Patent ID: 7983357

Claim:
A method of transmitting data in a multi-carrier communication system, the method comprising: converting serial data symbols of a first group to parallel data symbols; spreading one or more data symbols of a second group using different codes; combining the spread one or more data symbols of the second group with the parallel data symbols of the first group, wherein fewer than all of the one or more spread data symbols of the second group are combined with the parallel data symbols of the first group; mapping at least one of the combined data symbols to at least one subcarrier, wherein each of the at least one subcarrier carrying the at least one of the combined data symbols is mutually exclusive; mapping at least one data symbol of a third group to at least one subcarrier, wherein each of the at least one subcarrier carrying the parallel data symbols of the first group and the at least one data symbol of the third group is mutually exclusive; transforming the at least one of the combined data symbols mapped to the at least one subcarrier by an inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT) module; and transmitting the at least one transformed combined data symbols to a receiving end.