A Low-Complexity Detection Algorithm for the Primary Synchronization Signal in LTE

One of the challenging tasks in Long-Term Evolution (LTE) baseband receiver design is synchronization, which determines the symbol boundary and transmitted frame start time and performs cell identification. Conventional algorithms are based on correlation methods that involve a large number of multiplications and, thus, lead to high receiver hardware complexity and power consumption. In this paper, a hardware-efficient synchronization algorithm for frame timing based on K-means clustering schemes is proposed. The algorithm reduces the complexity of the primary synchronization signal for LTE from 24 complex multiplications, which are currently best known in the literature, to just eight. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has negligible performance degradation with reduced complexity relative to conventional techniques.