Kalman filter-based channel estimation for space-time block code

Abstract

In mobile radio applications, the relative motion between the receiver and the transmitter gives rise to a time-varying channel and as a result, channel estimation is essential to acquire the channel so as to coherently decode the received signals. For space-time block code(STBC) transmitted over time-selective slowly fading channels, a novel Kalman filter-based channel estimation method, based on the incorporation of the quasi-ML symbol decoding mechanism will be developed throughout this paper, complete with computer simulations to see the influence of various parameters like the fading rate, SNR and pilot symbol placement on the BER performance. Evaluation of the results reveals that Kalman filtering, coupled with adequate pilot symbol placement, provides an optimum BER performance with little loss in channel capacity.