Blind identification of MISO-FIR channels

In this paper, we address the problem of determining the order of MISO channels by means of a series of hypothesis tests based on scalar statistics. Using estimated 4th-order output cumulants, we exploit the sensitiveness of a Chi-square test statistic to the non-Gaussianity of a stochastic process. This property enables us to detect the order of a linear finite impulse response (FIR) channel. Our approach leads to a new channel order detection method and we provide a performance analysis along with a criterion to establish a decision threshold, according to a desired level of tolerance to false alarm. Afterwards, we introduce the concept of MISO channel nested detectors based on a deflation-type procedure using the 4th-order output cumulants. The nested detector is combined with an estimation algorithm to select the order and estimate the parameters associated with different transmitters composing the MISO channel. By treating successively shorter and shorter channels, it is also possible to determine the number of sources. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.