm applicable to the Alamouti space-time block code in the context of Nakagami fading channels. The proposed algorithm exploits the space-time redundancy of the received signal to estimate the signal synchronization parameters using a single receive antenna. It has low sensitivity to clock timing synchronization errors and does not require knowledge of the channel coefficients, signal-to-noise ratio, and the modulation of the received signal. Computer simulations have confirmed that the algorithm has low sensitivity to clock timing synchronization errors and is suitable for use over Nakagami fading channels.