Semi-blind space-time-frequency multiuser receiver for STBC MC-CDMA

A novel multiuser detection scheme for space-time block coded multicarrier code-division multiple-access (STBC MC-CDMA) systems is proposed. More specifically, a semi-blind space-time-frequency minimum mean square error based parallel interference cancellation receiver (STF-MMSE/PIC) is developed for an STBC MC-CDMA system. The signal processing of this new detector is jointly carried out in space, time and frequency domains, which leads to a powerful technique to combat the interference originating from different sources. Based on the characteristic function (CF) of a complex Gaussian random vector (CGRV), an analytical method for the calculation of the bit error rate (BER) for the proposed STF-MMSE receiver is presented. The mean square error (MSE) of the employed semi-blind channel estimation algorithm is evaluated by using the first-order perturbation theory. Several representative simulation examples of the detector are provided to demonstrate its superior performance.