Efficient Frequency Synchronization and Channel
Estimation Method for OFDM Wireless Systems
Enis Kocan #1, Milica Pejanovic-Djurisic#2, Zoran Veljovic #3
#
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Montenegro
Dzordza Vasingtona bb, Podgorica, Montenegro
1
enisk@ac.me
2
milica@ac.me
3
veljovic@ac.me
Abstract—Very efficient and robust frequency
synchronization and channel estimation method based on pilot
tone usage, for OFDM systems in the case of slow time varying
channels is proposed. The presented method uses preamble
consisting of just one OFDM symbol, for channel and frequency
offset estimation and additional two pilot tones embedded in each
data symbol, for the neutralization of the cumulative effect of
frequency offset in the slow time varying channels. This method
enables accurate estimation and correction of all frequency offset
values, even those larger than subcarrier spacing. Simulation
results show that OFDM system with the proposed frequency
synchronization method keeps the BER performance close to the
performance of the ideally synchronized system.
I. INTRODUCTION
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is
proven to be very successful modulation scheme for achieving
high data rates in frequency selective multi-path fading
wireless channels. Its well known features are: high spectral
efficiency since no guard bands are needed due to the
orthogonal parallel data transmission and robustness against
detrimental effects of multipath propagation achieved through
the appropriate choice of cyclic prefix. Thus, it has become a
preferred choice in high-rate wireless and wireline
communication systems, such as broadband wireless access
(IEEE 802.16), wireless local area networks (WLAN), high-
speed digital subscriber line lines (DSL) and digital
broadcasting (DAB and DVB). Also, OFDM is a candidate for
the next generation of the broadband WLANs, as well as in
the next generation of mobile communication systems, [1].
Besides all good attributes mentioned, OFDM has its
drawbacks manifested through its extreme sensitivity to
frequency offset (FO) and phase noise. Frequency offset
causes intercarrier interference (ICI), which results in
significant degradation of bit error rate (BER) performance,
even for very small values of frequency offset, [2]. Thus,
various carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation schemes
have been proposed. Some of them, named blind frequency
synchronization methods, use the redundancy of the OFDM
symbols, introduced by cyclic prefix, [3], [4]. Other
techniques are based on pilot tone usage, organized in special
training sequences, [5]-[7]. However, it is well known that the
blind frequency synchronization methods are not suitable for
the bursty traffic, like it is in WLANs, since more than ten
symbols are neccesarry for the accurate FO estimation, [1].
978-1-4244-5795-3/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE 487
Also, some of the pilot tone based methods can achieve very
small FO estimation error by using just one symbol as a
preamble [5]-[7]. But, in spite of theirs high accuracy, in the
slow time varying channels, where the channel and FO
estimation are performed at the beggining of each frame, that
small FO estimation error significantly distorts BER
performance, [9]. Thus, we propose pilot based frequency
synchronization method suitable for slow time varying
channels, which actually combines the best features of the
three already known frequency synchronization methods, [5]-
[7]. Using the originally developed simulation method,
efficacy of the proposed frequency synchronization method is
examined. It is done through the evaluation of BER
performance of the OFDM system in the presence of FO.
Parameters characterizing 17 GHz indoor channel, which can
be described as slow time varying, frequency selective
channel, are implemented.
This paper is organized as follows: Section two analyses
the influence of FO on OFDM system. In section three the
proposed frequency synchronization method is described.
Section four gives some of the results for BER performance of
the OFDM system with implemented proposed frequency
synchronization method in the presence of FO. Concluding
remarks are presented in the section five.
II. OFDM SYSTEM IN THE PRESENCE OF FREQUENCY OFFSET
The simplified block scheme of the OFDM system is given
in Fig.1. If the transmitter and receiver are perfectly
synchronized, then signal in the OFDM receiver, after FFT
(Fast Fourier Transformation) block, on the i-th subcarrier, in
the k-th symbol period, can be represented as:
Yi , k = X i , k H i , k + N i , k (1)
where Xi,k is the baseband data symbol, Hi,k is the i-th
subchannel transfer function at the k-th symbol interval, and
Ni,k represents noise at the i-th subchannel at the given
moment. Equation (1) shows that perfectly synchronized
OFDM system is equivalent to the set of parallel Gaussian
channels. OFDM divides frequency selective channel in the
set of mutually orthogonal subchannels with frequency flat
fading. But, in the presence of FO, this orthogonality is
corrupted, causing significant BER performance degradation.
 assumed for all the results further presented. The channel and
simulation parameters are summarized in Table 1.
0
10

