Processing methods and devices for sending information symbols over multiplexed channels, and corresponding processing methods and devices for reception

Device for processing X streams of information symbols to be transmitted on Y communication channels, X and Y being positive integers, the Y communication channels simultaneously occupying a transmission resource organized as successive frames, the successive frames including compressed-mode frames having at least one inactive period during which no symbol is transmitted, the information symbols of each stream i (1≦i≦X) being transmitted in the course of successive transmission time intervals each comprising Fl consecutive frames, Fl being a positive integer, integers El, ΔNiTTI and ΔNlcm being defined for each transmission time interval relating to a stream i (1≦i≦X), with E1>0, ΔN1cm<0 if the said transmission time interval comprises at least one compressed-mode frame and ΔNlcm=0 if the said transmission time interval does not comprise any compressed-mode frame, the device comprising:

• means (21l-23l) for forming a first sequence (cl) of Ei coded symbols on the basis of information symbols of each stream i (1≦i≦X) pertaining to a transmission time interval;
• means (24l-25l) for forming, for each transmission time interval relating to a stream i (1≦i≦X), a second sequence of symbols (hl) including El+ΔNlTTI+ΔNlcm symbols extracted from the first sequence and −ΔNlcm marked symbols;
• means (26i) for forming a third sequence of symbols (ql) by a first permutation of the symbols of each second sequence;
• means (27i) for distributing the symbols of each third sequence, which is formed for a transmission time interval relating to a stream i (1≦i≦X), into Fi segments of consecutive symbols respectively assigned to the frames of the said transmission time interval, and for forming Fi fourth sequences (fl) of symbols respectively extracted from the segments assigned to the said frames;
• means (28-29) for forming, for each frame, a fifth sequence of symbols (w) including the symbols of the fourth sequence output for the said frame in relation to each stream i (1≦i≦X);
• means (30) for distributing the symbols of each fifth sequence into Y segments of symbols respectively assigned to the Y communication channels;
• means (31j) for forming a sixth sequence (uJ) of symbols extracted from the segment assigned to each communication channel;
• and
• means (32J) for forming a seventh sequence of symbols (vj) by a second permutation of the symbols of each sixth sequence, and for transmitting, in time slots of each frame on each communication channel, symbols extracted from the seventh sequence,
• in which the first permutation and the placing of the marked symbols in the second sequence, which is formed for a transmission time interval relating to a stream when the said transmission time interval comprises at least one compressed-mode frame, are such that each marked symbol belongs, in the third sequence which is formed for the said transmission time interval, to a segment assigned to a compressed-mode frame, each of the said marked symbols being deleted before transmission on each communication channel so as to husband the said inactive period in the course of the frame.

Method of processing Y digital streams (r′J) obtained on the basis of a signal received and comprising estimates of information symbols respectively transmitted along Y communication channels simultaneously occupying a transmission resource organized as successive frames, and pertaining to X transport channels, X and Y being positive integers, in which the successive frames include compressed-mode frames having at least one inactive period during which no symbol is transmitted, and in which the estimates of information symbols pertaining to each transport channel i (1≦i≦X) are received in the course of successive transmission time intervals each comprising Fl consecutive frames, Fl being a positive integer, the method comprising the following steps for each frame:

• forming, in relation to each communication channel j (1≦j≦Y), a first sequence (v′J) composed of estimates extracted from the time slots of the said frame and, when the said frame is in compressed mode, of marked estimates placed at positions corresponding to the inactive period of the said frame;
• for each communication channel, forming a second sequence of estimates (u′j) by a permutation of the estimates of the first sequence;
• forming a third sequence of estimates (s′) including estimates of the second sequence which is output for each communication channel;
• and
• distributing the estimates of the third sequence into X segments (f′l) of consecutive estimates, the X segments being respectively assigned to the X transport channels, and the following steps for each transmission time interval relating to a transport channel;
• forming a fourth sequence (q′l) by concatenating the respective segments (f′i) assigned to the said transport channel for the frames of the said transmission time interval;
• permuting the estimates of the fourth sequence and forming a fifth sequence (g′l) of estimates extracted from the fourth permuted sequence (h′l);
• ignoring each marked estimate of the fifth sequence, and forming a sixth sequence of symbols (c′i) on the basis of the other estimates of the fifth sequence;
• and
• decoding the sixth sequence of estimates and outputting the decoded estimates (a′l).

Device for processing Y digital streams (r′J) obtained on the basis of a signal received and comprising estimates of information symbols respectively transmitted along Y communication channels simultaneously occupying a transmission resource organized as successive frames, and pertaining to X transport channels, X and Y being positive integers, the successive frames including compressed-mode frames having at least one inactive period during which no symbol is transmitted, and the estimates of information symbols pertaining to each transport channel i (1≦i≦X) being received in the course of successive transmission time intervals each comprising Fl consecutive frames, Fl being a positive integer, the device comprising:

• means (52J) for forming, for each frame in relation to each communication channel, a first sequence (v′j) composed of estimates extracted from the time slots of the said frame and, when the said frame is in compressed mode, marked estimates placed at positions corresponding to the inactive period of the said frame;
• means (51j) for forming, for each frame in relation to each communication channel, a second sequence of estimates (u′J) by permutation of the estimates of the first sequence;
• means (50, 49) for forming, for each frame, a third sequence of estimates (s′) including estimates of the second sequence which is output for each communication channel;
• means (48) for distributing the estimates of the third sequence formed for each frame into X segments (f′l) of consecutive estimates, the X segments being respectively assigned to the X transport channels;
• means (47l) for forming a fourth sequence (q′l) for each transmission time interval relating to a transport channel, by concatenating the respective segments (f′l) assigned to the said transport channel for the frames of the said transmission time interval;
• means (46l, 45l) for permuting the estimates of the fourth sequence which is formed for each transmission time interval relating to a transport channel, and for forming a fifth sequence (g′i) of estimates extracted from the fourth permuted sequence (h′l);
• means (44l) for deleting each marked estimate of the fifth sequence which is formed for each transmission time interval relating to a transport channel, and for forming a sixth sequence of symbols (c′l) on the basis of the other estimates of the fifth sequence;
• and
• means (43l-41i) for decoding the sixth sequence of estimates which is formed for each transmission time interval relating to a transport channel, so as to output the decoded estimates (a′i).