Hidden pilot based precoder design for MIMO-OFDM systems

Abstract

In order to improve bandwidth efficiency and bit error rate (BER) performance, a new hidden pilot scheme using a precoder is proposed for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. We show that the inevitable data interference of the hidden pilot, which degrades the performance of channel estimation, can be reduced successfully by the precoder design for each antenna with the aid of an iterative scheme. We also show that frequency diversity gain can be achieved due to the spreading effect of the precoder. Computer simulations are presented in which the proposed scheme is compared with conventional methods with respect to channel estimation, BER and bandwidth efficiency.