Carrier frequency synchronization for mobile television receivers

Timo Roman, Visa Koivunen

Abstract: In this paper, we introduce a novel subspace-based approach for carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation in OFDM. The proposed estimator exploits both scattered and continual pilots commonly used in mobile television systems such as DVB-H. Rapid channel estimation and CFO compensation is necessary in order to deal with high mobility, time-slicing and potential handovers during the receiver switch-off time. The proposed method achieves frequency synchronization within a single OFDM block. No extensive time averaging is needed, which makes the approach very attractive for time and frequency selective channels where the CFO may be time varying. It is particularly suitable to burst type of transmission used, for example in DVB-H. Simulation examples are provided within the framework of mobile DVB-H systems.