Time Domain Channel Estimation and Equalization of CP-OTFS Under Multiple Fractional Dopplers and Residual Synchronization Errors

In the last few years, orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) modulation has received significant attention as an alternative to OFDM especially for high mobilty scenarios. In this work, we develop a delay-Doppler domain embedded pilot based time domain channel estimation for cyclic prefix (CP)-OTFS in the presence of residual frame timing offset, carrier frequency offset and fractional multiple Doppler. One of the reasons for time domain processing is that the time domain channel representation is relatively more sparse as compared to its delay Doppler domain representation in the presence of residual synchronization errors. We also describe a time domain low complexity linear minimum mean square error (MMSE) equalization and successive interference cancellation (SIC) receiver for LDPC (low density parity check) coded CP-OTFS in this work. We further show the impact of residual frame timing offset, carrier frequency offset and fractional multiple Doppler on OTFS symbols. It is seen from the extensive Monte Carlo simulation results that the estimation and compensation methods presented here provide necessary resilience properties to OTFS. We bring out the tolerance of OTFS to such residual synchronization errors. It is further observed that the SIC is able to improve the performance of the system such that it almost matches that of the ideal knowledge based MMSE equalization. We also show the performance of RCP (reduced CP)-OTFS when used with the developed channel estimation and equalization algorithms. A unified signal processing flow for OTFS and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is also described in this work to motivate studies on coexistence between the two as well as to encourage investigations on a seamless transition between OFDM and OTFS based systems for future adaptive air interface design.

Automated summary

This work introduces a time domain channel estimation method for OTFS to combat the impact of residual synchronization errors in high mobility scenarios. By analyzing the effects of residual synchronization errors, it is shown that OTFS exhibits better sparsity in time domain channel representation. In addition, utilizing low complexity MMSE equalization and SIC receiver can enhance system performance and mitigate against residual synchronization errors.