Pilot selection for OFDMA carrier tracking

1. In an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transceiver device, a method comprising:

determining, for each of a plurality of transmit nodes, a corresponding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for each of a plurality of subchannels of an OFDM channel;

allocating, to each transmit node of the plurality of transmit nodes, a corresponding subset of subchannels of the plurality of subchannels;

selecting, for each subset of subchannels, one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node based on the SNRs of the subchannels in the subset,

wherein selecting one or more subchannels for use as pilots comprises:

determining a maximum number of pilots per transmit node; and

for each subject of subchannels, selecting a number of subchannels having the highest SNRs of the subset for use as pilots, the selected number of subchannels less than or equal to the maximum number of pilots; and

wherein allocating the corresponding subset of subchannels comprises:

assigning to each transmit node a corresponding subset of buckets of a plurality of buckets, the number of buckets in the subset based on a data rate requirement of the transmit node;

distributing the plurality of subchannels among the plurality of buckets based on the SNRs of the plurality of subchannels,

for each bucket, determining a total bit loading of the bucket based on the SNRs of the subchannels distributed to the bucket;

determining a lowest total bit loading of the plurality of buckets; and

equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets to the lowest total bit loading by reducing the bit loading of each of one or more subchannels distributed to those buckets having a total bit loading greater than the lowest total bit loading, wherein reducing the bit loading of each of the one or more subchannels for equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets reduces the SNRs of the one or more subchannels.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node comprises:

selecting the one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node based on the SNRs of the subchannels after equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein selecting the one or more subchannels for use as pilots further comprises:

determining a maximum number of pilots per transmit node; and

selecting, for use as pilots, a number of subchannels having the highest SNRs of the subchannels of the subset after equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets, the selected number of subchannels less than or equal to the maximum number of pilots.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the SNR for each of the plurality of subchannels comprises performing a channel estimation process using the transmit nodes and the OFDM transceiver device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the OFDM transceiver device is in communication with the plurality of transmit nodes via a coaxial cable network.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the OFDM transceiver device is in communication with the plurality of transmit nodes via a wireless network.

7. A device comprising:

a signaling interface to receive orthogonal frequency multiplexing (OFDM) signaling for an OFDM channel from a plurality of transmit nodes;

an OFDM receiver coupled to the signaling interface, the OFDM receiver to process the OFDM signaling;

a channel allocation module coupled to the OFDM receiver, the channel allocation module to:

determine, for each transmit node of the plurality of transmit nodes, a corresponding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for each of a plurality of subchannels of the OFDM channel;

allocate, to each transmit node of the plurality of transmit nodes, a corresponding subset of subchannels of the plurality of subchannels; and

select, for each subset of subchannels, one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node based on the SNRs of the subchannels in the subset;

an OFDM transmitter coupled to the signaling interface, the OFDM transmitter to transmit configuration information to the plurality of transmit nodes, the configuration information representing the allocation of the subchannels and the selection of subchannels for use as pilots;

wherein the channel allocation module is to select one or more subchannels for use as pilots by:

determining a maximum number of pilots per transmit node; and

for each subset of subchannels, select a number of subchannels having the highest SNRs of the subchannels of the subset for use as pilots, the selected number of subchannels being less than or equal to the maximum number of pilots, and

wherein the channel allocation module is to allocate the corresponding subset of subchannels by:

assigning each transmit node a corresponding subset of buckets of a plurality of buckets, the number of buckets in the subset based on a data rate requirement of the transmit node;

distributing the plurality of subchannels among the plurality of buckets based on the SNRs of the plurality of subchannels;

for each bucket, determining a total bit loading of the bucket based on the SNRs of the subchannels distributed to the bucket;

determining a lowest total bit loading of the plurality of buckets; and

equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets to the lowest total bit loading by reducing the bit loading of each of one or more subchannels distributed to those buckets having a total bit loading greater than the lowest total bit loading, wherein reducing the bit loading of each of the one or more subchannels for equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets reduces the SNRs of the one or more subchannels.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the channel allocation module is to select one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node by:

selecting the one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node based on the SNRs of the subchannels after equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the channel allocation module is to select the one or more subchannels for use as pilots further by:

determining a maximum number of pilots per transmit node; and

selecting, for use as pilots, a number of subchannels having the highest SNRs of the subchannels of the subset after equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets, the selected number of subchannels being less than or equal to the maximum number of pilots.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the channel allocation module is to determine the SNR for each of the plurality of subchannels by performing a channel estimation process using the transmit nodes and the OFDM receiver.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the signaling interface comprises a coaxial cable interface.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the signaling interface comprises a wireless network interface.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a set of executable instructions, the set of executable instructions to manipulate at least one processor to:

determine, for each transmit node of a plurality of transmit nodes, a corresponding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for each of a plurality of subchannels of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channel;

allocate, to each transmit node of the plurality of transmit nodes, a corresponding subset of subchannels of the plurality of subchannels;

select, for each subset of subchannels, one or more subchannels of the subset for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node based on the SNRs of the subchannels in the subset, and

wherein the executable instruction to manipulate the at least one processor to allocate the corresponding subset of subchannels comprise executable instructions to manipulate the at least one processor to:

assign to each transmit node a corresponding subset of buckets of a plurality of buckets, the number of buckets in the subset based on a data rate requirement of the transmit node;

distribute the plurality of subchannels among the plurality of buckets based on the SNRs of the plurality of subchannels;

for each bucket, determine a total bit loading of the bucket based on the SNRs of the subchannels distributed to the bucket;

determine a lowest total bit loading of the plurality of buckets; and

equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets to the lowest total bit loading by reducing the bit loading of each of one or more subchannels distributed to those buckets having a total bit loading greater than the lowest total bit loading, wherein reducing the bit loading of each of the one or more subchannels for equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets reduces the SNRs of the one or more subchannels.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the executable instructions to manipulate the at least one processor to select one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node comprise executable instructions to manipulate the at least one processor to:

select the one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node based on the SNRs of the subchannels after equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the executable instructions to manipulate the at least one processor to select one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node further comprise executable instructions to manipulate the at least one processor to:

determine a maximum number of pilots per transmit node; and

select, for use as pilots, a number of subchannels having the highest SNRs of the subchannels of the subset after equalizing the total bit loading of the plurality of buckets, the selected number of subchannels being less than or equal to the maximum number of pilots.