Telecommunication method and apparatus

A method of transmitting a telecommunication signal, the method comprising:

• identifying a message for transmission, the message being selected from a plurality of predetermined messages;
• selecting a code combination from a set of code combinations, each code combination of the set corresponding to a respective one of the predetermined messages;
• encoding data with the code combination selected from the set of code combinations, and
• transmitting the data encoded with the code combination selected from the set of code combinations,
• wherein at least one code combination of the set of code combinations imparts a meaning to the data that is different than an unencoded meaning of the data, and wherein the code combination with which the data is encoded is selected based on which of the predetermined messages has been identified for transmission.

A method of conveying information in a telecommunications system comprising:

• identifying a message for transmission from a first node, the message being selected from a plurality of predetermined messages;
• selecting a code combination from a set of codes combinations at the first node, each code combination of the set corresponding to a respective one of the predetermined messages;
• encoding data with the code combination selected from the set of code combinations at the first node, and
• from the first node, transmitting the data encoded with the code combination selected from the set of code combinations over an air interface;
• at a second node, receiving the data encoded with the code combination selected from the set of code combinations over the air interface;
• at the second node, decoding the data encoded with the code combination to retrieve the data, the decoding comprising determining the code combination from the set of code combinations with which the data is encoded, and decoding the data based on the code combination;
• and
• at the second node, selecting the message from the plurality of predetermined messages based on the code combination with which the data was encoded.

A method of operating a mobile terminal in a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising:

• receiving a downlink communication from the wireless telecommunications network, wherein the downlink communication includes a plurality of data packets;
• for each of the plurality of data packets, generating a respective feedback indication responsive to receiving the respective data packet correctly or incorrectly;
• selecting a feedback message responsive to the feedback indications for the plurality of data packets of the downlink communication, wherein the feedback message is selected from a set of feedback messages defined using a plurality of code division multiplexing (CDM) codes;
• and
• transmitting the feedback message selected from the set of feedback messages to the telecommunications network.