Method and apparatus of recursive time-frequency channel estimation

1. A method comprising:

determining, via at least one processor, to perform channel estimation for a multi-carrier transmission by deriving estimates from raw channel estimates at predetermined pilot locations and subjecting the raw estimates to smoothing and performing an interpolation or extrapolation on the smoothened raw estimates; splitting said interpolation and extrapolation into a frequency domain part and a time domain part;

determining, via the at least one processor, to use for both said frequency domain part and said time domain part respective recursive filters; and

determining to adapt at least one of said recursive filters to channel conditions of said multi-carrier transmission.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said recursive filters are infinite impulse response poly-phase filters.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising configuring said recursive filter for said frequency domain part to have complex valued filter coefficients.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining to use a timing estimator to derive a signal portion from which said estimates are derived.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said smoothing comprises a forward recursive smoothing of raw channel estimates.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said determining to adapt comprises deriving a forgetting factor of said recursive filter of said frequency domain part from at least one of a channel change rate and a channel quality parameter.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising parameterizing said forgetting factor in terms of at least one of said channel change rate and said channel quality parameter.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said determining to adapt comprises deriving a forgetting factor of said recursive filter of said time domain part from at least one of a coherence time and a channel quality parameter.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising determining to provide at least one first and second forgetting factor for said recursive filter of said time domain part, determining to use said at least one first forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in one transmission direction which are not separated by a transmission period in the other transmission direction, and determining to use said at least one second forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in said one transmission direction which are separated by a transmission period in said other transmission direction.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising performing said interpolation or said extrapolation in said time domain on time filtered channel estimates taking into account at least one of a time-dependent phase change and a gain change.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least on memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

cause, at least in part, an estimate of a channel of a multi-carrier transmission by deriving estimates from raw channel estimates at predetermined pilot locations and subjecting the raw estimates to smoothing and performing an interpolation or extrapolation on the smoothened raw estimates;

cause, at least in part, splitting said interpolation and extrapolation into a frequency domain part and a time domain part,

wherein said apparatus is further caused to use for both said frequency domain part and said time domain part respective recursive filters, and wherein at least one of said recursive filters is adapted to channel conditions of said multi-carrier transmission.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said recursive filters are infinite impulse response poly-phase filters.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said recursive filter for said frequency domain part is configured to have complex valued filter coefficients.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said apparatus is further caused to use a timing estimator to derive a signal portion from which said estimates are derived.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein apparatus is further caused to perform a forward recursive smoothing of raw channel estimates.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said apparatus is further caused to derive a forgetting factor of said recursive filter of said frequency domain part from at least one of a channel change rate and a channel quality parameter.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said apparatus is further caused to parameterize said forgetting factor in terms of at least one of said channel change rate and said channel quality parameter.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said apparatus is further caused to derive a forgetting factor of said recursive filter of said time domain part from at least one of a coherence time and a channel quality parameter.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein said apparatus is further caused to provide at least one first and second forgetting factor for said recursive filter of said time domain part, using said at least one first forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in one transmission direction which are not separated by a transmission period in the other transmission direction, and using said at least one second forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in said one transmission direction which are separated by a transmission period in said other transmission direction.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said apparatus is further caused to perform said interpolation or said extrapolation in said time domain on time filtered channel estimates taking into account at least one of a time-dependent phase change and a gain change.

21. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus comprises a terminal device.

22. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus comprises a receiver module.

23. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus comprises a chip device.

24. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising:

a program instruction for determining to perform channel estimation for a multi-carrier transmission by deriving estimates from raw channel estimates at predetermined pilot locations and subjecting the raw estimates to smoothing and performing interpolation or extrapolation on the smoothened raw estimates;

a program instruction for splitting said interpolation and extrapolation into a frequency domain part and a time domain part;

a program instruction for determining to use for both said frequency domain part and said time domain part respective recursive filters; and

a program instruction for determining to adapt at least one of said recursive filters to channel conditions of said multi-carrier transmission.

25. A method comprising:

determining, via at least one processor, to perform channel estimation for a multi-carrier transmission by splitting an interpolation or extrapolation or smoothing of estimates into a frequency domain part and a time domain part;

determining, via the at least one processor, to use for both said frequency domain part and said time domain part respective recursive filters;

determining to adapt at least one of said recursive filters to channel conditions of said multi-carrier transmission by deriving a forgetting factor of said recursive filter of said time domain part from at least one of a coherence time and a channel quality parameter; and

determining to provide at least one first and second forgetting factor for said recursive filter of said time domain part, using said at least one first forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in one transmission direction which are not separated by a transmission period in the other transmission direction, and using said at least one second forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in said one transmission direction which are separated by a transmission period in said other transmission direction.

26. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least on memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

cause, at least in part, an estimate of a channel of a multi-carrier transmission by splitting an interpolation or extrapolation or smoothing of estimates into a frequency domain part and a time domain part and to derive a forgetting factor of said recursive filter of said time domain part from at least one of a coherence time and a channel quality parameter, wherein said apparatus is further caused to use for both said frequency domain part and said time domain part respective recursive filters, and wherein at least one of said recursive filters is adapted to channel conditions of said multi-carrier transmission, and wherein said apparatus is further caused to provide at least one first and second forgetting factor for said recursive filter of said time domain part, using said at least one first forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in one transmission direction which are not separated by a transmission period in the other transmission direction, and wherein said apparatus is further caused to use said at least one second forgetting factor for smoothing between estimates in said one transmission direction which are separated by a transmission period in said other transmission direction.