Analysis of Timing Error Detectors for Orthogonal Space-Time Block Codes

We analyze the properties of a class of low complexity timing error detectors for the purpose of timing error tracking in orthogonal space-time block coding receivers. For symmetrical signal constellations, under the assumptions of ideal data decisions and channel knowledge at the receiver, expressions for the S-curve, estimation error variance and the detector signal-to-noise ratio are derived. Simulations are used to confirm the analytical results and to evaluate the effects of data decision errors on the estimator properties. Symbol-error-rate performance is evaluated for a system operating in a frequency-flat Rayleigh fading environment, where the timing synchronization loss is found to be less than 0.3 dB. In addition to receiver with perfect channel state information, results for pilot-based channel estimation are included in order to examine the effects of channel estimation errors on timing synchronization.