Systems for processing differentiated hierarchical modulation used in radio frequency communications

Abstract

The present invention employs hierarchical modulation to simultaneously transmit data over different modulation layers using a carrier RF signal. Each modulation layer may be of a higher or lower order than the other modulation layers. Certain embodiments of the present invention may transmit different information on the different modulation layers. Other embodiments of the present invention may use the different layers for processing information differently.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for receiving first and second data, comprising:
 a mobile terminal receiving the first data transmitted using a first modulation layer of a first carrier radio frequency (RF) signal; and   a mobile terminal receiving the second data transmitted using a second modulation layer of the first carrier RF signal;   wherein said receiving the first data and the second data are performed concurrently.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first data corresponds to video at a first resolution, and wherein the second data corresponds to the video at a second resolution. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 providing the video for display using the first and second data.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first data corresponds to a first video and wherein the second data corresponds to a second video. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first data comprises broadcast data and wherein the second data comprises unicast data. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first data comprises at least one program channel for a basic program service and the second data comprises at least one program channel for a supplemental program service. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first data comprises single-input single-output (SISO) data and the second data comprises multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) data. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the first data and the second data comprises time multiplexed data. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the first data and the second data is modulated onto a plurality of sub-carriers using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the first data and the second data is modulated onto a plurality of sub-carriers using single-carrier frequency division multiplexing (SC-FDM). 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the second data comprises synchronization information. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first data comprises data unrelated to the second data. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first data comprises a different type of media content than the second data. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first carrier RF signal comprises a plurality of modulation symbols, such that certain of the plurality of modulation symbols comprises first order bits that provide the first data and second order bits that provide the second data. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the second modulation layer is time-shifted from the first modulation layer. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a modulation rate of the first modulation layer is less than a modulation rate of the second modulation layer. 
     
     
         39 . A mobile terminal, comprising:
 receive logic, wherein the receive logic is configured to:
 receive first data transmitted using a first modulation layer of a first carrier radio frequency (RF) signal; and 
 receive second data transmitted using a second modulation layer of the first carrier RF signal, wherein said receiving the first data and the second data are performed concurrently; and 
   processing logic coupled to the receive logic, wherein the processing logic is configured to process received RF signals from the receive logic to decode the first data and the second data.   
     
     
         40 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the mobile terminal comprises a plurality of antennas coupled to the receive logic, wherein said receiving the first and second data is performed using the plurality of antennas. 
     
     
         41 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first data corresponds to video at a first resolution, and wherein the second data corresponds to the video at a second resolution. 
     
     
         42 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the processing logic is configured to:
 combine the first data and second data to generate video for display by the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         43 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first data corresponds to a first video and wherein the second data corresponds to a second video. 
     
     
         44 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first data comprises broadcast data and wherein the second data comprises unicast data. 
     
     
         45 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first data comprises at least one program channel for a basic program service and the second data comprises at least one program channel for a supplemental program service. 
     
     
         46 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first data comprises single-input single-output (SISO) data and the second data comprises multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) data. 
     
     
         47 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the first data and the second data comprises time multiplexed data. 
     
     
         48 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the first data and the second data is modulated onto a plurality of sub-carriers using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). 
     
     
         49 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the first data and the second data is modulated onto a plurality of sub-carriers using single-carrier frequency division multiplexing (SC-FDM). 
     
     
         50 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the second data comprises synchronization information. 
     
     
         51 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first data comprises data unrelated to the second data. 
     
     
         52 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first data comprises a different type of media content than the second data. 
     
     
         53 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the first carrier RF signal comprises a plurality of modulation symbols, such that certain of the plurality of modulation symbols comprises first order bits that provide the first data and second order bits that provide the second data. 
     
     
         54 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein the second modulation layer is time-shifted from the first modulation layer. 
     
     
         55 . The mobile terminal of  claim 39 , wherein a modulation rate of the first modulation layer is less than a modulation rate of the second modulation layer.