Multiuser channel estimation for detection of cochannel signals

Estimation of the channel impulse responses of multiple cochannel users is a key requirement of all multiuser detection and interference cancellation techniques, though little attention has been paid to the subject in the context of time-division multiple-access (TDMA) systems. This paper addresses a pilot-based MMSE technique for multiuser channel estimation in a TDMA system, and makes two key contributions. Firstly, it allows for time variation of the channels within and between training sequences, an essential feature in a multiuser environment even at moderate fading rates. Secondly, it addresses the design of training sequences for the multiple cochannel users