Performance of initial synchronization schemes for WCDMA systems with spatio-temporal correlations

Two different power-scaled noncoherent detection schemes are analyzed and compared in terms of detection probability and mean detection time in the uplink of a wideband CDMA system, where the mobile terminal transmits a pilot signal in the form of bursts of modulated chips, which are transmitted periodically and separated by long silent intervals. Both detection schemes employ temporal noncoherent averaging but differ in the way of spatial processing. One of the schemes, which is well suited for spatially uncorrelated scenarios, employs spatial noncoherent averaging, whereas the other scheme, better suited for scenarios with a distinct spatial structure, employs fixed beamforming. The performance analysis is carried out for spatially correlated frequency-selective fading channels taking channel dynamics and initial frequency offsets into account. With the presented analysis it is possible to investigate the effects of spatial correlation on the detection performance and to examine the improvement of using multiple antenna elements at the base station depending on the respective detection scheme.