Detection Performance of MIMO Unique Word OFDM

This paper introduces generalization of unique word OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) signaling scheme to multiple antennas (MIMO). As UW-OFDM represents a virtual massive MIMO system, the quasi-maximum likelihood (ML) detection algorithms initially introduced for massive MIMO systems are adapted to MIMO UW-OFDM. Results show that in an uncoded system MIMO UW-OFDM is able to exceed ML performance of MIMO CP-OFDM. However, the complexity penalty is not negligible. In case of a coded system, ML detected MIMO CP-OFDM still performs better. MIMO UW-OFDM represents a performance/complexity tradeoff between linear and ML detected MIMO CP-OFDM.