-1
10

BER
-2
Fig.1. Block scheme of the OFDM system 10
offset=0
offset=0.002, M=30
When indoor environments are analyzed, like we do it in
offset=0.004, M=30
this paper, Doppler shifts can be neglected and FO is typically offset=0.002, M=40
caused by a frequency mismatch in the local oscillators of the offset=0.004, M=40
-3
transmitter and the receiver. This FO is described 10
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
mathematically by a frequency shift δf and a phase offset θ in SNR
the lowpass equivalent received signal. So, signal in the
OFDM receiver, after FFT block, in the presence of FO can be Fig. 2. BER performance of OFDM system in the presence of frequency
offset
represented as, [1]:
TABLE I
Y i , k = X i , k H i , k sinc (δfT ) ⋅ CHANNEL AND SIMULATION PARAMETERS
(2)
exp { j [θ + 2πδ f (kT s + T 2 )]} + N i,, k Root-mean square delay spread 20ns
Max delay spread < 200ns
where T is the duration of the effective part of OFDM symbol Channel coherent time ≈ 870µs
(without guard interval), Ts is the duration of the whole Simulated narrowband fading Rayleigh
OFDM symbol, and N’i,k is the total noise at the i-th Data rate 100 Mb/s
subchannel at the k-th symbol interval, including additional OFDM symbol duration Ts = 6,144µs
noise term due to the intercarrier interference. From the Guard interval duration Tg = 1,024µs
equation (2) it can be seen that, if the FO is constant, only the Number of subcarriers N =256
phase of useful part of the received signal changes from Data modulation QPSK
symbol to symbol. Thus, in the slow time varying channels,
where the channel and FO estimation are performed 'Offset' in the Fig. 2 stands for FO normalized with respect
periodically, cumulative effect of FO is emphasized. to subcarrier spacing, i.e. offset=∆f=δfT. The obtained results
Fig. 2 presents BER performance for OFDM system in the show that even a very small FO (0.2% of subcarrier spacing)
presence of FO, obtained by simulation method, for the case significantly distorts BER performance, especially in case
when FO estimation is not performed. For the sake of when OFDM frame has M=40 OFDM symbols. FO value of
comparison, BER performance of the perfectly synchronized 0.4% of the subcarrier spacing makes OFDM system almost
OFDM system is given. These results are obtained with useless for both analyzed frame sizes, due to the mentioned
simulation method, which models indoor channel at 17 GHz, cumulative effect. This confirms that accurate frequency
as it is one of the candidates for the implementation in the synchronization is very important in the scenario described.
next generation WLAN systems. Assumed channel, in the
III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED METHOD
case of slow user mobility, represents slow time varying
channel. In order to examine cumulative effect of FO on BER The frequency synchronization method proposed in this
performance, frames consisting M=30 and M=40 OFDM paper is based on the pilot tones usage, and it is realized in
symbols are transmitted through the channel. After the period two steps. The pattern of the pilot and data symbols in a frame,
of M=30 or M=40 OFDM symbols, which is much less than consisting M=40 OFDM symbols, is presented in Fig.3.
the channel coherent time, equalization based on the channel Just one training OFDM symbol makes the preamble, used
knowledge is performed. Narrowband channel fading statistics for achieving the first step of the frequency synchronization
are Rice at short distances and Rayleigh at large ones, even in method. By modulating even subcarriers with zero, it is
the line of sight (LOS) cases, [8]. We have examined the accomplished that the preamble has identical halves in the
worst case scenario, i.e. the channel with Rayleigh fading time domain (after IFFT block), [5]. This preamble structure
statistic. The presented BER results are obtained assuming enables estimation of integer and fractional parts of the FO.
that the receiver has perfect channel knowledge, but FO The integer part of the FO exists if the value of FO at the
between transmitter and receiver is unknown and it is not beginning of communication process was greater than the
estimated. Same channel parameters, but with M=40 OFDM subcarrier spacing (|∆f|>1). FO of this value would shift the
symbols in a frame, are used in each simulation, and they are position of pilot tones in preamble, which are mutually

