Apparatus and method for tracking a sampling clock of multi-carrier communication system

An apparatus for tracking a sampling clock of a multi-carrier communication system, comprising:

• a data removal module for generating a plurality of first data removal symbols by removing a predetermined transmitted data from a plurality of first received symbols, and generating a plurality of second data removal symbols by removing a predetermined transmitted data from a plurality of second received symbols, wherein the first and the second received symbols are transmitted respectively utilizing a first sub-carrier and a second sub-carrier, and the plurality of first received symbols and the plurality of second received symbols correspond to a plurality of time periods;
• a phase estimation module coupled to the data removal module for generating a first phase shift according to correlation of the first data removal symbols, and generating a second phase shift according to correlation of the second data removal symbols;
• a sampling clock offset computation module coupled to the phase estimation module for generating a control signal utilized to compensate the sampling clock of a plurality of received symbols according to the first and the second phase shifts;
• a correlation value computing unit coupled to the data removal module for generating a first correlation value according to two first data removal symbols, the two first data removal symbols corresponding to a first time period and a second time period respectively, and generating a second correlation value according to two second data removal symbols, the two second data removal symbols corresponding to the first time period and the second time period respectively;
• and
• an argument computing unit coupled to the correlation value computing unit for generating the first and the second phase shifts by computing arguments of the first and the second correlation values respectively;
• wherein the first time period is earlier than the second time period.