Receiver and method

A method of detecting and recovering data from Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the OFDM symbols comprising a plurality of data bearing sub-carriers on which data is transmitted and a plurality of pilot bearing sub-carriers on which pilot data is transmitted, the pilot sub-carriers being arranged within the OFDM symbols in accordance with a pilot sub-carrier pattern, the method comprising

• generating a sample of a channel transfer function for each pilot sub-carrier in a received OFDM symbol,
• generating an estimate of the channel transfer function providing samples of the channel transfer function at each sub-carrier position in the received OFDM symbol from the pilot derived samples, and
• processing the estimate of the channel transfer function to generate a processed version of the channel transfer function, the processing including
• filtering the estimate of the channel transfer function using a plurality of prediction filters to form the processed version of the channel transfer function to the effect of reducing noise in the processed version of the channel transfer function with respect to the estimate of the channel transfer function.

A receiver comprising

• a detector for detecting Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the OFDM symbols comprising a plurality of data bearing sub-carriers on which data is transmitted and a plurality of pilot bearing sub-carriers on which pilot data is transmitted, the pilot sub-carriers being arranged within the OFDM symbols in accordance with a pilot sub-carrier pattern,
• a channel estimation processor which includes a pilot acquisition unit adapted to generate a sample of the channel transfer function for each pilot sub-carrier in a received OFDM symbol, and a channel estimator which is arranged to generate an estimate of the channel transfer function providing samples of the channel transfer function at each sub-carrier position in the received OFDM symbol from the pilot derived samples provided by the pilot acquisition unit, and
• a channel estimate post processor which is arranged in operation to process the estimate of the channel transfer function received from the channel estimation processor to generate a processed version of the channel transfer function, the channel estimate post processor including
• a controller, and a plurality of prediction filters, wherein the controller is arranged to filter the estimate of the channel transfer function produced by the channel estimation processor using the plurality of prediction filters to form the processed version of the channel transfer function to the effect of reducing noise in the processed version of the channel transfer function with respect to the estimate of the channel transfer function provided by the channel estimation processor.

An apparatus for detecting and recovering data from Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the OFDM symbols comprising a plurality of data bearing sub-carriers on which data is transmitted and a plurality of pilot bearing sub-carriers on which pilot data is transmitted, the pilot sub-carriers being arranged within the OFDM symbols in accordance with a pilot sub-carrier pattern, the apparatus comprising

• means for generating a sample of a channel transfer function for each pilot sub-carrier in a received OFDM symbol,
• means for generating an estimate of the channel transfer function providing samples of the channel transfer function at each sub-carrier position in the received OFDM symbol from the pilot derived samples, and
• means for processing the estimate of the channel transfer function to generate a processed version of the channel transfer function, the processing including
• means for filtering the estimate of the channel transfer function using a plurality of prediction filters to form the processed version of the channel transfer function to the effect of reducing noise in the processed version of the channel transfer function with respect to the estimate of the channel transfer function.