Multi-carrier transmission systems

• US 6,438,174 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics NV
• Inventors: Isaksson, Mikael, Nordstrom, Tomas, Johansson, Magnus, Isaksson, Lars-Ake, Tonvall, Harry, Bengtsson, Daniel, Olsson, Lennart, Hakansson, Siwert, Stefansson, Tomas, Wen, Ye, Ohman, Hans, Bahlenberg, Gunnar, Isaksson, Anders, Okvist, Goran, Ljunggren, Lis-Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, DON NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US09/147,742
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 375/222, 375/259, 375/260, 375/261, 375/264, 375/298, 370/206, 370/207, 370/208, 370/210, 329/304, 332/103
• US Class Current: 375/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0065 Serial concatenated codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0071 Use of interleaving interleaving per se H03M13/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0046 Determination of how many bits are transmitted on different sub-channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling

Abstract

A multi-carrier transmission system such as a DMT based VDSL system. The system uses orthogonal carriers with high order QAM constellations for the transmission of multiple bits per carrier and symbol. This estimate includes digital receiver and transmitter units with the receiver unit including a symbol detection unit. This system is adapted to determine a parameter for each single carrier with the parameter being indicative of a deviation of a received signal from a corresponding constellation point. It compares the parameter with an upper lower limit and if the parameter is outside the limits, changes the constellation used to modulate the carrier to a neighboring constellation. The symbol detection unit may be used to determine a parameter such as the ratio d²/σ², where d is the shortest distance between neighboring constellations, σ is a standard deviation and σ² is the variance of the deviations of the input and output signal values of the symbol detection unit.

Claims

1. A multi-carrier transmission system using orthogonal carriers with high order QAM constellations for the transmission of multiple bits per carrier and symbol, said system including digital receiver and transmitter units, said receiver unit including a symbol detection unit, characterized in that said system is adapted to determine a parameter for each single carrier, said parameter being indicative of a deviation of a received signal from a corresponding constellation point;

to compare the parameter with an upper and lower limit; and

, if the parameter is outside said limits, to change the constellation used to modulate the carrier to a neighboring constellation.

2. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said symbol detection unit is used to determine the parameter for a carrier.

3. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said parameter is a ratio d²/σ

², where d is the shortest distance between neighboring constellations, σ

is a standard deviation, and σ

² is the variance of the deviations of the input and output signal values of said symbol detection unit.

4. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said symbol detection unit is adapted to associate an input signal applied thereto, in a range around a specific constellation point, to a distinct value of this point, said distinct value being the value of the output of said symbol detection unit, and to measure differences between said input and output signals for the carrier, said differences being squared and averaged to provide an estimate of a value for σ

².

5. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that σ

² is represented in the same units as the squared distance d² for the constellation used to modulate the carrier.

6. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the differences between the input and output signal values of said symbol detection unit vary in value, and in that said variance is a measure of the disturbance on the carrier and is directly related to the SNR.

7. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said variance is proportional to the SNR.

8. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that an upper limit of said variance for a specific constellation is determined by a maximum allowable-symbol error rate and in that a lower limit or said variance is equal to an upper limit for the next largest constellation.

9. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that a specific maximum symbol error rate gives a minimum ratio of d/σ

.

10. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said system is a DMT stem.

11. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said system is a DMT passed VDSL system.

12. In a multi-carrier transmission system using orthogonal carriers with high order QAM constellations for the transmission of multiple bits per carrier and symbol, said system including digital receiver and transmitter units, said receiver unit including a symbol detection unit, a method for determining a constellation (bit-loading) for each single carrier, characterized by the steps of determining a parameter for each single carrier, said parameter being indicative of a deviation of a received signal from a corresponding constellation point;

comparing the parameter with an upper and lower limit; and

, if the parameter is outside said limits, changing the constellation for the carrier to a neighboring constellation.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that determination of the parameter for each single carrier is effected by said symbol detection unit.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the parameter is a ratio d²/σ

², where d is the shortest distance between neighboring constellations, σ

is a standard deviation, and σ

² is the variance of the deviations of the input and output signal values of said symbol detection unit.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that determination of the parameter for a carrier includes the steps of associating an input signal to said symbol detection unit, in a range around a specific constellation point, to a distinct value of this point, said distinct value being the value of the output of said symbol detection unit;

and measuring differences between said input and output signals of said symbol detection unit for the carrier, said differences being squared and averaged to provide an estimate of a value for σ

².

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that σ

² is represented in the same units as the scared distance d² for the constellation used to modulate the carrier.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the differences between the input and output signal values of said symbol detection unit vary in value, and in that said variance is a measure of the disturbance on the carrier and is directly related to the SNR.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that said variance is proportional to the SNR.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that an upper limit of said variance for a specific constellation is determined by a maximum allowable symbol error rate and in that a lower limit for said variance is equal to an upper limit for the net largest constellation.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that a specific maximum symbol error rate gives a minimum ratio of d/σ

.

21. A method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that said system is a DMT system.

22. A method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that said system is a DMT based VDSL system.

23. A multi-carrier transmission system using orthogonal carriers with high order QAM constellations for the transmission of multiple bits per carrier and symbol, said system including digital receiver and transmitter units, said receiver unit including a symbol detection unit, characterized in that said system uses a method as claimed in claim 12 to for determining a constellation (bit-loading) for each single carrier.

24. A multi-carrier transmission system using orthogonal carriers with high order QAM constellations for the transmission of multiple bits per carrier and symbol, the system comprising:

digital receiver and transmitter units for determining a parameter for each single carrier with the parameter being indicative of a deviation of a received signal from a corresponding constellation point, for comparing the parameter with an upper and lower limit, and for changing the constellation used to modulate the carrier to a neighboring constellation if the parameter is outside the limits.

25. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 24 wherein said receiver unit comprises a symbol detection unit for determining the parameter for a carrier.

26. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 25 wherein the parameter is a ratio d²/σ

², where d is the shortest distance between neighboring constellations, σ

is a standard deviation, and σ

² is the variance of the deviations of the input and output signal values of said symbol detection unit.

27. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the symbol detection unit associates an input signal applied thereto, in a range around a specific constellation point, to a distinct value of the point, the distinct value being the value of the output of said symbol detection unit;

and wherein said symbol detection unit also measures differences between the input and output signals for the carrier, the differences being squared and averaged to provide an estimate of a value for σ

².

28. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 27 wherein σ

² is represented in the same units an the squared distance d2 for the constellation used to modulate the carrier.

29. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the differences between the input and output signal values of said symbol detection unit vary in value, and wherein the variance is a measure of the disturbance on the carrier and is directly related to the signal-to-noise ratio.

30. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 29 wherein the variance is proportional to the signal-to-noise ratio.

31. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 29 wherein an upper limit of the variance for a specific constellation is determined by a maximum allowable symbol error rate;

and wherein a lower limit for the variance is equal to an upper limit for the next largest constellation.

32. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 31 wherein a specific maximum symbol error rate gives a minimum ratio of d/σ

.

33. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the system is a DMT system.

34. A multi-carrier transmission system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the system is a DMT based VDSL system.