Channel estimation methods and apparatus utilizing the same

1. A channel estimation method in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system for receiving a plurality of OFDM symbols and generating channel estimation information, comprising:

obtaining a portion of pilot signals from a plurality of pilot signals as a first pilot set according to corresponding positions of the pilot signals in the OFDM symbols, wherein spacing between each pilot signal in the first pilot set is a first relative position;

estimating a first estimation factor by calculating correlation coefficients of the pilot signals in the first pilot set in a first direction to obtain the first estimation factor, estimating a second estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals in the first pilot set in a second direction to obtain the second estimation factor, and obtaining a pilot signal estimation result according to the first estimation factor and the second estimation factor; and

obtaining the channel estimation information according to the pilot signal estimation result,

wherein at least one step of the method is performed by at least one hardware processor.

2. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first estimation factor is obtained by calculating the entire pilot signals of the first direction in the first pilot set, and the second estimation factor is obtained by calculating a limited number of the pilot signals of the second direction in the first pilot set.

3. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a union of the first estimation factor and the second estimation factor is the pilot signal estimation result.

4. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the pilot signals are obtained as the first pilot set, and the OFDM system is operated in a Partial Usage of Subchannels (PUSC) mode of a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax) system.

5. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining another portion of the pilot signals as a second pilot set, wherein spacing between each pilot signal in the second pilot set is a second relative position, and wherein the first relative position is different from the second relative position; and

estimating a third estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals in the second pilot set in the first direction to obtain the third estimation factor and estimating a fourth estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals in the second pilot set in the second direction to obtain the fourth estimation factor, wherein a union of the first, the second, the third and the fourth estimation factors is the pilot signal estimation result.

6. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the channel estimation information is obtained by Wiener filtering according to the pilot signal estimation result.

7. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein when the pilot signals are grouped into the first pilot set and the second pilot set, the OFDM system is operated in a Full Usage of Subchannels (FUSC) mode of a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax) system.

8. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining another portion of the pilot signals as a second pilot set, wherein spacing between each pilot signal in the second pilot set is a second relative position, and wherein the first relative position is different from the second relative position; and

estimating a third estimation factor by calculating entire pilot signals of the first direction in the second pilot set, and estimating a fourth estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals of the second direction in the second pilot set according to the first estimation factor and the third estimation factor, wherein the fourth estimation factor is estimated by linear interpolation and wherein a union of the first, the second, the third and the fourth estimation factors is the pilot signal estimation result.

9. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the step of estimating the estimation factor is performed by Wiener filtering a plurality of sub-carriers and the pilot signals in the OFDM symbols.

10. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the channel estimation information obtained according to the pilot signal estimation result satisfies the formula: W=R(R+K) −1 , wherein W represents the channel estimation information, R represents the correlation coefficients result and K is a constant.

11. The channel estimation method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

estimating a plurality of initial values of the pilot signals, wherein the initial values are proportional to the received pilot signals, and inversely proportional to known transmitted pilot signals.

12. A channel estimation apparatus used in an Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system for receiving a plurality of OFDM symbols and generating channel estimation information, comprising:

a pilot signal selector obtaining a portion of pilot signals from a plurality of pilot signals as a first pilot set according to corresponding positions of the pilot signals in the OFDM symbols, wherein spacing between each pilot signal in the first pilot set is a first relative position;

a pilot signal estimation module coupled to the pilot signal selector, estimating a first estimation factor by calculating correlation coefficients of the pilot signals in the first pilot set in a first direction to obtain the first estimation factor, estimating a second estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals in the first pilot set in a second direction to obtain the second estimation factor, and obtaining a pilot signal estimation result according to the first estimation factor and the second estimation factor; and

a channel estimation information calculator coupled to the pilot signal estimation module and obtaining the channel estimation information according to the pilot signal estimation result.

13. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first estimation factor estimated by the pilot signal estimation module is obtained by calculating the entire pilot signals of the first direction in the first pilot set, and the second estimation factor estimated by the pilot signal estimation module is obtained by calculating a limited number of the pilot signals of the second direction in the first pilot set.

14. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a union of the first estimation factor and the second estimation factor estimated by the pilot signal estimation module is the pilot signal estimation result.

15. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein when the pilot signal selector obtains the pilot signals as the first pilot set, the OFDM system is operated in a Partial Usage of Subchannels (PUSC) mode of a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax) system.

16. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the pilot signal selector further obtains another portion of the pilot signals as a second pilot set, wherein spacing between each pilot signal in the second pilot set is a second relative position, and wherein the first relative position is different from the second relative position, and wherein the pilot signal estimation module estimates a third estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals in the second pilot set in the first direction to obtain the third estimation factor and estimates a fourth estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals in the second pilot set in the second direction to obtain the fourth estimation factor.

17. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein a union of the first, the second, the third and the fourth estimation factors is the pilot signal estimation result.

18. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein when the pilot signal selector groups the pilot signals into the first pilot set and the second pilot set, the OFDM system is operated in a Full Usage of Subchannels (FUSC) mode of a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax) system.

19. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the pilot signal selector further obtains another portion of the pilot signals as a second pilot set, wherein spacing between each pilot signal in the second pilot set is a second relative position, and wherein the first relative position is different from the second relative position, and wherein the pilot signal estimation module estimates a third estimation factor by calculating entire pilot signals of the first direction in the second pilot set, and estimates a fourth estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals of the second direction in the second pilot set according to the first estimation factor and the third estimation factor, wherein the fourth estimation factor is estimated by linear interpolation and wherein a union of the first, the second, the third and the fourth estimation factors is the pilot signal estimation result.

20. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the estimation is performed by Wiener filtering a plurality of sub-carriers and the pilot signals in the OFDM symbols.

21. The channel estimation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the channel estimation information obtained according to the pilot signal estimation result satisfies the formula: W=R(R+K) −1 , wherein W represents the channel estimation information, R represents the correlation coefficients and K is a constant.

22. A receiving apparatus used in an Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system, comprising:

a front end processing module for converting received signals to a plurality of OFDM symbols;

a channel estimation device receiving the OFDM symbols and generating channel estimation information, wherein the channel estimation device comprises:

a pilot signal selector obtaining a portion of pilot signals from a plurality of pilot signals as a first pilot set according to corresponding positions of the pilot signals in the OFDM symbols, wherein spacing between each pilot signal in the first pilot set is a first relative position;

a pilot signal estimation module coupled to the pilot signal selector, estimating a first estimation factor by calculating correlation coefficients of the pilot signals in the first pilot set in a first direction to obtain the first estimation factor, estimating a second estimation factor by calculating the pilot signals in the first pilot set in a second direction to obtain the second estimation factor, and obtaining a pilot signal estimation result according to the first estimation factor and the second estimation factor; and

a channel estimation information calculator coupled to the pilot signal estimation module and obtaining the channel estimation information according to the pilot signal estimation result; and

a back end processing module for decoding data according to the channel estimation information and the OFDM symbols.