Method and apparatus for multiplexing code division multiple access and single carrier frequency division multiple access transmissions

1. A method implemented in a transmission device, comprising:

encoding, in the transmission device, at least one first symbol;

encoding, in the transmission device, at least one second symbol using a coding sequence having a cyclic correlation property so that the coding sequence is generated using a cyclic shift of an initial sequence;

providing, during a transmission time interval (TTI), said at least one first encoded symbol through a switch that is set in a first mode when a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process identifier associated with the TTI indicates that dedicated time or frequency resources are used during the TTI and providing said at least one second encoded symbol through the switch that is set in a second mode when the HARQ process identifier associated with the TTI indicates that shared time or frequency resources are used during the TTI;

transmitting, during the TTI, a radiofrequency signal indicative of said at least one encoded first symbol using dedicated time or frequency resources when the switch is in the first mode; and

transmitting, during the TTI, the radiofrequency signal indicative of said at least one encoded second symbol using shared time or frequency resources when the switch is in the second mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein encoding said at least one first symbol comprises encoding a first data stream including a plurality of first data symbols and wherein encoding said at least one second symbol comprises encoding a second data stream including a plurality of second data symbols.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein encoding said at least one first symbol comprises encoding said at least one first symbol according to a single channel frequency division multiple access protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein encoding said at least one second symbol comprises encoding said at least one second symbol using a constant amplitude zero autocorrelation coding sequence so that said at least one second encoded symbol can be transmitted concurrently with other encoded symbols using the shared time or frequency resources.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein encoding said at least one second symbol comprises forming a block comprising said at least one second symbol and at least one copy of said at least one second symbol.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein encoding said at least one second symbol comprises encoding the block using the constant amplitude zero autocorrelation coding sequence.

7. A method implemented in a receiver, comprising:

accessing, at the receiver, information indicative of at least one encoded symbol, the information indicative of said at least one encoded symbol having been conveyed to the receiver by a radiofrequency signal during a transmission time interval (TTI);

providing said at least one encoded symbol through a switch in the receiver to a first demodulation/decoding branch in the receiver when the switch is set in a first mode in response to a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process identifier associated with the TTI indicating that dedicated time or frequency resources are used during the TTI and providing said at least one encoded symbol through the switch to a second demodulation/decoding branch in the receiver when the switch is set in a second mode in response to the HARQ process identifier associated with the TTI indicating that dedicated time or frequency resources are used during the TTI;

decoding the information indicative of said at least one encoded symbol using the first demodulation/decoding branch when the switch is in the first mode;

descrambling and decoding the information indicative of said at least one encoded symbol using at least one coding sequence having a cyclic correlation property in the second demodulation/decoding branch when the switch is in the second mode, said at least one coding sequence being generated using a cyclic shift of an initial sequence.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein accessing the information indicative of said at least one encoded symbol comprises accessing information indicative of a plurality of symbols encoded using a plurality of orthogonal coding sequences, each coding sequence having the cyclic correlation property.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein accessing the information indicative of said at least one encoded symbol comprises accessing information indicative of said at least one symbol encoded according to a single channel frequency division multiple access protocol.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein accessing the information indicative of said at least one encoded symbol comprises accessing information indicative of said at least one symbol encoded using at least one constant amplitude zero autocorrelation coding sequence so that said at least one symbol can be transmitted concurrently with other symbols using shared time or frequency resources.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein decoding said at least one encoded symbol comprises decoding, according to a frequency division protocol, information conveyed by at least one first portion of the radiofrequency signal received during at least one first transmission time interval using dedicated time or frequency resources.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein decoding said at least one encoded symbol comprises decoding, using said at least one coding sequence having the cyclic correlation property, information conveyed by at least one second portion of the radiofrequency signal received during at least one second transmission time interval using shared time or frequency resources.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein decoding said at least one encoded symbol comprises applying a complex conjugate of said at least one coding sequence to the information conveyed by said at least one second portion of the radiofrequency signal.