Method and system for communicating information in a digital signal

A method for retrieving a selected transmission parameter in a digital signal, the method comprising:

• receiving a digital signal modulated according to a single carrier modulation technique, the digital signal including distinct pilot symbols and data symbols;
• determining a sequence characteristic of the pilot symbols distributed amongst the data symbols, the sequence characteristic being a function of the relative position of the individual pilot symbols assigned to positions interleaved amongst the data symbols;
• and
• retrieving the selected transmission parameter encoded in the pattern of the sequence characteristic;
• wherein the sequence characteristic is one of a plurality of patterns, each pattern associated with at least one of a plurality of transmission parameters, the sequence characteristic being independent of the modulation technique;
• and
• wherein the sequence characteristic is distributed across a plurality of packets that are synchronized in time but transmitted separately.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor configured for (i) selecting a transmission parameter, (ii) determining a sequence characteristic of the pilot symbols distributed amongst the data symbols, the sequence characteristic being a function of the relative position of the individual pilot symbols assigned to positions interleaved amongst the data symbols, (iii) encoding the selected transmission parameter in a sequence characteristic of the pilot symbols distributed amongst the data symbols, the sequence characteristic being a function of the relative position of the individual pilot symbols assigned to positions interleaved amongst the data symbols, and (iv) transmitting the encoded selected transmission parameter in a digital signal modulated according to a single carrier modulation technique and comprising distinct data symbols and pilot symbols;
• wherein the sequence characteristic is one of a plurality of patterns, each pattern associated with at least one of a plurality of transmission parameters, the sequence characteristic being independent of the modulation technique;
• and
• wherein the sequence characteristic is distributed across a plurality of packets that are synchronized in time but transmitted separately.