Convergence analysis of hyperparameter-free MCC-based channel estimation for mmWave MIMO systems

Abstract

Accurate channel-estimation algorithms are critical for enhancing the throughput of wireless communication systems, including millimetre wave (mmWave) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, where precise channel knowledge enables reliable signal detection and beamforming. In practical wireless environments, impulsive non-Gaussian noise with unknown statistics often occurs due to electromagnetic interference and harsh propagation conditions, significantly degrading estimation accuracy and overall system performance. In this context, the maximum correntropy criterion (MCC) has emerged as an attractive solution for robust channel estimation that outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms. However, the MCC-based algorithm’s performance is sensitive to the tuning of hyperparameters, which is challenging in the presence of non-Gaussian noise, such as impulsive noise (IN). Furthermore, a recent genre of kernel width sampling methods makes MCC hyperparameter-free and allows for asymptotic convergence to the squared-error performance of MCC with the ideal kernel width. To ensure their practical applicability, convergence analysis is essential to theoretically guarantee stability and performance under various IN scenarios. This study presents convergence analysis of hyperparameter-free MCC-based channel estimation for mmWave MIMO systems considering various IN scenarios. To validate the theoretical analysis, simulations are conducted on practical mmWave MIMO system models. Simulation results closely match the analytical findings, which confirms the accuracy and effectiveness of the analysis we here present. © © 2026 Bhatia, Kumar, Mitra, Jain, Shukla, Venkateswaran and Krejcar.