Frame Synchronization Method for OFDM/QAM and ODFM/OQAM Modulations

In this paper, the proposed frame synchronization method exploits the time domain correlation results between a known reference signal and the received signal. The known reference signal corresponds to the modulated signal in the time domain with only frequency domain reference pilots and its characteristics are known by the receiver. The proposed frame synchronization method is so applicable to any system which uses OFDM modulation and includes scattered reference pilots for channel estimation purposes. In particular, it will be fully operative for both conventional OFDM/QAM modulation and alternative OFDM/OQAM modulation. The latter leads to optimal spectral efficiency as it does not require the use of a guard interval but demands for the definition of this kind of synchronization method. PN sequence is applied on reference pilots per block basis to correctly delimitate the frame position.