Methods and apparatus for generating a multiplexed communication signal

1. A method for generating a multiplexed communication signal in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a plurality of digital communication signals;

transforming said plurality of digital communication signals into a plurality of transformed digital communication signals;

determining a scaling vector for said plurality of transformed digital communication signals;

generating a mantissa for each of said plurality of transformed digital communication signals with said scaling vector; and

multiplexing said mantissa for each of said plurality of transformed digital communication signals and said scaling vector to produce the multiplexed communication signal.

2. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , further comprising encoding said scaling vector.

3. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 2 , wherein said encoding said scaling vector comprises:

determining a minimum exponent of said scaling vector;

calculating a difference between each of the exponents of said scaling vector and said minimum exponent; and

forming an encoded scaling vector from said minimum exponent and said difference between each of the exponents of said scaling vector and said minimum exponent.

4. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 2 , wherein said encoding said scaling vector comprises:

determining a maximum exponent of said scaling vector;

calculating a difference between said maximum exponent of said scaling vector and each of the exponents of said scaling vector; and

forming an encoded scaling vector from said maximum exponent and said difference between said maximum exponent and each of the exponents of said scaling vector.

5. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 2 , wherein said encoding said scaling vector is a Huffman encoding of said scaling vector.

6. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , wherein said multiplexing said mantissa for each of said plurality of transformed digital communication signals and said scaling vector to produce the multiplexed communication signal comprises Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) said mantissa for each of said plurality of transformed digital communication signals and said scaling vector.

7. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , wherein said wireless communication system is a satellite communication system.

8. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of digital communication signals are Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) signals.

9. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , wherein transforming comprises transforming said plurality of digital communication signals utilizing a Fourier transform matrix.

10. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , wherein transforming comprises transforming said plurality of digital communication signals utilizing a Butler transform matrix.

11. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , wherein transforming comprises transforming said plurality of digital communication signals utilizing a digital transform matrix.

12. The method for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 1 , further comprising:

evaluating the transformed digital communication signals for a saturation condition; and

correcting said saturation condition if said saturation condition exists.

13. An apparatus for generating a multiplexed communication signal in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of inputs configured to receive a plurality of digital communication signals;

a transform matrix configured to transform said plurality of digital communication signals into a plurality of transformed digital communication signals;

a processor configured to generate a scaling vector for said plurality of transformed digital communication signals;

a plurality of multipliers configured to produce a mantissa for each of said plurality of transformed digital communication signals with said scaling vector and said plurality of transformed digital communication signals; and

a multiplexer configured to multiplex said mantissa for each of said plurality of transformed digital communication signals and said scaling vector to produce multiplexed communication signal.

14. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said processor is configured to encode said scaling vector.

15. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 14 , wherein said processor is configured to:

determine a minimum exponent of said scaling vector;

calculate a difference between each of the exponents of said scaling vector and said minimum exponent; and

form an encoded scaling vector from said minimum exponent and said difference between each of the exponents of said scaling vector and said minimum exponent.

16. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 14 , wherein said processor is configured to:

determine a maximum exponent of said scaling vector;

calculate a difference between said maximum exponent of said scaling vector and each of the exponents of said scaling vector; and

form an encoded scaling vector from said maximum exponent and said difference between said maximum exponent and each of the exponents of said scaling vector.

17. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 14 , wherein said processor is configure to perform a Huffman encoding to encode said scaling vector.

18. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said multiplexer is configured to Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) said mantissa for each of said plurality of transformed digital communication signals and said scaling vector.

19. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said wireless communication system is a satellite communication system.

20. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of digital communication signals are Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) signals.

21. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said transform matrix is a Fourier transform matrix.

22. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said transform matrix is a Butler transform matrix.

23. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said transform matrix is a digital transform matrix.

24. The apparatus for generating the multiplexed communication signal of claim 13 , wherein said processor is configured to evaluate the transformed digital communication signals for a saturation condition and correct said saturation condition if said saturation condition exists.