Patent ID: 7529307

Claim:
A method for encoding and interleaving data bits for OFDM transmission comprising: encoding a set of bits with an encoder having a constraint length that generates encoded bits having a code-word length; selecting, from the set of encoded bits, an encoded bit designated by an index; assigning the selected bit sequentially to one of N carrier frequencies that does not yet have a bit assigned thereto; incrementing the index, and repeating the selecting and assigning acts, until each of the N carrier frequencies has an encoded bit assigned to it; and for each of the N carrier frequencies, assigning another encoded bit thereto, wherein the other encoded bit is designated by an index value equal to the sum of the index of the encoded bit already assigned thereto and an integer multiple of N, wherein, for each of the N carrier frequencies, the bits assigned thereto at least partially jointly determine a symbol to be modulated upon the carrier frequency, wherein the encoded bits are assigned to each carrier frequency to provide a bit separation distance of N, wherein the index of any of the encoded bits assigned to a single one of the carrier frequencies, when divided by N, exhibits a constant remainder, and wherein N is greater than a product of the constraint length and the code word length.