Configurable constellation mapping to control spectral efficiency versus signal-to-noise ratio

A cable modem apparatus, comprising:

• circuitry to remove a cyclic prefix (CP) and to perform a reverse windowing operation on time domain constellation symbols of mixed-modulation data sub-carriers, wherein the data sub-carriers include Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) sub-carriers and are modulated based on Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) constellations including a square QAM constellation and a non-square QAM constellation;
• a Fourier Transform module to transform the constellation symbols from time domain symbols to frequency domain symbols;
• an de-interleaver to de-interleave the constellation symbols in time and frequency;
• a demodulator to demodulate the sub-carriers;
• and
• a constellation demapper to demap the sub-carriers.

A system including:

• a wireless communication system to communicate with an external communication network;
• circuitry to remove a cyclic prefix (CP) and to perform a reverse windowing operation on time domain constellation symbols of mixed-modulation data sub-carriers, wherein the data sub-carriers include Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) sub-carriers and are modulated based on Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) constellations including a square QAM constellation and a non-square QAM constellation;
• a Fourier Transform module to transform the constellation symbols from time domain symbols to frequency domain symbols;
• an de-interleaver to de-interleave the constellation symbols in time and frequency;
• a demodulator to demodulate the sub-carriers;
• and
• a constellation demapper to demap the sub-carriers.

A method to be used at a cable modem apparatus including:

• removing a cyclic prefix (CP) and to perform a reverse windowing operation on time domain constellation symbols of mixed-modulation data sub-carriers, wherein the data sub-carriers include Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) sub-carriers and are modulated based on Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) constellations including a square QAM constellation and a non-square QAM constellation;
• transforming the constellation symbols from time domain symbols to frequency domain symbols;
• de-interleaving the constellation symbols in time and frequency;
• demodulating the sub-carriers;
• and
• using a constellation demapper to demap the sub-carriers.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that if executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• remove a cyclic prefix (CP) and to perform a reverse windowing operation on time domain constellation symbols of mixed-modulation data sub-carriers, wherein the data sub-carriers include Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) sub-carriers and are modulated based on Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) constellations including a square QAM constellation and a non-square QAM constellation;
• transform the constellation symbols from time domain symbols to frequency domain symbols;
• de-interleave the constellation symbols in time and frequency;
• demodulate the sub-carriers;
• and
• use a constellation demapper to demap the sub-carriers.