Apparatus and method for transmitting information and apparatus and method for receiving information

An apparatus for transmitting information, comprising:

• a bitstream source for providing a bitstream representing the information;
• a redundancy adding encoder for generating an encoded bitstream based on the bitstream provided by the bitstream source wherein the encoder is arranged to output, for a first number of input bits, a second number of output bits, the second number of output bits having at least twice as many output bits as the first number of input bits, and wherein the second number of output bits includes two portions of output bits, each portion of output bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of input bits, and the first portion of output bits being coded based on the bitstream in a different way with respect to the second portion of output bits;
• a partitioner for partitioning the second number of output bits into the two portions of output bits;
• and
• means for transmitting the output bits of the first portion via a first channel and the output bits of the second portion via a second channel, the second channel being spatially different from the first channel;
• the means for transmitting including a first transmitter and a second transmitter spaced apart from the first transmitter;
• the first channel being defined by the first transmitter and the receiver;
• and
• the second channel being defined by the second transmitter and the receiver such that space diversity is obtained.

An apparatus for transmitting information, comprising:

• a bitstream source for providing a bitstream representing the information;
• a redundancy adding encoder for generating an encoded bitstream based on the bitstream provided by the bitstream source wherein the encoder is arranged to output, for a first number of input bits, a second number of output bits, the second number of output bits having at least twice as many output bits as the first number of input bits, and wherein the second number of output bits includes two portions of output bits, each portion of output bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of input bits, and the first portion of output bits being coded based on the bitstream in a different way with respect to the second portion of output bits, the redundancy adding encoder including a convolutional encoder for obtaining a code rate less than or equal to 0.5, wherein the code rate is the ratio of the first number of input bits to the second number of output bits, the convolutional encoder combining a current input bit to be encoded with at least one of a certain number of preceding input bits;
• a partitioner for partitioning the second number of output bits into the two portions of output bits;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting the output bits of the first portion via a first channel and the output bits of the second portion via a second channel, the second channel being spatially different from the first channel.

An apparatus for transmitting information, comprising:

• a bitstream source for providing a bitstream representing the information;
• a redundancy adding encoder for generating an encoded bitstream based on the bitstream provided by the bitstream source wherein the encoder is arranged to output, for a first number of input bits, a second number of output bits, the second number of output bits having at least twice as many output bits as the first number of input bits, and wherein the second number of output bits includes two portions of output bits, each portion of output bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of input bits, and the first portion of output bits being coded based on the bitstream in a different way with respect to the second portion of output bits;
• a partitioner for partitioning the second number of output bits into the two portions of output bits;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting the output bits of the first portion via a first channel and the output bits of the second portion via a second channel, the second channel being spatially different from the first channel;
• the redundancy adding encoder is operative to code the bitstream provided by the bitstream source in a bit-by-bit fashion;
• the partitioner includes a parallel storage for storing a predetermined amount of output bits of the convolutional encoder;
• a parallel-to-serial converter for producing a serial stream of the stored bits to be partitioned into the first and second portion of output bits is provided;
• and
• a de-multiplexer for performing the partition of the serial stream of output bits into the first and second portions is provided.

An apparatus for receiving information, the information being represented by an encoded bitstream, the encoded bitstream being encoded such that its redundancy is at least doubled with respect to a bitstream from which the encoded bitstream is derived, and that, for a first number of bits of the bitstream, the encoded bitstream comprises a second number of bits, the second number of bits having at least twice as many bits as the first number, and wherein the second number of bits includes two portions of bits, each portion of bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of bits, and the first portion of the bits being encoded in a different way with respect to the second portion of bits, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving the first portion of bits via a first channel and the second portion of bits via a second channel, the first and the second channels being spatially different from each other;
• a combiner for combining the first and the second portions the combiner including a depuncturing unit for performing a depuncturing operation on the first and second portions of bits to compensate for a puncturing operation performed in a transmitter;
• and
• a decoder for decoding the coded bitstream by removing redundancy from the coded bitstream, the decoder using the first and second portions of bits combined by the combiner.

An apparatus for receiving information, the information being represented by an encoded bitstream, the encoded bitstream being encoded such that its redundancy is at least doubled with respect to a bitstream from which the encoded bitstream is derived, and that, for a first number of bits of the bitstream, the encoded bitstream comprises a second number of bits, the second number of bits having at least twice as many bits as the first number, and wherein the second number of bits includes two portions of bits, each portion of bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of bits, and the first portion of the bits being encoded in a different way with respect to the second portion of bits, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving the first portion of bits via a first channel and the second portion of bits via a second channel, the first and the second channels being spatially different from each other;
• a combiner for combining the first and the second portions;
• a decoder for decoding the coded bitstream by removing redundancy from the coded bitstream, the decoder using the first and second portions of bits combined by the combiner,
• the decoder comprising a soft decision decoder processing probabilities in that a received bit represents a high or low state rather than an actual wave form characteristic of the received bitstream;
• and
• depuncturing means for compensating for a puncturing operation in a transmitter is provided and attributes to a bit to be depunctured equal probabilites for the high and low states.

