A channel estimation (CE) technique that uses a postfixed pseudo-random sequence padded with zero samples is investigated to extend pseudo-random-postfix orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexing (PRP-OFDM) communications onto mobile applications. The proposed technique takes advantage of pseudo-noise sequences periodically inserted after each OFDM block within the original guard interval (GI) in conventional zero-padded OFDM (ZP-OFDM) or within the original cyclic prefix (CP) in conventional CP-OFDM. This allows accurate estimation of the channel impulse response. In addition, the proposed technique takes advantage of the null samples padded after the PN sequences for reducing inter-symbol interference occurring with the CEs and with the overlap-add information detection in the conventional PRP-OFDM. The proposed technique successfully applies either (1) a least-squares (LS) CE with assistance from decision-directed data or (2) an approximate LS CE method onto PRP-OFDM-like communications for the purpose of improving CE performance on rapid time-varying channels. Computer simulations in conjunction with statistical analysis assess the performance evaluation of the proposed technique and show that it can achieve lower mean-square estimation errors and lower error probabilities in mobile environments.
