Joint orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) transmission and fast cell switching for circuit switching traffic

A multiple access mobile communication system, with multiple transmission antennas, utilizing discrete-tone symbols for transmission of signals for providing a plurality of users with a plurality of defined multiple access techniques, the system comprising:

• a network configured to:
• determine communication requirements of the plurality of users;
• assign each of the plurality of users to at least one of the plurality of defined multiple access techniques;
• group the discrete-tone symbols of a transmission frame into at least two groups according to the plurality of defined multiple access techniques;
• and
• partition a group of the discrete-tone symbols of the transmission frame among the plurality of users according to the at least one of the plurality of defined multiple access techniques to which each of the plurality of users is assigned, wherein each of the discrete-tone symbols is a resource defined by three dimensions including a time domain, a frequency domain, and an antenna domain;
• and
• assign each of the plurality of defined multiple access techniques to specific partitioned resources of the at least two groups within each time slot of the transmission frame,
• wherein the network is further configured to partition the group of discrete-tone symbols by allocating the specific partitioned resources of the at least two groups to the plurality of users,
• wherein the network is further configured to partition the group of discrete-tone symbols according to requirements of each of the plurality of users, the requirements including at least voice communication rate requirements, a number of the multiple transmission antennas, a latency requirement, traffic quality of service (QoS) requirements, or channel conditions,
• wherein, in each time slot of the transmission frame, the discrete-tone symbols of a first group of the at least two groups are distinguished from the discrete-tone symbols of a second group of the at least two groups in the frequency domain and the discrete-tone symbols of the first group are not distinguished from the discrete-tone symbols of the second group in the time domain, and
• wherein the assignment of each of the plurality of defined multiple access techniques to specific partitioned resources of the at least two groups includes:
• assigning a first access technique to a first resource defined by a first time domain resource, a first frequency domain resource and a first antenna domain resource;
• and
• assigning a second access technique to a second resource defined by the first time domain resource, the first frequency domain resource and a second antenna domain resource.