A method of transmitting information, comprising the following steps:

• providing a bitstream representing the information;
• generating a redundancy added encoded bitstream based on the bitstream provided in the step of providing, wherein for a first number of input bits, a second number of output bits is generated, the second number of output bits having at least twice as many output bits as the first number of input bits, and wherein the second number of output bits includes two portions of output bits, each portion of output bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of input bits, and the first portion of output bits being coded based on the bitstream in a different way with respect to the second portion of output bits;
• partitioning the second number of output bits into the two portions of output bits;
• and
• transmitting by use of a single transmitter the output bits of the first portion via a first channel and the output bits of the second portion via a second channel, the second channel being spatially different from the first channel;
• the first channel being defined by the single transmitter and a first position of a mobile receiver;
• the second channel being defined by the single transmitter and a second position of the mobile receiver;
• and
• the step of transmitting comprising the following substeps:
• transmitting the first portion of output bits;
• and delaying the second portion of output bits before transmitting via the second channel such that time diversity is obtained.

A method of transmitting information, comprising the following steps:

• providing a bitstream representing the information;
• generating a redundancy added encoded bitstream based on the bitstream provided in the step of providing, wherein for a first number of input bits, a second number of output bits is generated, the second number of output bits having at least twice as many output bits as the first number of input bits, and wherein the second number of output bits includes two portions of output bits, each portion of output bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of input bits, and the first portion of output bits being coded based on the bitstream in a different way with respect to the second portion of output bits;
• partitioning the second number of output bits into the two portions of output bits;
• and transmitting the output bits of the first portion via a first channel and the output bits of the second portion via a second channel, the second channel being spatially different from the first channel
• the step of transmitting being carried out by a first transmitter and a second transmitter spaced apart from the first transmitter;
• the first channel being defined by the first transmitter and the receiver;
• and
• the second channel being defined by the second transmitter and the receiver such that space diversity is obtained.

A method of transmitting information, comprising the following steps:

• providing a bitstream representing the information;
• generating a redundancy added encoded bitstream based on the bitstream provided in the step of providing, wherein for a first number of input bits, a second number of output bits is generated, the second number of output bits having at least twice as many output bits as the first number of input bits, and wherein the second number of output bits includes two portions of output bits, each portion of output bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of input bits, and the first portion of output bits being coded based on the bitstream in a different way with respect to the second portion of output bits;
• the generating step being carried out by means of a convolutional encoder for obtaining a code rate less than or equal to 0.5, wherein the code rate is the ratio of the first number of input bits to the second number of output bits, the convolutional encoder combining a current input bit to be encoded with at least one of a certain number of preceding input bits;
• partitioning the second number of output bits into the two portions of output bits;
• and
• transmitting the output bits of the first portion via a first channel and the output bits of the second portion via a second channel, the second channel being spatially different from the first channel.

A method of transmitting information, comprising the following steps:

• providing a bitstream representing the information;
• generating a redundancy added encoded bitstream based on the bitstream provided in the step of providing, by coding the bitstream provided by the bitstream source in a bit-by-bit fashion, wherein for a first number of input bits, a second number of output bits is generated, the second number of output bits having at least twice as many output bits as the first number of input bits, and wherein the second number of output bits includes two portions of output bits, each portion of output bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of input bits, and the first portion of output bits being coded based on the bitstream in a different way with respect to the second portion of output bits;
• producing a serial stream of the stored bits to be partitioned into the first and second portion of output bits by the step of parallel-to-serial converting;
• partitioning the second number of output bits into the two portions of output bits by de-multiplexing;
• and
• transmitting the output bits of the first portion via a first channel and the output bits of the second portion via a second channel, the second channel being spatially different from the first channel.

A method of receiving information, the information being represented by an encoded bitstream, the encoded bitstream being encoded such that its redundancy is at least doubled with respect to a bitstream from which the encoded bitstream is derived, and that, for a first number of bits of the bitstream, the encoded bitstream comprises a second number of bits, the second number of bits having at least twice as many bits as the first number, and wherein the second number of bits includes two portions of bits, each portion of bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of bits, and the first portion of the bits being encoded in a different way with respect to the second portion of bits, the method comprising the following steps:

• receiving the first portion of bits via a first channel and the second portion of bits via a second channel, the first and the second channels being spatially different from each other;
• combining the first and the second portions;
• performing a depuncturing operation on the first and second portions of bits to compensate for a puncturing operation performed in a transmitter;
• and
• decoding the coded bitstream by removing redundancy from the coded bitstream, wherein the first and second portions of bits combined in the step of combining are used in the step of decoding.

A method of receiving information, the information being represented by an encoded bitstream, the encoded bitstream being encoded such that its redundancy is at least doubled with respect to a bitstream from which the encoded bitstream is derived, and that, for a first number of bits of the bitstream, the encoded bitstream comprises a second number of bits, the second number of bits having at least twice as many bits as the first number, and wherein the second number of bits includes two portions of bits, each portion of bits individually allowing the retrieval of information represented by the first number of bits, and the first portion of the bits being encoded in a different way with respect to the second portion of bits, the method comprising the following steps:

• receiving the first portion of bits via a first channel and the second portion of bits via a second channel, the first and the second channels being spatially different from each other;
• combining the first and the second portions;
• and
• decoding the coded bitstream by removing redundancy from the coded bitstream by soft decision decoding to process probabilities such that a received bit represents a high or low state rather than an actual wave form characteristic of the received bitstream, wherein the first and second portions of bits combined in the step of combining are used in the step of decoding;
• and
• a step of depuncturing for compensating for a puncturing operation in a transmitter is carried out and attributes to a bit to be depunctured equal probabilites for the high and low states.