Equalization of nonlinear time-varying channels using type-2 fuzzy adaptive filters

This paper presents a new kind of adaptive filter: type-2 fuzzy adaptive filter (FAF); one that is realized using an unnormalized type-2 Takagi–Sugeno–Kang (TSK) fuzzy logic system (FLS). We apply this filter to equalization of a nonlinear time-varying channel and demonstrate that it can implement the Bayesian equalizer for such a channel, has a simple structure, and provides fast inference. A clustering method is used to adaptively design the parameters of the FAF. Two structures are used for the equalizer: transversal equalizer (TE) and decision feedback equalizer (DFE). A new decision tree structure is used to implement the decision feedback equalizer, in which each leaf of the tree is a type-2 FAF. This DFE vastly reduces computational complexity as compared to a TE. Simulation results show that equalizers based on type-2 FAFs perform much better than nearest neighbor classifiers (NNC) or equalizers based on type-1 FAFs.