Methods for configurable non-orthogonal multiple access transmission

A user equipment (UE) comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming instructions for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• mapping each of at least one stream of bits to a set of modulated symbols using a set of spreading signatures, wherein the set of spreading signatures is one of a plurality of sets of spreading signatures, wherein for each set of spreading signatures in the plurality of sets, real spreading signature components of the spreading signatures are orthogonal to each other and imaginary spreading signature components of the spreading signatures are orthogonal to each other;
• transmit the set of modulated symbols as an MA signal.

A network equipment comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming instructions for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• transmit an identification of a set of spreading signatures for use in mapping each of at least one stream of bits to a set of modulated symbols using a set of spreading signatures, wherein the set of spreading signatures is one of a plurality of sets of spreading signatures, wherein for each set of spreading signatures in the plurality of sets, real spreading signature components of the spreading signatures are orthogonal to each other and imaginary spreading signature components of the spreading signatures are orthogonal to each other;
• and
• receive the set of modulated symbols.