Method and apparatus for allocating carrier channels

A method for allocating a carrier channel in a multi-tone system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) determining a number of required bits from a carrier channel allocation request;
• b) generating an ordered bit loading table based on the carrier channel allocation request, wherein the ordered bit loading table includes bit loading for plurality of carrier channels in an ordered sequence;
• c) scanning the ordered bit loading table to determine whether the number of required bits exceeds the bit loading of a first carrier channel of the plurality of carrier channels, wherein the bit loading of the first carrier channel is a maximum for the ordered bit loading table;
• when the number of required bits exceeds the bit loading of the first carrier channel:
• d) allocating the first carrier channel to the carrier channel allocation request;
• e) calculating a remaining number of required bits based on the number of required bits and the bit loading of the first carrier channel;
• f) scanning the ordered bit loading table to determine whether the remaining number of required bits exceeds the bit loading of a second carrier channel of the plurality of carrier channels having next maximum bit loading;
• and
• g) when the bit loading of the second carrier channel exceeds the remaining number of required bits, allocating the second carrier channel to the carrier channel allocation request.

A method for allocating a carrier channel within a multi-tone system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) determining a number of required bits;
• b) scanning a bit loading table to find a closest match carrier channel, wherein the closest match carrier channel has a bit loading which most closely matches the number of required bits;
• c) when the bit loading of the closest match carrier channel is less than or equals the number of required bits, allocating the closest match carrier channel;
• and
• d) when the bit loading of the closest match carrier channel is greater than the number of required bits, adjusting the bit loading of the closest match carrier channel to equal the number of required bits.

An apparatus for allocating a carrier channel in a multi-tone system, the apparatus comprising:

• an input port for receiving a carrier channel allocation request;
• memory that stores site bit loading tables for a plurality of sites and carrier channel in-use information;
• and
• a processor operably coupled to the memory and the input port, wherein the processor generates an ordered bit loading table from at least one of the site bit loading tables based on the carrier channel allocation request and the carrier channel in-use information, determines a number of required bits based on the carrier channel allocation request, and allocates at least one carrier channel to the carrier channel allocation request based on the number of required bits and the ordered bit loading table.