Frequency offset compensation for multi-carrier communication systems

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a frequency offset compensation technique for use by a multi-carrier receiver. Compared with legacy receiver designs, the technique introduces a new function which correlates various frequency offsets of the different carriers involved in multi-carrier signal transmission and reception. This new function can be coupled with an Automatic Frequency Control (AFC) function which can then utilize the correlation information provided by the new function to achieve significantly better frequency error/offset estimation when the carriers are correlated. As a method aspect, the frequency offset compensation technique comprises the steps of receiving signals modulated on a plurality of carrier frequencies, deriving a frequency offset for each carrier frequency to thereby provide a plurality of frequency offsets corresponding to the plurality of carrier frequencies; correlating these plurality of frequency offsets; and controlling compensation of the frequency offsets based on a result of the correlation.