Tensor-Based Channel Estimation Approach for One-Way Multi-Hop Relaying Communications

Multi-hop relaying communications have great potentials in improving transmission performance by deploying relay nodes. The benefit is critically dependent on the accuracy of the channel state information (CSI) of all the transmitting links. However, the CSI has to be estimated. In this paper, we investigate the channel estimation problem in one-way multi-hop MIMO amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system, where both the two-hop and three-hop communication link exist. Traditional point-to-point MIMO channel estimation methods will result in error propagation in estimating relay links, and separately tackling the channel estimation issue of each link will lose the gain as part of channel matrices involved in multiple communication links. In order to exploit all the available gains, we develop a novel channel estimation model by structuring different communication links using the PARAFAC and PARATUCK2 tensor analysis. Furthermore, a two-stage fitting algorithm is derived to estimate all the channel matrices involved in the communication process. In particular, essential uniqueness is further discussed. Simulation results demonstrate the advantage and effectiveness of the proposed channel estimator.