Method and apparatus for performing channel estimation for uplink data in NB-IoT physical layer

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores processor-executable instructions, which on execution, cause the processor to:
• receive a plurality of uplink data signals from at least one User Equipment (UE);
• divide the uplink data signal into a plurality of processing blocks, each processing block of the plurality of processing blocks comprises a plurality of slots, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots comprising a plurality of data symbols, a reference signal symbol and a plurality of reference signal tones;
• for each processing block:
• estimate a time offset by determining a first correlation value between the plurality of the reference signal tones within one reference signal symbol;
• and
• estimate a frequency offset by determining a second correlation value between a plurality of the reference symbols across the plurality of slots;
• and
• perform channel estimation upon estimating the time offset and the frequency offset of all of the plurality of the processing blocks.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions stored thereon that when processed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, a plurality of uplink data signals from at least one User Equipment (UE);
• dividing the uplink data signal into a plurality of processing blocks, each processing block of the plurality of processing blocks comprises a plurality of slots, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots comprising a plurality of data symbols, a reference signal symbol and a plurality of reference signal tones;
• for each processing block:
• estimating a time offset by determining a first correlation value between a plurality of the reference signal tones within one reference signal symbol;
• and
• estimating a frequency offset by determining a second correlation value between a plurality of the reference symbols across the plurality of slots;
• and
• performing channel estimation upon estimating the time offset and the frequency offset of all of the plurality of the processing blocks.