Apparatus and method for FT pre-coding of data to reduce PAPR in a multi-carrier wireless network

1. For use in a wireless network, a subscriber station capable of communicating with the wireless network according to a multi-carrier protocol, the subscriber station comprising:

a size M Fourier Transform (FT) block capable of receiving input symbols and generating therefrom M FT pre-coded outputs, the input symbols comprising data signals and pilot signals; and

a size N inverse Fourier Transform (IFT) block capable of receiving N inputs, the N inputs including the M FT pre-coded outputs from the size M FT block, and generating therefrom N outputs to be transmitted to a base station of the wireless network, wherein the size M FT block and the size N IFT block are one of: 1) a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) block and an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) block; and 2) a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) block and an inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) block,

wherein the data signals and pilot signals are mapped to alternating subcarriers and the size N IFT block receives signaling and control information on at least some of the N inputs other than the M FT pre-coded outputs.

2. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the signaling and control information comprises a pilot signal.

3. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the size N IFT block receives only the M FT pre-coded outputs during selected time slots and receives only the signaling and control information during other selected time slots.

4. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the multi-carrier protocol comprises one of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and orthogonal frequency division multiple access.

5. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the input symbols further comprise a pilot signal.

6. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the size N IFT block receives signaling and control information on at least some of the N inputs other than the M FT pre-coded outputs.

7. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the size N IFT block receives only the M FT pre-coded outputs during selected time slots and receives only the signaling and control information during other selected time slots.

8. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the signaling and control information comprises a pilot signal.

9. The subscriber station as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the multi-carrier protocol comprises one of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and orthogonal frequency division multiple access.

10. For use in a subscriber station capable of communicating with a wireless network according to a multi-carrier protocol, a method for reducing the peak-to-average power ration (PAPR) of a radio frequency signal transmitted by the subscriber station to a base station of the wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving input symbols to be transmitted to the base station, the input symbols comprising data signals and pilot signals;

performing a size M Fourier Transform (FT) operation on the received input symbols to thereby generate M FT pre-coded outputs; and

performing a size N inverse Fourier Transform (IFT) operation on N inputs, the N inputs including the M FT pre-coded outputs, to thereby generate N outputs to be transmitted to the base station, wherein the size M FT operation and the size N IFT operation are one of: 1) a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operation and an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) operation; and 2) a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) operation and an inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) operation

mapping the data signals and pilot signals to alternating subcarriers, wherein the size N IFT operation receives signaling and control information on at least some of the N inputs other than the M FT pre-coded outputs.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the signaling and control information comprises a pilot signal.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the size N IFT operation is performed only on the M FT pre-coded outputs during selected time slots and is performed only on the signaling and control information during other selected time slots.

13. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the multi-carrier protocol comprises one of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and orthogonal frequency division multiple access.

14. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the input symbols further comprise a pilot signal.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the size N IFT operation receives signaling and control information on at least some of the N inputs other than the M FT pre-coded outputs.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the size N IFT operation is performed only on the M FT pre-coded outputs during selected time slots and is performed only on the signaling and control information during other selected time slots.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the signaling and control information comprises a pilot signal.

18. The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the multi-carrier protocol comprises one of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and orthogonal frequency division multiple access.

19. A base station for use in a wireless network capable of communicating with subscriber stations according to a multi-carrier protocol, the base station comprising:

down-conversion circuitry capable of receiving incoming radio frequency signals from the subscriber stations and generating therefrom a baseband signal;

a size N Fourier Transform (FT) block capable of receiving the baseband signal on N inputs and performing an FT operation to generate N outputs;

a size M Inverse Fourier Transform (IFT) block capable of receiving M of the N outputs of the size N FT block and performing a size M IFT operation on the M outputs to generate a plurality of data symbols transmitted by a first one of the subscriber stations, wherein the size N FT block and the size M IFT block are one of 1) a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) block and an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) block; and 2) a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) block and an inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) block; and

a frequency-domain equalizer capable of receiving a pilot signal transmitted by the first subscriber station and using the pilot signal to perform frequency-domain equalization on the M outputs of the size N FT block prior to the size M IFT operation of the size M IFT block wherein the size N FT block generates on at least some of the N outputs signaling and control information transmitted by the first subscriber station.

20. The base station as set forth in claim 19 , wherein the signaling and control information transmitted by the first subscriber station comprises the pilot signal.

21. The base station as set forth in claim 20 , wherein the data symbols transmitted by the first subscriber station are pre-coded.

22. A method for use in base station of a wireless network capable of communicating with subscriber stations according to a multi-carrier protocol, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving incoming radio frequency (RF) signals from the subscriber stations;

down-converting the incoming RF signals to generate a baseband signal;

performing a size N Fourier Transform (FT) operation on the baseband signal to generate N outputs;

performing a size M Inverse Fourier Transform (IFT) operation on M of the N outputs of the size N FT operation to generate a plurality of data symbols transmitted by a first one of the subscriber stations, wherein the size N FT operation and the size M IFT operation are one of: 1) a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operation and an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (LEFT) operation; and 2) a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) operation and an inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) operation; and

using a pilot signal transmitted by the first subscriber station to perform frequency-domain equalization on the M outputs of the size N FT operation prior to the size M IFT operation, wherein the size N FT operation generates on at least some of the N outputs signaling and control information transmitted by the first subscriber station.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22 , wherein the signaling and control information transmitted by the first subscriber station comprises the pilot signal.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23 , wherein the data symbols transmitted by the first subscriber station are pre-coded.

25. A wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with subscriber stations according to a multi-carrier protocol, each of the base stations comprising:

down-conversion circuitry capable of receiving incoming radio frequency signals from the subscriber stations and generating therefrom a baseband signal;

a size N Fourier Transform (FT) block capable of receiving the baseband signal on N inputs and performing an IFT operation to generate N outputs;

a size M Inverse Fourier Transform (IFT) block capable of receiving M of the N outputs of the size N FT block and performing a size M IFT operation on the M outputs to generate a plurality of data symbols transmitted by a first one of the subscriber stations, wherein the size N FT block and the size M IFT block are one of: 1) a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) block and an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) block; and 2) a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) block and an inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) block; and

a frequency-domain equalizer capable of receiving a pilot signal transmitted by the first subscriber station and using the pilot signal to perform frequency-domain equalization on the M outputs of the size N FT block prior to the size M IFT operation of the size M IFT block wherein the size N FT block generates on at least some of the N outputs signaling and control information transmitted by the first subscriber station.

26. The wireless network as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the signaling and control information transmitted by the first subscriber station comprises the pilot signal.

27. The wireless network as set forth in claim 26 , wherein the data symbols transmitted by the first subscriber station are pre-coded.