A correlation-based blind method for estimation and equalization of down-link WCDMA channels

We propose a correlation based blind channel estimation and equalization for the WCDMA down-link receiver from the received signal only. First, information about the channel parameters is extracted. Then, from the extracted information, a channel vector can be obtained using eigendecomposition. The channel vector is used to determine the coefficients of both feedforward and feedback DFE filters, based on the use of a channel matched filter (CMF) to mitigate the channel effects. The estimation algorithm assumes that the amplitudes and spreading codes of interest, as well as the length of the channel, are known at the receiver. Performance of the proposed method is studied through computer simulation experiments for multipath fading channels. Furthermore, the performance is compared with the DFE based on the use of CMF. This time, the channel matched filter uses the knowledge of the channel coefficients obtained from pilot based channel estimation.