A new cell search scheme in 3GPP long term evolution downlink OFDMA systems

This paper presents a cell search procedure in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) downlink systems. The proposed cell search procedure contains three steps. In the beginning, conventional mode detection, symbol timing detection and fractional carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation methods are adopted so that frequency-domain signal processing can be performed subsequently. Secondly, a new joint detection method for integer carrier frequency offset and sector cell index information is proposed, which is shown to be capable of resisting symbol timing error. Finally, we also proposed a detection method for frame timing and cell identity (ID) group information without explicit channel estimates. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme with lower detection error probability is effective and robust compared with some conventional approaches.