Patent ID: 8351536

Claim:
A method of transmitting data symbols, the method comprising: providing a constellation pattern comprising replications of a combined constellation with different translations such that each replication has a combination replication offset relative to a neighbouring replication, the combined constellation comprising at least a first constellation, a second constellation with a first translation offset between the first constellation and the second constellation and the second constellation corresponding to an axis mirroring of the first constellation around at least one of a real axis and an imaginary axis, and a third constellation with a second translation offset between the first constellation and the third constellation being different from the first translation offset, the third constellation corresponding to an axis mirroring of the first constellation around the real axis and the imaginary axis not used for the first axis mirroring; a channel symbol selector, for selecting symbols for transmission from the constellation pattern, the selection including for a data value corresponding to a first constellation point of the first constellation selecting a symbol from replications of the first constellation point in the constellation pattern to meet a criterion; and transmitting the selected symbols.