Frame and data pattern structure for multi-carrier systems

A transmitting method for transmitting signals in a multi-carrier system on the basis of a frame structure, the method comprising:

• forming frames of said frame structure, each frame comprising at least two signaling patterns adjacent to each other in a frequency direction and one or more first data patterns following the at least two signaling patterns in a time direction in a time slot immediately succeeding a time slot in which the at least two signaling patterns are located, wherein each of the data patterns succeeding the at least two signaling patterns is respectively followed by second data patterns in succeeding time slots in the time direction, wherein all data patterns following each other in the time direction have a same frequency direction structure, each of the at least two signaling patterns and the one or more first data patterns comprising a plurality of frequency carriers;
• arranging signaling data in each of said at least two signaling patterns in a frame, said signaling data comprising a tuning position of each of the data patterns in the frame;
• arranging data and at least one pilot signal in said one or more first data patterns in the frame;
• transforming said at least two signaling patterns and said one or more first data patterns from the frequency domain into the time domain in order to generate a time domain transmission signal;
• and
• transmitting said time domain transmission signal.

A receiving apparatus for receiving signals in a multi-carrier system on the basis of a frame structure in a transmission bandwidth, each frame comprising at least two signaling patterns adjacent to each other in a frequency direction and one or more first data patterns following the at least two signaling patterns in a time direction in a time slot immediately succeeding a time slot in which the at least two signaling patterns are located, wherein each of the data patterns succeeding the at least two signaling patterns is respectively followed by second data patterns in succeeding time slots in the time direction, wherein all data patterns following each other in the time direction have a same frequency direction structure, each of the at least two signaling patterns and the one or more first data patterns comprising a plurality of frequency carriers, wherein each frame comprises signaling data in each of said at least two signaling patterns, said signaling data comprising a tuning position of each of the data patterns in the frame, and one or more first data patterns with data and pilot signals, said receiving apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to be tuned to, by use of said tuning position, and to receive a selected part of said transmission bandwidth, said selected part of said transmission bandwidth covering at least one data pattern to be received;
• a channel estimator that performs a channel estimation on the basis of pilot signals comprised in a received data pattern;
• and
• a data de-mapper that de-maps data from frequency carriers of the received data pattern on the basis of a result of said channel estimation.

A receiving method for receiving signals in a multi-carrier system on the basis of a frame structure in a transmission bandwidth, each frame comprising at least two signaling patterns adjacent to each other in a frequency direction and one or more first data patterns following the at least two signaling patterns in a time direction in a time slot immediately succeeding a time slot in which the at least two signaling patterns are located, wherein each of the data patterns succeeding the at least two signaling patterns is respectively followed by second data patterns in succeeding time slots in the time direction, wherein all data patterns following each other in the time direction have a same frequency direction structure, each of the at least two signaling patterns and the one or more first data patterns comprising a plurality of frequency carriers, wherein each frame comprises signaling data in each of said at least two signaling patterns, said signaling data comprising a tuning position of each of the data patterns in the frame, and one or more first data patterns with data and pilot signals, the method comprising:

• tuning, by use of said tuning position, to a selected part of said transmission bandwidth,
• receiving said selected part of said transmission bandwidth, said selected part of said transmission bandwidth covering at least one data pattern to be received;
• performing a channel estimation on the basis of pilot signals included in a received data pattern;
• and
• de-mapping data from frequency carriers of the received data pattern on the basis of the result of said channel estimation.

A transmitting apparatus for transmitting signals in a multi-carrier system on the basis of a frame structure, said transmitting apparatus comprising:

• means for forming frames of said frame structure, each frame comprising at least two signaling patterns adjacent to each other in a frequency direction and one or more first data patterns following the at least two signaling patterns in a time direction in a time slot immediately succeeding a time slot in which the at least two signaling patterns are located, wherein each of the data patterns succeeding the at least two signaling patterns is respectively followed by second data patterns in succeeding time slots in the time direction, wherein all data patterns following each other in the time direction have a same frequency direction structure, each of the at least two signaling patterns and the one or more first data patterns comprising a plurality of frequency carriers, for arranging signaling data in each of said at least two signaling patterns in a frame, said signaling data comprising a tuning position of each of the data patterns in the frame, and for arranging data and at least one pilot signal in said one or more first data patterns in the frame;
• means for transforming said at least two signaling patterns and said one or more first data patterns from the frequency domain into the time domain in order to generate a time domain transmission signal;
• and
• means for transmitting said time domain transmission signal.

A receiving apparatus for receiving signals in a multi-carrier system on the basis of a frame structure in a transmission bandwidth, each frame comprising at least two signaling patterns adjacent to each other in a frequency direction and one or more first data patterns following the at least two signaling patterns in a time direction in the time slot immediately succeeding the time slot in which the at least two signaling patterns are located, wherein each of the data patterns succeeding the at least two signaling patterns is respectively followed by second data patterns in succeeding time slots in the time direction, wherein all data patterns following each other in the time direction have a same frequency direction structure, each of the at least two signaling patterns and the one or more first data patterns comprising a plurality of frequency carriers, wherein each frame comprises signaling data in each of said at least two signaling patterns, said signaling data comprising a tuning position of each of the data patterns in the frame, and one or more first data patterns with data and pilot signals, said receiving apparatus comprising:

• means for tuning, by use of said tuning position, and receiving a selected part of said transmission bandwidth, said selected part of said transmission bandwidth covering at least one data pattern to be received;
• means for performing a channel estimation on the basis of pilot signals comprised in a received data pattern;
• and
• means for de-mapping data from frequency carriers of the received data pattern on the basis of the result of said channel estimation.