Methods and apparatus for use in communicating voice and high speed data in a wireless communication system

A method of receiving data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals over a voice traffic channel that is dedicated to a voice communication call, the voice traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• downconverting the RF OFDM communication signals for producing downconverted OFDM communication signals;
• sampling the downconverted OFDM communication signals for producing OFDM communication signal samples;
• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel:
• applying a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones;
• and
• demodulating the plurality of modulated tones for producing voice data of the voice communication call
• receiving RF OFDM communication signals over a data traffic channel, the data traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with data traffic channel:
• applying an FFT to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones;
• and
• demodulating the plurality of modulated tones for producing high speed data in addressed data packets.

A method of receiving data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals over a voice traffic channel that is dedicated to a voice communication call, the voice traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• downconverting the RF OFDM communication signals for producing downconverted OFDM communication signals;
• sampling the downconverted OFDM communication signals for producing OFDM communication signal samples;
• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel:
• applying a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones;
• demodulating the plurality of modulated tones for producing voice data of the voice communication call;
• receiving RF OFDM communication signals over a data traffic channel, the data traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the data traffic channel:
• applying an FFT to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones;
• and
• demodulating the plurality of modulated tones for producing high speed data in addressed data packets;
• and
• repeating the following steps for each of a plurality of addressed data packets:
• comparing a destination address to the addressed data packet with a predetermined address;
• accepting the addressed data packet if a match exists between the destination address and the predetermined address;
• and
• discarding the addressed data packet if the destination address and the predetermined address do not match.

A method of receiving data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals over a voice traffic channel that is dedicated to a voice communication call, the voice traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• downconverting the RF OFDM communication signals for producing downconverted OFDM communication signals;
• sampling the downconverted OFDM communication signals for producing OFDM communication signal samples;
• and
• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel:
• applying a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones;
• and
• demodulating the plurality of modulated tones for producing voice data of the voice communication call,
• wherein demodulating the plurality of modulated tones comprises producing encoded and compressed data, the method further comprising
• decoding the encoded and compressed data for producing compressed data;
• and
• decompressing the compressed data for producing the voice data of the voice communication call, and
• wherein demodulating comprises demodulating involving 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), wherein decoding comprises decoding involving Reed-Solomon block codes, and wherein decompressing comprises decompressing involving Code Excited Linear Predictive (CELP) decompression.

A method of transmitting data in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with a voice traffic channel:
• modulating a plurality of tones with voice data of a voice communication call that is assigned to the voice traffic channel;
• applying and Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) to the plurality of modulated tones for producing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) communication signals samples;
• converting the OFDM communication signal samples to OFDM communication signals;
• upconverting the OFDM communication signals for producing radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals;
• and
• transmitting the RF OFDM communication signals over the voice traffic channel
• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with a voice traffic channel:
• modulating a plurality of tones with voice data of a voice communication call that is assigned to the voice traffic channel;
• applying an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) to the plurality of modulated tones for producing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) communication signal samples;
• converting the OFDM communication signal samples to OFDM communication signals;
• upconverting the OFDM communication signals for producing radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals;
• and
• transmitting the RF OFDM communication signals over the voice traffic channel.

A method of transmitting data in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• for each frequency/time slot combination associated with a voice traffic channel:
• modulating a plurality of tones with voice data of a voice communication call that is assigned to the voice traffic channel;
• applying and Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) to the plurality of modulated tones for producing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) communication signals samples;
• converting the OFDM communication signal samples to OFDM communication signals;
• upconverting the OFDM communication signals for producing radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals;
• transmitting the RF OFDM communication signals over the voice traffic channel;
• compressing the voice data for producing compressed voice data;
• prior to compressing, encoding the compressed voice data for producing encoded and compressed voice data;
• and
• wherein modulating the plurality of tones comprises modulating a phase and amplitude of each one of the plurality of modulated tones with the encoded and compressed voice data;
• wherein modulating comprises modulating using 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), wherein encoding comprises using Reed-Solomon block codes, and wherein compressing comprises using Code Excited Linear Predictive (CELP) compression.

A wireless receiver, comprising:

• a receiver front end, said receiver front end operative to receive RF OFDM communication signals over a voice traffic channel that is dedicated to a voice communication call, the voice traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• a radio frequency (RF) downconverter, said RF downconverter operative to downconvert the RF OFDM communication signals for producing downconverted OFDM communication signals;
• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), sand ADC operative to convert the downconverted OFDM communication signals into OFDM communication signal samples;
• a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processor, said FFT processor operative to apply and FFT to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel;
• and
• a demodulator, said demodulator operative to demodulate the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel for producing voice data of the voice communication call
• said receiver front end being further operative to receive RF OFDM communication signals over a data traffic channel, the data traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• said FFT processor being further operative to apply an FFT to the RF OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the data traffic channel;
• and
• said demodulator being further operative to demodulate the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the data traffic channel for producing the high speed data in addressed data packets.

