Multistream in-band on-channel systems

An apparatus for processing at least one information signal for transmission in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter operative:
• (i) to generate a plurality of bit streams from the information signal, each of the bit streams corresponding to a separate representation of the information signal and being separated into a plurality of classes of bits, and (ii) to transmit each of the bit streams in corresponding portions of one or more frequency bands associated with a host carrier signal, whereby a given one of the classes of bits associated with one of the bit streams and having a greater sensitivity to interference than another of the classes of bits associated with that bit stream is transmitted in a corresponding one of the portions configured so as to have a lower susceptibility to interference than another one of the portions.

A method of processing at least one information signal in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of bit streams, each of the bit streams corresponding to a separate representation of the information signal and being separated into a plurality of classes of bits, wherein the bit streams are transmitted in corresponding portions of one or more frequency bands associated with a host carrier signal, and further wherein a given one of the classes of bits associated with one of the bit streams and having a greater sensitivity to interference than another of the classes of bits associated with that bit stream is transmitted in a corresponding one of the portions configured so as to have a lower susceptibility to interference than another one of the portions;
• and
• reconstructing the information signal from the received bit streams.

An apparatus for processing at least one information signal in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

• a receiver operative:
• (i) to receive a plurality of bit streams, each of the bit streams corresponding to a separate representation of the information signal and being separated into a plurality of classes of bits, wherein the bit streams are transmitted in corresponding portions of one or more frequency bands associated with a host carrier signal, and further wherein a given one of the classes of bits associated with one of the bit streams and having a greater sensitivity to interference than another of the classes of bits associated with that bit stream is transmitted in a corresponding one of the portions configured so as to have a lower susceptibility to interference than another one of the portions, and (ii) to reconstruct the information signal from the received bit streams.