Apparatus and method for transmitting a bit in addition to a plurality of payload data symbols of a communication protocol, and apparatus and method for decoding a data signal

Abstract

An apparatus for transmitting a bit in addition to a plurality of payload data symbols of a communication protocol is provided. The apparatus comprises an input interface configured to receive information about a bit value of the bit. Further, the apparatus comprises a transmission circuit configured to, if the bit value is a first value, transmit the plurality of payload data symbols at predetermined positions in a data signal as pulses of variable pulse length. The respective pulse length of each of the pulses is selected based on the symbol value of the payload data symbol represented by the respective pulse. If the bit value is a second value, the transmission circuit is configured to transmit a pulse exhibiting a pulse length being longer than a maximum payload data symbol pulse length defined in the communication protocol at the predetermined position of the pulse for the d-th payload data symbol of the plurality of payload data symbols, d=k+i if k+i≤z. d=([k+i] mod z) if k+i>z. k is the symbol value of the i-th payload data symbol of the plurality of payload data symbols, z is the number of possible symbol values of the payload data symbols defined in the communication protocol, and 1≤i≤z.