Optimal training design for linearly time-varying MIMO/OFDM channels modelled by a complex exponential basis expansion

Time- and frequency-selective fading of propagating channels degrades the performance of multiple-input multiple-output/orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (MIMO/OFDM) systems extensively by introducing double convolutions in both time-domain and frequency- domain. The author addresses the problem of linearly time-varying (LTV) channel estimation of MIMO/OFDM systems. First, the time-varying coefficients of the LTV channel are modelled by complex exponential basis expansions. Secondly, the LTV channel is estimated and the optimal pilot symbols are derived following the minimum mean square error criterion. It is shown that the optimal pilot strategy is to group consecutive pilot tones together as a pilot cluster and to distribute uniformly all pilot clusters in frequency-domain. In addition, the LTV channel estimation is further improved by imposing a window function on received signals. Finally, through simulations, it is shown that the new channel estimator can provide a considerable performance improvement in estimating MIMO-LTV channels, especially for the rapidly time-varying channel of a large Doppler frequency.