Blind rate detection in a multiplexed transmission system

Claim 1

A method of multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the method comprising: transmitting a first transport channel comprising a first number of bits; transmitting first error detection bits associated with the first transport channel and comprising a second number of bits; transmitting a second transport channel comprising a third number of bits; transmitting a third transport channel comprising a fourth number of bits; and selectively transmitting a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first error detection bits and before transmission of the third transport channel; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 2

A method of multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the method comprising: transmitting a first transport channel comprising a first number of bits; transmitting first error detection bits associated with the first transport channel and comprising a second number of bits; transmitting a second transport channel comprising a third number of bits; transmitting a third transport channel comprising a fourth number of bits; and selectively transmitting a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first error detection bits and before transmission of the third transport channel; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 6

A method of decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the method comprising: decoding a first transport channel contained in the frame, wherein the decoding step includes determining a first length of the first transport channel; decoding a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then determining a third length and starting position of a second transport channel in the frame and decoding the second transport channel, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second transport channel, wherein the steps of decoding the first transport channel and decoding the second group of bits are performed in a same direction.

Claim 7

A method of decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the method comprising: decoding a first transport channel contained in the frame, wherein the decoding step includes determining a first length of the first transport channel; decoding a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then determining a third length and starting position of a second transport channel in the frame and decoding the second transport channel, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second transport channel, wherein the steps of decoding the first transport channel and decoding the second group of bits are performed in a same direction.

Claim 12

A method of multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the method comprising: transmitting a first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the first group together comprise a first number of bits; transmitting first error detection bits associated with one or more transport channels in the first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the first error detection bits comprise a second number of bits; transmitting a second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the second group together comprise a third number of bits; transmitting a third group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the third group together comprise a fourth number of bits; and selectively transmitting a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first group of one or more transport channels and the first error detection bits but before transmission of the third group of one or more transport channels; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 13

A method of multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the method comprising: transmitting a first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the first group together comprise a first number of bits; transmitting first error detection bits associated with one or more transport channels in the first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the first error detection bits comprise a second number of bits; transmitting a second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the second group together comprise a third number of bits; transmitting a third group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the third group together comprise a fourth number of bits; and selectively transmitting a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first group of one or more transport channels and the first error detection bits but before transmission of the third group of one or more transport channels; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 17

A method of decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the method comprising: decoding a first group of one or more transport channels contained in the frame, wherein the decoding step includes determining a first length of the first group of one or more transport channels; decoding a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then determining a third length and starting position of a second group of one or more transport channels in the frame and decoding the second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the steps of decoding the first group of one or more transport channels and decoding the second group of bits are performed in a same direction.

Claim 18

A method of decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the method comprising: decoding a first group of one or more transport channels contained in the frame, wherein the decoding step includes determining a first length of the first group of one or more transport channels; decoding a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then determining a third length and starting position of a second group of one or more transport channels in the frame and decoding the second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, then using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the steps of decoding the first group of one or more transport channels and decoding the second group of bits are performed in a same direction.

Claim 23

An apparatus for multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the apparatus comprising: logic configured to transmit a first transport channel comprising a first number of bits; logic configured to transmit first error detection bits associated with the first transport channel and comprising a second number of bits; logic configured to transmit a second transport channel comprising a third number of bits; logic configured to transmit a third transport channel comprising a fourth number of bits; and logic configured to selectively transmit a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first error detection bits and before transmission of the third transport channel; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 24

An apparatus for multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the apparatus comprising: logic configured to transmit a first transport channel comprising a first number of bits; logic configured to transmit first error detection bits associated with the first transport channel and comprising a second number of bits; logic configured to transmit a second transport channel comprising a third number of bits; logic configured to transmit a third transport channel comprising a fourth number of bits; and logic configured to selectively transmit a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first error detection bits and before transmission of the third transport channel; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 28

An apparatus for decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the apparatus comprising: first decoding logic configured to decode a first transport channel contained in the frame, wherein the first decoding logic includes logic configured to determine a first length of the first transport channel; second decoding logic configured to decode a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining logic configured to determine whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; logic configured to perform a first operation if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the first operation comprises determining a third length and starting position of a second transport channel in the frame and decoding the second transport channel, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and logic configured to perform a second operation if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the second operation comprises using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second transport channel, wherein the first transport channel and the second group of bits are decoded in a same direction.

Claim 29

An apparatus for decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the apparatus comprising: first decoding logic configured to decode a first transport channel contained in the frame, wherein the first decoding logic includes logic configured to determine a first length of the first transport channel; second decoding logic configured to decode a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining logic configured to determine whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; logic configured to perform a first operation if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the first operation comprises determining a third length and starting position of a second transport channel in the frame and decoding the second transport channel, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and logic configured to perform a second operation if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the second operation comprises using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second transport channel, wherein the first transport channel and the second group of bits are decoded in a same direction.

Claim 34

An apparatus for multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the apparatus comprising: logic configured to transmit a first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the first group together comprise a first number of bits; logic configured to transmit first error detection bits associated with one or more transport channels in the first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the first error detection bits comprise a second number of bits; logic configured to transmit a second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the second group together comprise a third number of bits; logic configured to transmit a third group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the third group together comprise a fourth number of bits; and logic configured to selectively transmit a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first group of one or more transport channels and the first error detection bits but before transmission of the third group of one or more transport channels; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 35

An apparatus for multiplexing data in a frame having a fixed bit length in a telecommunication system, the apparatus comprising: logic configured to transmit a first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the first group together comprise a first number of bits; logic configured to transmit first error detection bits associated with one or more transport channels in the first group of one or more transport channels, wherein the first error detection bits comprise a second number of bits; logic configured to transmit a second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the second group together comprise a third number of bits; logic configured to transmit a third group of one or more transport channels, wherein the one or more transport channels in the third group together comprise a fourth number of bits; and logic configured to selectively transmit a control channel comprising a fifth number of bits, wherein: the control channel is transmitted after the first group of one or more transport channels and the first error detection bits but before transmission of the third group of one or more transport channels; whenever the control channel is transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth number of bits equals the fixed bit length; and whenever the control channel is not transmitted as part of the frame, a sum of the first, second, third and fourth number of bits equals the fixed bit length.

Claim 39

An apparatus for decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the apparatus comprising: first decoding logic configured to decode a first group of one or more transport channels contained in the frame, wherein the first decoding logic includes logic configured to determine a first length of the first group of one or more transport channels; second decoding logic configured to decode a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining logic configured to determine whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; logic configured to perform a first operation if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the first operation comprises determining a third length and starting position of a second group of one or more transport channels in the frame and decoding the second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and logic configured to perform a second operation if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the second operation comprises using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the first group of one or more transport channels and the second group of bits are decoded in a same direction.

Claim 40

An apparatus for decoding multiplexed data that is received as a frame in a telecommunication system, wherein the frame has a fixed bit length, the apparatus comprising: first decoding logic configured to decode a first group of one or more transport channels contained in the frame, wherein the first decoding logic includes logic configured to determine a first length of the first group of one or more transport channels; second decoding logic configured to decode a second group of bits having a second length that is a function of the first length; determining logic configured to determine whether the second group of bits includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits; logic configured to perform a first operation if the frame includes error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the first operation comprises determining a third length and starting position of a second group of one or more transport channels in the frame and decoding the second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the third length is a function of the first length and the second length; and logic configured to perform a second operation if the frame does not include error detection bits associated with the second group of bits, wherein the second operation comprises using the decoded second group of bits as the decoded second group of one or more transport channels, wherein the first group of one or more transport channels and the second group of bits are decoded in a same direction.