A new frequency offset estimation technique for up-link MC-CDMA systems

We propose a new technique of frequency synchronization for the up-link in an MC-CDMA system. The frequency offset estimation is done in the frequency domain, by estimating the phase difference between two consecutive MC-CDMA symbols of the user of interest. The phase alternation, caused by transmitted user symbols, is eliminated using the knowledge of the previous estimated frequency offset and the fact that the latter is very slowly varying. This eliminates the need of knowledge of user symbols and renders the technique blind.