A Synchronization & Cell Searching Technique for OFDM-based Cellular Systems

In this paper, a novel preamble structure, including a synchronization preamble and a cell search preamble, is proposed for OFDM-based cellular systems. An efficient algorithm for downlink synchronization and cell searching using the preamble is also proposed. The synchronization process includes the initial symbol timing estimation using continuously, or at least, periodically transmitted downlink signal, frame synchronization, the fine symbol timing estimation, and the frequency offset estimation using the synchronization preamble, and the cell identification using the cell searching preamble. Performance of each synchronization and cell searching step is analyzed and the analytic results including the overall performance of the synchronization and cell searching are verified by computer simulation. It is shown that the proposed preamble with the corresponding synchronization and cell searching algorithm can provide very robust synchronization and cell searching capability even in bad cellular environments.