A wireless receiver, comprising:

• a receiver front end, said receiver front end operative to receive RF OFDM communication signals over a voice traffic channel that is dedicated to a voice communication call, the voice traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• a radio frequency (RF) downconverter, said RF downconverter operative to downconvert the RF OFDM communication signals for producing downconverted OFDM communication signals;
• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), sand ADC operative to convert the downconverted OFDM communication signals into OFDM communication signal samples;
• a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processor, said FFT processor operative to apply and FFT to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel;
• a demodulator, said demodulator operative to demodulate the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel for producing voice data of the voice communication call;
• said receiver front end being further operative to receive RF OFDM communication signals over a data traffic channel, the data traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• said FFT processor being further operative to apply and FFT to the RF OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the data traffic channel;
• said demodulator being further operative to demodulate the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the data traffic channel for producing the high speed data in addressed data packets;
• and
• a processor, said processor operate to compare a destination address of the addressed data packet with a predetermined address, to accept the addressed data packet if a match exists between the destination address and the predetermined address, and to discard the addressed data packet if the destination address and the predetermined address do not match.

A wireless receiver, comprising:

• a receiver front end, said receiver front end operative to receive RF OFDM communication signals over a voice traffic channel that is dedicated to a voice communication call, the voice traffic channel identifiable by a unique frequency/time slot combination;
• a radio frequency (RF) downconverter, said RF downconverter operative to downconvert the RF OFDM communication signals for producing downconverted OFDM communication signals;
• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), sand ADC operative to convert the downconverted OFDM communication signals into OFDM communication signal samples;
• a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processor, said FFT processor operative to apply and FFT to the OFDM communication signal samples for producing a plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel;
• and
• a demodulator, said demodulator operative to demodulate the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel for producing voice data of the voice communication call, said demodulator being further operative for producing encoded and compressed data for each one of the plurality of modulated tones, said demodulator comprising a 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM)-based demodulator;
• a decoder, said decoder operative to decode the encoded and compressed data for producing compressed data, said decoder comprising a Reed-Solomon decoder;
• and
• a decompressor, said decompressor operative to decompress the compressed data for producing the voice data, said decompressor comprising a Code Excited Linear Predictive (CELP) decompressor.

A wireless transmitter, comprising:

• a modulator, said modulator operative to modulate a plurality of tones with voice data of a voice communication call for each frequency/time slot combination associated with a voice traffic channel that is assigned to the voice communication call;
• an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) processor, said IFFT processor operative to apply an IFFT to the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel for producing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) communication signals samples;
• a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), said DAC operative to convert the OFDM communication signal samples into OFDM communication signals;
• a radio frequency (RF) upconverter, said RF upconverter operative to upconvert the OFDM communication signals for producing radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals;
• and
• a transmitter front end, said transmitter front end operative to transmit the RF OFDM communication signals over the voice traffic channel
• said modulator being further operative to modulate a plurality of tones with high speed data for each frequency/time slot combination associated with a traffic channel, the high speed data being carried in addressed data packets;
• said IFFT processor being further operative to apply the IFFT to the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the data traffic channel for producing OFDM communication signals;
• and
• said transmitter front end being further operative to transmit the RF OFDM communication signals over the data traffic channel.

A wireless transmitter, comprising:

• a modulator, said modulator operative to modulate a plurality of tones with voice data of a voice communication call for each frequency/time slot combination associated with a voice traffic channel that is assigned to the voice communication call;
• an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) processor, said IFFT processor operative to apply an IFFT to the plurality of modulated tones for each frequency/time slot combination associated with the voice traffic channel for producing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) communication signals samples;
• a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), said DAC operative to convert the OFDM communication signal samples into OFDM communication signals;
• a radio frequency (RF) upconverter, said RF upconverter operative to upconvert the OFDM communication signals for producing radio frequency (RF) OFDM communication signals;
• and
• a transmitter front end, said transmitter front end operative to transmit the RF OFDM communication signals over the voice traffic channel
• a vocoder, said vocoder operative to compress the voice data for producing compressed voice data;
• a block encoder, said block encoder operative to encode the compressed voice data for producing encoded and compressed voice data;
• and
• said modulator being further operative to modulate a phase and amplitude of each one of the plurality of tones with encoded and compressed voice data, and said modulator comprising a 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) modulator;
• said block encoder comprising a Reed-Solomon block coder;
• and
• said vocoder comprising a Code Excited Linear Predictive (CELP) vocoder.