Patent ID: 6990153

Claim:
A multi-carrier communication system comprising: a transmitter comprising: a data input for receiving an unknown data signal for transmission; a known data input for receiving a known data signal; a signal power ratio input for receiving a power ratio signal indicating a ratio for combining the unknown data signal and the known data signal; and a data combiner coupled to the data input, the known data input and the signal power ratio input, the data combiner for combining the unknown data signal and the known data signal in accordance with the power ratio signal to produce a composite output signal comprising discrete data signals, wherein each discrete data signal comprises at least a portion of the unknown data signal and at least a portion of the known data signal combined in accordance with the power ratio signal, the data combiner having an output adapted to provide the composite output signal to a multi-carrier transmitter, wherein the multi-carrier transmitter transmits a transmit signal on a communication channel, wherein the transmit signal includes the composite output signal; and a receiver comprising: a multi-carrier receiver for receiving a receive signal corresponding to the transmit signal on the communication channel, and the multi-carrier receiver having an output for providing a corresponding composite signal, wherein the corresponding composite signal comprises corresponding discrete data signals, and the corresponding composite signal being shaped by at least one signal shaping characteristic of the communication channel; a channel estimator having a known data input for receiving the known data signal, an input coupled to receive the corresponding composite signal, an input coupled to receive the power ratio signal, and an input for receiving at least one estimate of the unknown data signal, the channel estimator for estimating the at least one signal shaping characteristic of the communication channel from at least the corresponding composite signal, the at least the portion of the known data signal of at least some of the corresponding discrete data signals, the power ratio signal and the at least one estimate of the unknown data signal, and the channel estimator having an output for providing at least one estimated communication channel characterising signal; and an equalizer coupled to receive the corresponding composite signal, the known data signal, the power ratio signal and the at least one estimated communication channel characterizing signal, the equalizer for configuring at least one of its signal shaping characteristics to compensate for the at least one signal shaping characteristic of the communication channel, the configured equalizer for shaping the corresponding composite signal accordingly, and the equalizer having an output for providing at least one subsequent estimate of the unknown data signal.