Maximum SINR Synchronization Strategies in Multiuser Filter Bank Schemes

We consider synchronization in a multiuser filter bank uplink system with single-user detection. Perfect user synchronization is not the optimal choice as the intuition would suggest. To maximize performance the synchronization parameters have to be chosen to maximize the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) at each equalizer subchannel output. However, the resulting filter bank receiver structure becomes complex. Therefore, we consider two simplified synchronization metrics that are based on the maximization of the average SINR of a given user or the aggregate SINR of all users. Furthermore, a relaxation of the aggregate SINR metric allows implementing an efficient multiuser analysis filter bank. This receiver deploys two fractionally spaced analysis stages. Each analysis stage is efficiently implemented via a polyphase filter bank, followed by an extended discrete Fourier transform that allows the user frequency offsets to be partly compensated. Then, sub-channel maximum SINR equalization is used. We discuss the application of the proposed solution to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and multiuser Filtered Multitone (FMT) systems.