488
separated by 2/T in frequency domain. Pilot symbols on the sample of the received OFDM symbols inside one frame are
odd subcarriers in the preamble are differentially coded in corrected by estimated FO exp(− jtϕˆ / T ) .
frequency domain, allowing FO estimation of values greater After the FFT operation in the receiver, preamble is used
than the subcarrier spacing. for the estimation of possible integer part of the FO. The
Subcarriers integer part of FO is estimated implementing maximum
likelihood method [6], by finding ĝ, which maximize the
1 2 3 4 ... 65 66 129 130 254 255 N=256 function B(ĝ),:
1 …. …. …. 2 2
…. …. ….     2
B( gˆ ) =  Re ∑ Yi + 2 gˆ ,1Vi ∗Yi ∗+ 2 gˆ + 2,1    ∑ Yi ,1 
2 (8)
3 …. …. ….  i∈W ,
  i∈W ,

4 …. …. ….
Yi,1 denotes the i-th subcarrier of the preamble at the exit of
FFT block in the receiver. W′ is the set of the next odd
39 …. …. …. subcarriers: W′ = {1,3,5, ..., N-7}. This kind of integer FO
40 …. …. …. estimation performs better than the conventional one,
proposed in [5]. Total, normalized value of the estimated FO
Pilot symbol Data symbol
is:
Subcarrier modulated with zero
Fig. 3. The pattern of pilot and data symbols ∆fˆ = ϕˆ πT + 2 gˆ T (9)
Differentialy coded pilot tones determine pseudorandom
If the integer part of the FO exists, than the positions of all
sequence Vi:
subcarriers, for each OFDM symbol, are shifting by 2ĝ. This
 X i ,1 is where the first step of the synchronization method ends.
 , for i = 1,3,.., N − 3 (3)
Vi =  X i + 2,1 -2
10
 0 , for i = N − 1

N represents the number of subcarriers in IFFT block. The -3
10
power of the data symbols is normalized to one in the
simulation. To achieve the same total OFDM symbol energy,
Error variance

and for better FO estimation, the power of the pilot symbols is

-4
chosen twice bigger than the power of the data symbols. Thus, 10

the generated pilot is:

pilot = A = 2 exp( jπ / 4) (4) -5
10

The following preamble structure is chosen: Cramer-Rao bound

Proposed method
* *
preamble = [ A 0 A 0 - A... A 0] = [ P (i )] (5) -6
10
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
where i=1,...,N, and N=256 is the number of the subcarriers in SNR

one OFDM symbol. With this preamble structure, it is

Fig.4. Error variance for the first step of the proposed frequency offset
possible to estimate FOs less or equal than five subcarrier estimation method
spacings.
In the receiver, after the cyclic prefix is removed, Fig. 4 presents the error variance for the first step of the
comparison of the phase angles between corresponding proposed FO estimation method, considering only fractional
samples in the two halves of the preamble is used for the part of FO estimation, i.e. assuming that the integer part is
estimation of fractional part of the FO: correctly estimated. The Cramer-Rao bound for the variance
of the FO estimation using N/2 pilot symbols, obtained
ϕˆ = angle ( R ( d )) (6) through 2/(N·π2·SNR), is also given. It can be seen that
where: Cramer-Rao bound is achieved for the SNR values above 7dB,
and for the smaller SNRs, the error variance slightly differ
m=N / 2
than the Cramer-Rao bound. However, in spite of small
R (d ) = ∑ (r
m =1
∗
r
d +m d +m+ N / 2 ) (7)
estimation error made in the first step of the frequency
synchronization method, the cumulative effect of the residual
rd+m is the time domain sample of the received signal. The FO still causes significant BER performance degradation (Fig.
proposed method can also be used for the time 5). Results presented in the Fig. 5 prove that it is necessary to
synchronization, but in this paper it is assumed that the system implement the second step of the proposed method. Before
is perfectly time synchronized (d=0). Phase angle for each

489
that, the preamble is used for estimation of the channel This estimated channel transfer function includes complete
transfer function ( Hˆ i ,1 ): estimated FO, and it is used for the equalization. After each
OFDM frame, the pattern of pilot and data symbols and all the
Hˆ i ,1 = Yi ,1 X i ,1 (10) frequency synchronization process is repeated.

