Method and apparatus for puncturing with unequal error protection in a wireless communication system

An apparatus for channel encoding data bits for transmission via a wireless communication channel a frame at a time, wherein each frame consists of a predetermined number of the data bits, the data bits arranged in order from a beginning to an end of the frame according to subjective importance and grouped into a plurality of predetermined different protection classes including a first class CA and one or more other classes CB, . . . , CZ including a last class Clast, the different protection classes having predetermined different desired levels of error protection, the first class CA having the strongest predetermined desired level of error protection, the apparatus comprising:

• means for defining dithering for the first class CA and determining whether dithering is to be applied for all other classes CB, . . . , CZ including the last class Clast;
• means for encoding the data bits of each frame;
• means for determining how many bits to puncture in each protection class so as to achieve either the predetermined desired level of error protection for the protection class or if the desired level of error protection for each class cannot be achieved, then the highest achievable level of error protection closest to the desired level of error protection;
• and
• means for identifying which bits to puncture for each class so as to provide relatively strong and uniform protection for all bits in the first class CA, and so as to provide relatively weak protection for bits in each other class CB, . . . , CZ wherein the protection decreases in the same manner as the subjective importance decreases in the class.

A system, for channel encoding data bits for transmission via a wireless communication channel a frame at a time, wherein each frame consists of a predetermined number of the data bits, the data bits arranged in order from a beginning to an end of the frame according to subjective importance and grouped into a plurality of predetermined different protection classes including a first class CA and one or more other classes CB, . . . , CZ including a last class Clast, the different protection classes having predetermined different desired levels of error protection, the first class CA having the strongest predetermined desired level of error protection, comprising:

• a channel encoder, comprising:
• a dithering module configured to define dithering for the first class CA and determining whether dithering is to be applied for all other classes CB, . . . , CZ including the last class Clast;
• an encoder module configured to encode the data bits of each frame;
• and
• a puncturing and weak bit allocation module configured to determine how many bits to puncture in each protection class so as to achieve the predetermined desired level of error protection for the protection class or if the desired level of error protection for each class cannot be achieved, then the highest achievable level of error protection closest to the desired level of error protection, and further configured to identify which bits to puncture for each class so as to provide relatively strong and uniform protection for all bits in the first class CA, and so as to provide protection for bits in each other class CB, . . . , CZ protection that decreases in the same manner as the subjective importance decreases in the class;
• and
• a channel decoder, responsive to the transmitter side symbol waveforms as modified by a communication channel, including means for undoing any puncturing performed on bits conveyed by the transmitter side symbol waveforms.

An apparatus for channel encoding data bits for transmission via a wireless communication channel a frame at a time, wherein each frame consists of a predetermined number of the data bits, the data bits arranged in order from a beginning to an end of the frame according to subjective importance and grouped into a plurality of predetermined different protection classes including a first class CA and one or more other classes CB, . . . , CZ including a last class Clast, the different protection classes having predetermined different desired levels of error protection, the first class CA having the strongest predetermined desired level of error protection, the apparatus comprising:

• a dithering module configured to define dithering for the first class CA and determining whether dithering is to be applied for all other classes CB, . . . , CZ including the last class Clast;
• an encoder module configured to encode the data bits of each frame;
• and
• a puncturing and weak bit allocation module configured to determine how many bits to puncture in each protection class so as to achieve the predetermined desired level of error protection for the protection class or if the desired level of error protection for each class cannot be achieved, then the highest achievable level of error protection closest to the desired level of error protection, and further configured to identify which bits to puncture for each class so as to provide relatively strong and uniform protection for all bits in the first class CA, and so as to provide protection for bits in each other class CB, . . . , CZ protection that decreases in the same manner as the subjective importance decreases in the class.