A QRD-M/Kalman filter-based detection and channel estimation algorithm for MIMO-OFDM systems

The use of multiple transmit/receive antennas forming a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system can significantly enhance channel capacity. This paper considers a V-BLAST-type combination of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) with MIMO (MIMO-OFDM) for enhanced spectral efficiency and multiuser downlink throughput. A new joint data detection and channel estimation algorithm for MIMO-OFDM is proposed which combines the QRD-M algorithm and Kalman filter. The individual channels between antenna elements are tracked using a Kalman filter, and the QRD-M algorithm uses a limited tree search to approximate the maximum-likelihood detector. A closed-form symbol-error rate, conditioned on a static channel realization, is presented for the M=1 case with QPSK modulation. An adaptive complexity QRD-M algorithm (AC-QRD-M) is also considered which assigns different values of M to each subcarrier according to its estimated received power. A rule for choosing M using subcarrier powers is obtained using a kernel density estimate combined with the Lloyd-Max algorithm.