0
10 IV. RESULTS
0
10

-1
10

-1
BER

10

BER
-2
10

offset=0 -2
offset=0.01 10
offset=0.8
offset=0
offset=4.9
-3 offset=0.01
10 offset=0.8
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
SNR offset=4.9
-3
10
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Fig. 5: BER performance for OFDM system, when only the first step of the SNR
proposed method is implemented

As the channel coherent bandwidth is bigger than the
subcarrier spacing, the subcarrier transfer function for each
even subcarrier is taken to be the same as the transfer function
of its left nearest odd subcarrier.
The second step of the proposed method is realized using
two pilot tones embedded in each OFDM data symbol. These
two pilot tones are made antipodal to each other, i.e. if the
first pilot is chosen to be A, then the second is –A. At the
output of the FFT block, these two pilots are subtracted,
giving:
Z k = Y1, k − Y1+ N / 2, k , k=2,3,..,40
Residual FO βk, which represents the estimation error for
the k-th OFDM symbol after the first step of the
synchronization method, is estimated by comparing phase
angles with the corresponding pilot difference of the two pilot
tones in the preamble:
Fig. 6: BER performance of OFDM system with implemented proposed
method
Fig. 6 gives some of the results for BER performance of the
OFDM system in the presence of FO, when the described
frequency synchronization method is implemented. Also, for
the sake of comparison, BER of the perfectly synchronized
OFDM system is presented.
It can be seen that, with the proposed frequency
synchronization method, OFDM system achieves BER
performance that slightly differ from the perfectly
synchronized system. In the whole presented SNR region
(11) from 0dB to 20dB, the obtained BER graphs have (1 - 1.5)dB
performance loss comparing to the graph of the system
without FO. Good synchronization is achieved for all values
of the FO, even for those bigger than subcarrier spacing. It
should be stressed that these results are obtained in the slow
time varying channel scenario, with the frame consisting
M=40 OFDM symbols, where even the FO of 0.4% of the

β k = arctan 
(
 Im Z 1* Z k  ) (12)
subcarrier spacing value totally degrades BER performance of
 the analyzed system, if it is not corrected (Fig.2). The second
(*
 Re Z1 Z k  ) step of the described frequency synchronization method, using
Using two antipodal pilot symbols, instead of the same just two pilots in each OFDM data symbol, enables accurate
ones, the smaller estimation variance is obtained, as well as estimation of the small residual FO, preserving the BER
the bigger SNR, [7]. Thus, instead of implementing four or performance very close to the one of the perfectly
more pilots as in [9], just two pilot symbols are enough for an synchronized system. Thus, the presented results prove that
accurate estimation of the residual FO. The described second the proposed method can be considered as adequate for the
step provides a very precise estimation and tracking, symbol described scenario.
by symbol, of the FO which represents estimation error after
the first step of the proposed method. Obtained FO estimation V. CONCLUSION
βk is used for the correction of the estimated channel transfer In this paper, the accuracy of the proposed frequency
function: synchronization and channel estimation method for the
OFDM wireless systems in the case of slow time varying
Hˆ i , k = Hˆ i ,1 exp { j 2πβ k } (13) channels is examined. Through the simulation method, with

490
parameters characterizing indoor channel at 17GHz, it is
shown that this method enables very precise FO estimation
and correction, even for the FO values larger than the
subcarrier spacing. The obtained BER performance of the
OFDM system with the implemented proposed method are
very close to the case when the FO is equal to zero. That
proves the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed
method, in the scenario where even FO value of 0.4% of the
subcarrier spacing makes the system useless, if it is not
corrected.
Besides excellent frequency synchronization for all values
of the FO, the advantage of the proposed method is that it
does not load the system too much. Namely, just one OFDM
symbol creates the preamble for the FO estimation, and at the
same time it is used for channel estimation. In the second step
of the proposed synchronization method, just two pilot tones
are used in each OFDM data symbol, and they enable FO
tracking, symbol by symbol, disabling the destructive
cumulative effect of the FO in slow time varying channels.
491
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