Patent ID: 6901083

Claim:
A method of combining, comprising: outer encoding a set of bits; distributing a first subset of the outer encoded bits to a first station; distributing a second subset of the outer encoded bits to a second station; inner encoding the first subset of outer encoded bits, thereby creating a first subset of inner encoded bits; inner encoding the second subset of outer encoded bits, thereby creating a second subset of inner encoded bits; modulating the first subset of inner encoded bits, the modulating creating a modulated first subset of inner encoded bits; modulating the second subset of inner encoded bits, the modulating creating a modulated second subset of inner encoded bits; transmitting the modulated first subset of inner encoded bits to a third station; transmitting the modulated second subset of inner encoded bits to the third station; demodulating the modulated first subset of inner encoded bits, the demodulating creating a demodulated first subset of bits; demodulating the modulated second subset of inner encoded bits, the demodulating creating a demodulated second subset of bits; inner decoding the demodulated first subset of bits; inner decoding the demodulated second subset of bits; and combining the inner decoded first subset of bits with the inner decoded second subset of bits, thereby creating a combined set of bits.