Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Koninklijke Phillips Electronics N.v.

Giuseppe Coppola

Antonio E Salloum Salazar

Stefano Olivieri

The invention provides signal coding, wherein the signal is source coded to obtain a coded data stream, and source significance information (SSI) is included into the coded data stream, the source significance information (SSI) indicating desired protection rates of respective parts of the coded data stream. In this way, a channel encoder may obtain the source significance information (SSI) from the coded data stream, which is advantageous in presence of intermediate network layers. Preferably, the coded data stream comprises respective packets, the being included in respective headers associated with the respective packets, a given header indicating desired protection rates for respective parts (p) of the associated packet. In order to provide easy detection of the source significance information (SSI), a first header (SSI) is placed at a beginning of the coded data stream. Alternatively, the header (SSI) is provided with an identifier.

Signal coding

A multiple access communication network is disclosed having a primary station that is coupled via a transmission medium to a plurality of secondary stations. The primary station is arranged for determining a free channel list comprising the channels, which are not used by any of the secondary stations to transmit information to the primary station. The primary station transmits this list of free channels to the secondary stations. The secondary stations are arranged for attempting to seize one of the channels indicated on the free channel list. If the attempt to seize a channel was successful, the secondary stations keeps using the channel it seized until it has all available information transmitted. If the secondary station stops using the channel, the primary station will include the channel again in the free channel list.

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Monza, Italy

Giuseppe Coppola