The pathwise semi-blind algorithm for downlink DS-CDMA systems using antenna arrays

This paper presents a semi-blind algorithm for multiuser interference cancellation and fading amplitude estimation for downlink MIMO DS-CDMA systems with multipath fading channels. Taking advantage of the space-time information of the parametric multipath channel, the proposed algorithm first uses a space-time channel decoupler to suppress multiuser interference and then decomposes the channel into a set of parallel subchannels each containing the signal of the desired user on an individual multipath. Two criteria, the complementary orthogonal projection (COP) and the minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR), are employed by the space-time decoupler to achieve interference suppression and signal separation. The fading amplitudes can then be estimated from the eigen space of the output of the space-time channel decoupler. It follows that the signal of interest can be maximally combined in a pathwise manner and then differentially decoded.