Method to allocate data bits, multicarrier transmitter and receiver using the method, and related allocation message generator

Multicarrier receiver (R, R′) adapted to transform multicarrier data symbols (S′) received from a transmission link (TL) via an input terminal (IT′) into a sequence of digital data packets (D′), said multicarrier receiver (R, R′) including between said input terminal (IT′) and an output terminal (OT′) thereof the cascade connection of:

• a. demodulation means (DEM), adapted to demodulate said multicarrier data symbols (S′) from a set of carriers where they are modulated on, a subset of said set of carriers having frequencies (f1, f2, f3, f4) within predetermined frequency ranges (Amateur Radio Band) with high probability for being affected by narrowbanded interference (RFI) compared to carriers having frequencies outside these predetermined frequency ranges (Amateur Radio Bond);
• and
• b. bit de-allocation means (BDA), adapted to retrieve from each carrier of said set of carriers the exact number of data bits that was modulated thereon, characterised in that said multicarrier receiver (R, R′) further includes:
• c. narrowbanded interference measurement means (IMM), adapted to measure for each carrier in said subset of carriers the amount of narrowbanded interference (RFI) by which said carrier is affected;
• d. diversity means (DIV), an input of which is coupled to an output of said narrowbanded interference measurement means (IMM) and respective outputs of which are coupled to a control input of said demodulation means (DEM) and a control input of said bit de-allocation means (BDA), and adapted to decide which data bits amongst redundantly allocated data bits are taken for demodulation and re-combination;
• and further characterised in that:
• e. said demodulation means (DEM) is adapted to demodulate said data bits taken by said diversity means (DIV);
• f. said bit de-allocation means (BDA) is adapted to retrieve and re-combine said data bits taken by said diversity means (DIV).

Allocation message generator (AMG, AMG′), adapted to generate an allocation message (AM) to be communicated between a multicarrier transmitter (T, T′) and a multicarrier receiver (R, R′) in a multicarrier transmission system wherein digital data packets (D) will be transmitted between said multicarrier transmitter (T, T′) and said multicarrier receiver (R, R′) via a transmission link (TL) after being modulated on a set of carriers, a subset of carriers constituting said set of carriers having frequencies (f1, f2, f3, f4) within frequency ranges (Amateur Radio Band) with high probability for being affected by narrowbanded interference (RFI) compared to carriers having frequencies outside these frequency ranges (Amateur Radio Band), said allocation message generator (AMG, AMG′) including:

• a. a carrier identifier generator (CG), adopted to generate a first parameter (fi) referring to one carrier of said set of carriers where said allocation message (AM) is related to;
• b. a bit amount generator (BG), adapted to generate a second parameter (bi) representing an amount of data bits that is allocated in said multicarrier transmitter (T, T′) to said carrier where said allocation message (AM) is related to;
• c. a power amount generator (PG), adapted to generate a third parameter (pi) representing a power level at which said carrier where said allocation message (AM) is related to, is transmitted;
• and
• d. embedding means (EM), respective inputs (11, 12, 13) of which are coupled to outputs of said carrier identifier generator (CG), said bit amount generator (BG), and said power amount generator (PG) respectively, said embedding means (EM) being adapted to embed said first parameter (fi), said second parameter (bi) and said third parameter (pi) in respective fields of said allocation message (AM), characterised in that said allocation message generator (AMG, AMG′) further includes:
• e. a redundancy parameter generator (RG), adapted to generate a fourth parameter (rp) indicating whether said carrier where said allocation message (AM) is related to, carries redundant information or not;
• and further characterised in that
• f. said embedding means (EM) is provided with an additional input (14) whereto an output of said redundancy parameter generator (RG) is coupled, said embedding means (EM) being adapted to embed also said fourth parameter (rp) in a respective field of said allocation message (AM).