Transmitting and receiving data using polar codes

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for transmitting and receiving data over a physical channel using a polar code are provided. The polar code defines a plurality of virtual channels within the physical channel and allocates a subset of the virtual channels for the transmission of data. Each of the subset of virtual channels for the transmission of data are mapped to respective bits of a block of data to be transmitted. The method for transmitting data: receives a block of data to be transmitted; receives additional data to be transmitted together with the block of data; selects one or more of the virtual channels which are allocated for the transmission of data as being channels for transmitting the additional data; determines a scrambling sequence based on the additional data; applies the scrambling sequence to those bits of the block of data which map onto the one or more virtual channels for transmitting the additional data to generate a scrambled version of the block of data; and transmits the scrambled version of the block of data according to the polar code, wherein error detection data is also transmitted which enables the detection of errors in the block of data. The method for receiving data: receives a scrambled version of a block of data, wherein error detection data is also received which enables the detection of errors in the block of data; identifies one or more of the virtual channels which are allocated for the transmission of data as being channels on which additional data has been transmitted, wherein the scrambled version of the block of data is formed by scrambling the bits of the block of data which were transmitted on those channels using a scrambling sequence which is based on the additional data; generates one or more hypotheses as to the scrambling sequence which has been applied to the channels on which the additional data has been transmitted; tests each of the one or more hypotheses to identify a correct hypothesis by descrambling the scrambled version of the block of data according to each hypothesis and using the error detection data to determine whether any errors are present in the descrambled block of data, wherein the correct hypothesis is one for which no errors are present in the descrambled block of data; and determines the additional data that has been transmitted based on the correct hypothesis of the scrambling sequence that has been applied to the channels on which the additional data has been transmitted.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.