Iterative channel estimation method with compensated MMSE

A channel estimation treatment device comprising:

• a decoder;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor configured by instructions stored in the memory for executing steps comprising:
• obtaining a vector of channel estimates, called a current vector, each element of the current vector corresponding to an estimate of a subchannel;
• detecting, inside said current vector, at least one pilot symbol;
• obtaining at least one reference power Ep of said at least one symbol pilot;
• splitting said current vector in at least two distinct subvector, at least one first subvector comprising channel estimates related to data symbols and/or pilots symbols and at least one second subvector comprising channel estimates related to null symbols;
• decoding data which corresponds to the channel estimates in said at least one first subvector by the decoder, delivering at least one first treated subvector;
• applying, to at least one element of said at least one second subvector, of said at least one reference power Ep, delivering at least one second treated subvector;
• and
• calculating a new vector of channel estimates with said at least one first treated subvector and said at least one second treated subvector.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program product stored thereon and comprising instructions of program code for implementing a method of channel estimation treatment when run on a computer, wherein the instructions comprise:

• instructions configured to obtain a vector of channel estimates, called a current vector, each element of the current vector corresponding to an estimate of a subchannel;
• instructions configured to detect, inside said current vector, at least one pilot symbol;
• instructions configured to split said current vector in at least two distinct subvectors, at least one first subvector comprising channel estimates related to data symbols and/or pilots symbols and at least one second subvector comprising channel estimates related to null symbols;
• instructions configured to decode, with a decoder, data which corresponds to the channel estimates in said at least one first subvector, delivering at least one first treated subvector;
• instructions configured to modify, with a processing device, said at least one second subvector by assuming a presence of virtual pilot symbols in said at least one second subvector, delivering at least one second treated subvector, said assuming is based on a hypothesis that a power (Ep) of virtual pilot symbols presented in said at least one second subvector is equal to a power of pilot symbols in said at least one first subvector;
• and
• instructions configured to calculate, with the processing device, a new vector of channel estimates with said at least one first treated subvector and said at least one second treated subvector.