Iterative Joint Channel Estimation and Multiuser Detection for DS-CDMA in Frequency-Selective Fading Channels

An iterative joint channel estimation, symbol detection, phase recovery and interference cancellation structure is proposed for asynchronous code-division multiple-access systems over frequency-selective fading channels. Based on the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm, a recursive channel estimator is developed for blind channel tracking, using a novel stochastic signal processing technique. To perform symbol detection given the phase ambiguities of the resultant EM channel estimates, a noncoherent scheme is developed to compute the a posteriori probabilities (APPs) of data symbols. Moreover, by incorporating the APPs into the proposed recursive channel estimator, phase ambiguity due to the EM channel estimation can be resolved, which enables soft multiple access interference cancellation for multiuser detection. Based on these new signal processing schemes, an iterative structure is proposed for joint channel estimation and multiuser detection over fast fading channels.