Joint blind and semi-blind detection and channel estimation for space-time trellis coded systems

The paper considers a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, which uses space-time trellis coding (STTC). A novel method of decoding STTC without a need to transmit training sequences is developed. The technique uses only a single channel estimate to acquire a complete set of the channels' estimates while performing STTC detection. The method is akin to blind trellis search techniques (per-survivor processing - PSP) and adaptive Viterbi. Our solution consists of the deployment of a bank of Kalman filters. The bank of Kalman filters is coupled with Viterbi type decoders, which produce tentative decisions based on Kalman channel predictions. In return, the Kalman filters use the tentative decisions to update and track the MIMO channels corresponding to a number of tracked hypotheses. The proposed technique is particularly applicable to space-time systems operating in rapidly fading environments, where STTC can be decoded and MIMO channels efficiently tracked without relying on periodic pilot sequences.