Array joint detection for C/TDMA systems in UMTS environments

Two array-based schemes for intracell and intercell interference suppression are proposed. In both cases, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the propagation are jointly exploited by placing a narrowband beamformer prior to the corresponding data detection stage. In the first approach, the filtered training sequence joint detection receiver (FTS-JDR), the beamformer is devoted to exclusively cancel out intercell interference. This way, intracell users can be jointly detected in a MMSE detection block. In contrast, the second algorithm, known as the filtered training sequence multisensor receiver (FTS-MR), aims to attenuate all the interferers in the beamforming stage which allows the user of interest to be detected following a MLSE strategy. In order to assess the performance of the proposed schemes, a set of link-level computer simulations adopting FRAMES' proposal for UMTS air-interface as well as realistic channel models for third generation communication systems is provided. Simulation results indicate that lower BERs can be obtained by concentrating interference cancellation tasks in the beamforming block.