Patent ID: 6549584
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
A communications device for transmitting data signals over a communications facility, comprising:a computer interface for receiving data words corresponding to data signals to be transmitted; an encoder, comprising: a first convolutional coder, coupled to the computer interface to receive a first selected subset of a group of digital bits; a second convolutional coder, coupled to the computer interface to receive a second selected subset of the group of digital bits; and a phase and amplitude modulation map function for arranging digital symbols into points of a phase and amplitude modulation constellation, each constellation point corresponding to a digital value, the phase and amplitude modulation map function coupled to the computer interface to receive a group of digital bits therefrom that are not coded by the first and second convolutional coders, and coupled to the first and second convolutional coders to receive coded digital bits therefrom; wherein the first and second convolutional coders each comprise a finite state machine having at least thirty-two states, and are for respectively generating first and second groups of coded bits by way of a convolutional coding scheme, the first and second groups of coded bits each having more bits than the first and second subsets, respectively, and wherein the convolutional coding scheme has a minimum Hamming distance of four; a modulator, coupled to the encoder, for generating a phase and amplitude modulated signal responsive to the points of the phase and amplitude modulation constellation; and a network interface, coupled to the modulator, for driving a communications facility with the modulated signal.