Channel Estimation in

OFDM Systems

Zhibin Wu
Yan Liu
Xiangpeng Jing
OUTLINE
 OFDM System Introduction

 Channel Estimation Techniques

 Performance Evaluation

 Conclusion
OFDM Overview
 Divides high-speed serial information signal into multiple
lower-speed sub-signals:
 Transmits simultaneously at different frequencies in parallel.
 Modulation ( BPSK, PSK,QPSK,16QAM, …).
 Pilot sub-carriers used to prevent frequency and phase shift
errors.
 Usage of cyclic prefix for lower multi-path distortion
 Controlled overlapping of bands in one channel
 Max spectral efficiency (Nyquist rate)
 Easy implementation using inverse FFTs
 Easy time-freq. Synchronization
 Modulate by switching between time and frequency domain
Introduction to OFDM Systems
Time-Frequency View
Some Assumptions
 Usage of cyclic Prefix
 Impulse response of the channel shorter
than Cyclic Prefix
 Slow fading effects so that the channel is
time-invariant over the symbol interval
 Rectangular Windowing of the transmitted
pulses
 Perfect Synchronization of transmitter and
receiver
 Additive, white, Gaussian channel noise
System Architecture
System Architecture (cont’d)
1. Input to time domain x  n   IDFT  X  k   n  0,1,2,..., N  1
 x N  n  , n   N g , N g  1,...,1
2. Guard Interval x f  n  
 x n  , n  0,1,..., N  1
3. Channel y f  x f  n   h n   w n 
4. Guard Removal y n  y f  n n  0,1,..., N  1
5. Output to frequency
domain Y  k   DFT  y  n   k  0,1,2,..., N  1

Channel ICI AWGN

6. Output
Y k  X kH k  Ik W k
k  0,1,..., N  1

Yk
7. Channel Estimation Xek  k  0,1,..., N  1
He  k 
Estimated
Channel
Pilot for Channel Estimation
 Comb Type:
 Part of the sub-
Time

carriers are always

reserved as pilot for
each symbol
Carriers

 Block Type:
 All sub-carriers is
used as pilot in a
Time

specific period

Carriers
Block-type Channel Estimation
 LS: Least Square Estimation

hLS  X 1 y
where X  diag x0 , x1 ,..., x N 1
 y0 
 . 
 
y . 
 . 
y 
 N 1 
Comb-type Estimation
X  k   X  mL  l 
Np pilot signals uniformly inserted in X(k)
 x  m , l 0
L=Number of Carriers/Np   infp . data,
 l 1,...,L1
xp(m) is the mth pilot carrier value

{Hp(k) k=0,1,…,Np} , channel at pilot sub-carriers

Xp input at the kth pilot sub-carrier
Yp output at the kth pilot sub-carrier

LS Estimate LMS Estimate

Yp(k)
Yp  k 
H pk  k  0,1,..., N p  1
X pk Xp(k)
LMS
-
+
e(k)
Interpolation for Comb-type
 Linear Interpolation H e  k   H e  mL  l 

  H p  m  1  H p  m  
l
 H p  m
L
0l  L

H e  k   H e  mL  l 
 c1H p  m  1  c0 H p  m   c1H p  m  1
 Second Order      1
Interpolation 1
c  ,
 2
where c     1   1 ,  l/N
0
     1
c  ,
  1 2
Simulation Parameters
Parameter Specifications

FFT Size 64
Number of Carriers 64

Pilot Ratio 1/16

Guard Length 16

Guard Type Cyclic Extension

data rate of OFDM signal 1Mbps/sub-carrier

Signal Constellation 16QAM

System structure in MATLAB Simulation
OFDM Transmitter

OFDM Receiver
Received and Recovered Signals

Received signal phases are distorted by multi-path fading

 Comb-LS Estimation
 Combating multipath rayleigh fading with RLS adaptive
equalization
 A detail simulation with MATLAB
 20 multipath, random phase, and weibull distribution of
Symbol Error Rate

amplitutde
Comb-LS Estimation
Filter length .vs. Sample Rate
Observed Symbol error rate with F ( filter length ) and
S ( samples per symbol)

1. Keep the ratio of F/S, increase S

2. Keep S, increase F.
Conclusion
 OFDM System Introduction
 Block Type
 Direct or Decision Feedback
 Comb Type
 LS or LMS estimation at pilot frequencies
 Interpolation Techniques
 Linear
 Second Order
 Time Domain
 Modulation
 BPSK,QPSK,16QAM,DQPSK
 Some Results:
 Comb Type performs better since it tracks fast fading channels.
 RLS algorithm vs. LMS algorithm