Low-complexity channel estimation for OFDM and MC-CDMA

A low complexity decision-directed channel estimation method is proposed; it is suitable for a wide range of multi-carrier modulation schemes, such as OFDM and MC-CDMA. The method exploits the a priori knowledge available concerning the nature of the wireless channel and exploits both the time- and frequency-domain correlation of the channel parameters; yet it is shown to be robust to the channel model mismatch routinely encountered in practical propagation environments. The performance of the OFDM system using the proposed channel estimation scheme in the scenario of encountering multipath Rayleigh-fading channel conditions is shown to be close to that of the idealistic system assuming perfect channel knowledge.