Patent ID: 8340006

Claim:
A method of transmitting data in a wireless communications system using multiple transmit antennas, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of data sequences, each assigned with a priority level; encoding each of said plurality of data sequences in accordance with the assigned priority level to form a plurality of coded data sequences; multiplexing parity and systematic data of the coded data sequences of a higher priority level and at least a portion of systematic or encoded data from the coded data sequences of a lower priority level to generate a first multiplexed data sequence; mapping said first multiplexed data sequence to form a first mapped data sequence for subsequent transmission from one of said multiple transmit antennas, interleaving said plurality of coded data sequences to form a plurality of interleaved data sequences; multiplexing said plurality of interleaved data sequences to form a second multiplexed data sequence; and mapping said second multiplexed data sequence to form a second mapped data sequence for subsequent transmission from another one of said multiple transmit antennas.