Carrier Frequency Offset Estimation for MIMO Correlated Fading Channels

In this paper, we address the problem of carrier frequency offset estimation for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) correlated fading channels. A maximum likelihood (ML) carrier frequency offset estimator based on the average likelihood function is proposed, which can make use of the channel correlation information by averaging the conditional likelihood function over all realizations of the channel and can exploit both transmit and receive spatial diversity as well. The Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) for the problem is also derived, and simulation results are given to illustrate the performance of the proposed estimator and compare it with the CRB. It is shown that the proposed estimator can provide satisfactory frequency offset estimates in MIMO correlated fading channels.