Semi-blind channel identification for third-generation wideband CDMA communication systems

CDMA communication employing coherent detection with pilot symbol assisted channel estimation significantly outperforms non-coherent detection. In this paper, a semi-blind channel identification method is proposed for third-generation wideband CDMA communication systems, in order to reduce the need for pilot symbols in coherent detection. After an equivalent time-invariant single-input multi-output channel model is created for the de-spreaded signals through employing multiple antennas at the receiver site, both the cross-relation and the pilot symbols are applied to the equivalent linear time-invariant single-input multi-output channel model to derive a semi-blind channel identification solution. Simulations are performed to evaluate the semi-blind channel identification method's applicability to the 3G wideband CDMA communication systems