Timing estimation in space-time coding systems combining with continuous phase modulation

A data aided symbol timing estimation algorithm was proposed for burst-mode space-time trellis coded multi-level continuous phase modulation (STTC-MCPM) systems in Rayleigh fading channels. An identical and known training sequence was embedded before transmission of each packet of each transmit antenna at the same time. Each receive antenna first calculated the corresponding training signals from the separately received signals, and then the digital Fourier transformation (DFT) of the phase of the one-symbol differential signals of the obtained ones. The symbol timing offset could be estimated from the phase of the tone component of the DFT outputs. Matlab simulation showed that for quasi-static flat Rayleigh fading channels, the variance of the timing estimation error and the performance degradation of the frame error rate (FER) under non-ideal synchronization conditions were very small. This algorithm can estimate the initial timing offset rapidly and accurately.