A decoupled WLS approach to DS-CDMA multiuser detection

A new algorithm for multiuser detection in a DS-CDMA system is presented. Based on an algorithm originally developed in the array-processing context, it minimizes a weighted least-squares criterion, and detects one signal at a time. A performance analysis in terms of the bit-error rate is carried out, and demonstrates that the proposed method is asymptotically identical to the LMMSE-estimator, but without assuming or requiring any knowledge of the signal amplitudes. Only the desired user's signature sequence and timing is required. Both a batch and a recursive formulation of the algorithm is described and simulation results are included in addition to the analysis, to highlight the comparison to other methods.