DCT-based channel estimation for single- and multicarrier communications

• A channel estimation technique for multicarrier and single carrier communications is shown.
• The new technique is derived from the symmetric convolution-multiplication properties of DTTs.
• The proposed channel estimation is particularly suitable for DCT-based transceivers.
• The analytical expressions to obtain the CIR estimate are derived.
• The proposed method uses training symbols, symmetric in time-domain.

We present a novel channel estimation technique based on discrete cosine transforms (DCT) for multicarrier and single carrier communications. Channel estimation is essential in communication systems, but especially in DCT-based transceivers for designing a front-end prefilter that must be included at the receiver to force the channel impulse response to be symmetric. The new technique is derived from the symmetric convolution-multiplication properties of discrete trigonometric transforms, and it is thus particularly suitable for DCT-based transceivers. The proposed channel estimation method is based on the use of training symbols, symmetric in time-domain, known by both transmitter and receiver. We demonstrate that by imposing a whole-sample symmetry condition in the training symbol, the channel impulse response can be estimated in a straightforward way. The analytical expressions to obtain the channel impulse response from the training symbol are also derived. Finally, this study is completed with several computer simulations to demonstrate the validity of the estimation technique.