Patent ID: 8073063

Claim:
A method for inserting data and pilot symbols into Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) frames for transmission on N transmitting antennas where N is an integer, N â‰§1, the OFDM frames having a time domain and a frequency domain, each OFDM frame comprising a plurality of OFDM symbols, the method comprising: partitioning N OFDM frames to be simultaneously transmitted on N antennas into at least two sets of corresponding blocks, each set of corresponding blocks consisting of one block for each of the N OFDM frames, all the blocks in a given set of corresponding blocks having a common size and location; and for each antenna: allocating at least one set of corresponding blocks for transmission of common pilot symbols and allocating at least one set of corresponding blocks for transmission of pilot symbols dedicated to at least one receiver; in each block of each set of corresponding blocks allocated for transmission of common pilot symbols, inserting a two dimensional array of data and common pilot symbols in time-frequency; and in each block of each set of corresponding blocks allocated for transmission of pilot symbols dedicated to at least one receiver, inserting a two dimensional array of data and pilot symbols dedicated to the at least one receiver in time-frequency.