Data transmitter with variable puncturer

1 . A data transmission method, implemented by a first telecommunications equipment, for transmitting data to a second telecommunications equipment, wherein the method comprises:

coding input data to add redundancy by using an encoder,

puncturing the data after coding, and

transmitting the data after puncturing,

wherein the puncturing is in accordance with at least two different levels of protection and such that the puncturing comprises at least one puncturing step comprising a first puncturing matrix an output of which is supplied to a demultiplexing stage having a first and a second output, the second output being supplied to a second puncturing matrix so as to define the at least two different levels of protection obtained with the first output of the demultiplexing stage and an output of the second puncturing matrix, respectively.

2 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 1 , such that any puncturing step of the at least one puncturing step, referred to as previous step, is followed by a new puncturing step whose first matrix is common with the second matrix of the previous puncturing step, so as to define an additional different level of protection that is obtained with an output of the second puncturing matrix from the new puncturing step.

3 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of puncturing steps such that, with a puncturing ratio being associated with each puncturing matrix, these ratios are determined for an identical bit rate on each of the outputs of the second puncturing matrices of the plurality of puncturing steps, for a determined order of the modulation and for a determined coding rate.

4 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 1 , such that, with a puncturing ratio being associated with each puncturing matrix, levels of protection of the data are changed by modifying the ratio of at least one of the puncturing matrices.

5 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 1 , furthermore comprising:

mapping the data after puncturing onto a symbol from among M symbols of a constellation of order q, M=2 q q>=2, each symbol of the constellation comprising at least two bits of different weight from among q bits,

the method being such that, for at least one of the M symbols, the two different levels of protection correspond to a different puncturing of the data depending on a weight of bits in the symbol, onto which bits these data are mapped, and such that the transmission of the data to the second equipment takes place after mapping.

6 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 5 , such that each symbol of the constellation comprises at least one most significant bit and at least one least significant bit and such that the puncturing of the data is different between data mapped onto the most significant bit and data mapped onto the least significant bit of one and the same symbol.

7 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 5 , such that the puncturing difference between data mapped onto one and the same symbol applies for all of the symbols of the constellation.

8 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 5 , such that the puncturing difference between data mapped onto one and the same symbol applies only for some of the symbols of the constellation.

9 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 5 , such that the puncturing of the data is also depending on a position of the symbol in the constellation onto which these data are mapped after puncturing.

10 . The data transmission method as claimed in claim 9 , comprising evaluating the position of the symbol by computing a metric for evaluating a distance from the symbol to a center of the constellation.

11 . A method for communication between a first equipment and a second telecommunications equipment, wherein the method is implemented by the second telecommunications equipment and comprises:

receiving a data signal, data of the data signal being mapped before transmission onto symbols of a constellation of order M, M=2 q q>=2, each symbol of the constellation comprising at least two bits of different weight,

demodulating the symbols with demapping of the data,

depuncturing the data after demapping of the data, wherein the depuncturing is an inverse of a puncturing of the data at transmission, wherein the puncturing of the data at transmission is in accordance with at least two different levels of protection and comprises at least one puncturing step comprising a first puncturing matrix an output of which is supplied to a demultiplexing stage having a first and a second output, the second output being supplied to a second puncturing matrix so as to define the at least two different levels of protection obtained with the first output of the demultiplexing stage and an output of the second puncturing matrix, respectively, and

decoding the data after depuncturing.

12 . The communication method as claimed in claim 11 , such that the depuncturing of the data takes into account the puncturing at transmission, which depends on a position of the symbol in the constellation onto which these data are mapped.

13 . A telecommunications equipment to communicate with a second equipment, wherein the telecommunications equipment comprises:

at least one computer; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon which when executed by the at least one computer configure the telecommunications equipment to perform a method comprising:

coding input data, and

puncturing the data in accordance with at least two levels of protection after coding, the puncturing comprising:

using an elementary structure comprising a first puncturing matrix an output of which is supplied to a demultiplexing stage having a first and a second output, the second output being supplied to a second puncturing matrix so as to define the at least two different levels of protection obtained with the first output of the demultiplexing stage and an output of the second puncturing matrix, respectively.

14 . The telecommunications equipment as claimed in claim 13 , such that the elementary structure, referred to as previous structure, is followed by a new elementary structure whose first matrix is common with the second matrix of the previous elementary structure, so as to define an additional different level of protection that is obtained with the output of the second puncturing matrix from the new elementary structure.

15 . The telecommunications equipment as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the instructions further configure the telecommunications equipment to:

modulate the data after puncturing by mapping the data after puncturing onto a symbol from among M symbols of a constellation of order M, M=2 q q>=2, each symbol of the constellation comprising at least two bits of different weight,

wherein the puncturing of the data is different depending on a weight of the bits in a symbol, onto which bits the data are mapped.