Frame format and frame assembling/disassembling method for the frame format

A method of disassembling a plurality of frames of a communication signal in a wireless or satellite system including cell/packet-formatted data, said frames each comprising, in accordance with a predetermined frame format, a frame header which defines aspects of a corresponding frame, a data payload having a first variable size, and a block code having a second variable size which is used for error correction, said data payload including at least one of a partial cell/packet, a complete cell/packet, a partial packet of compressed data and a complete packet of compressed data, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a frame of said plurality of frames;
• decoding said block code of said frame;
• correcting errors of said frame created during a transmission thereof;
• and
• extracting from said data payload the at least one of said partial cell/packets, said complete cell/packets, said partial packet of compressed data and said complete packet of compressed data in accordance with information included in said frame header.

An apparatus for assembling a plurality of frames including cell- or packet-formatted data according to a predetermined frame format for transmission in a communication signal in a wireless or satellite system, said apparatus comprising:

• an assembling circuit for assembling a data payload for each frame having a first variable size, said data payload including at least one of a partial data cell/packet and a complete data cell/packet;
• a generating circuit for generating a block code having a second variable size for each frame, said block code being generated for error correction;
• a header generating circuit for generating a flame header for each frame which defines aspects of said frame;
• and
• a frame integrating circuit for combining said data payload, said block code and said format header to form a corresponding frame of said plurality of frames;
• wherein said format header defines a first portion of said frame, said data payload defines a second portion of said frame and said block code defines a third portion of said frame.

An apparatus for disassembling a plurality of frames of a communication signal in a wireless or satellite system comprising cell- or packet-formatted data, said frames each comprising, in accordance with a predetermined frame format, a frame header which defines aspects of a corresponding frame, a data payload having a first variable size, and a block code having a second variable size which is used for error correction, said data payload including at least one of a partial cell or packet, a complete cell or packet, a partial packet of compressed data and/or a complete packet of compressed data, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame receiving circuit for receiving a frame of said plurality of frames;
• a decoding circuit for decoding said block code of said frame, said decoder correcting errors of said frame created during a transmission thereof;
• and
• a data extracting circuit for extracting from said data payload the at least one of said partial cell or packet, said complete cell or packet, said partial packet of compressed data and said complete packet of compressed data in accordance with information included in said frame header.

A method of disassembling a plurality of frames of a communication signal in a wireless or satellite system including asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) formatted data, said flames each comprising, in accordance with a predetermined frame format, a frame header which defines aspects of a corresponding frame, a data payload having a first variable size, and a block code having a second variable size which is used for error correction, said data payload including at least one of a partial ATM cell, a complete ATM cell, a partial packet of compressed data and a complete packet of compressed data, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a frame of said plurality of frames;
• decoding said block code of said frame;
• correcting errors of said frame created during a transmission thereof if a number of said error is less than a predetermined amount;
• discarding said frame if the number of said errors is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount;
• and
• extracting from said data payload the at least one of said partial ATM cell, said complete ATM cell, said partial packet of compressed data and said complete packet of compressed data in accordance with information included in said frame header, if the number of said errors is less than said predetermined amount.