Communication method, and transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus using that communication method

1. A method for use in a communication apparatus that receives an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal transmitted from a base station, the OFDM signal including a plurality of carrier groups each comprising a plurality of carriers, the plurality of carrier groups being assigned transmission data for a plurality of communication apparatuses, and each of the plurality of carrier groups adopting one of a first frame configuration where the transmission data is transmitted using one modulation signal and a second frame configuration where the transmission data is transmitted using a plurality of modulated signals, the method comprising:

specifying a carrier group to which transmission data for the communication apparatus is assigned, based on control information included in the received OFDM signal; and

generating reception data associated with the specified carrier group based on one of the one modulated signal used in the first frame configuration and the plurality of modulated signals used in the second frame configuration.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

estimating a propagation path condition from the OFDM signal; and

transmitting radio wave propagation environment information related to the estimated propagation path condition.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the radio wave propagation environment information comprises one of field strength and channel state information.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the modulated signal comprises:

a data symbol for transmitting transmission data to one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

a control symbol located before the data symbol on a time axis, the control symbol being used to decode the transmission data by the communication apparatus which received the modulated signal.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the modulated signal comprises:

a data symbol for transmitting transmission data to one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

an estimation symbol located before the data symbol on a time axis, the estimation symbol being used to estimate one of time synchronization, frequency synchronization, and channel distortion of the modulated signal.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the OFDM signal is received using a plurality of antennas in the communication apparatus.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, when the second frame configuration is adopted, the plurality of modulated signals are transmitted from a plurality of antennas of the base station.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein, when the second frame configuration is adopted, the plurality of modulated signals are transmitted at an identical time period over an identical frequency band by using the plurality of antennas of the base station.

9. A communication apparatus that receives an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal transmitted from a base station, the OFDM signal including a plurality of carrier groups each comprising a plurality of carriers, the plurality of carrier groups being assigned transmission data for a plurality of communication apparatuses, and each of the plurality of carrier groups adopting one of a first frame configuration where the transmission data is transmitted using one modulation signal and a second frame configuration where the transmission data is transmitted using a plurality of modulated signals, the communication apparatus comprising:

an input to which the received OFDM signal is input; and

a demodulator configured to specify a carrier group to which transmission data for the communication apparatus is assigned, based on control information included in the received OFDM signal, and to generate reception data associated with the specified carrier group based on one of the one modulated signal used in the first frame configuration and the plurality of modulated signals used in the second frame configuration.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a propagation path estimator which estimates a propagation path condition from the received signal; and

a transmitter which transmits radio wave propagation environment information related to the estimated propagation path condition.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the radio wave propagation environment information comprises one of field strength and channel state information.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the modulated signal comprises:

a data symbol for transmitting transmission data to one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

a control symbol located before the data symbol on a time axis, the control symbol being used to decode the transmission data by the communication apparatus which received the modulated signal.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the modulated signal comprises:

a data symbol for transmitting transmission data to one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

an estimation symbol located before the data symbol on a time axis, the estimation symbol being used to estimate one of time synchronization, frequency synchronization, and channel distortion of the modulated signal.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the OFDM signal is received using a plurality of antennas in the communication apparatus.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, when the second frame configuration is adopted, the plurality of modulated signals are transmitted over a plurality of antennas of the base station.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein, when the second frame configuration is adopted, the plurality of modulated signals are transmitted at an identical time period over an identical frequency band by using the plurality of antennas of the base station.