Channel error protection implementable across network layers in a communication system

Abstract

Channel error protection is provided for a source coded bit stream in a communication system by a combination of outer channel coding and inner channel coding implemented across different network layers of the system. One or more of a number of different portions of the source coded bit stream are outer channel coded in a first network layer of the system, e.g., an application layer, using a designated outer channel code, so as to provide an outer channel coded bit stream having different levels of error protection for each of the different portions of the source coded bit stream. The outer channel coded bit stream is then inner channel coded in a second network layer of the system, e.g., a physical layer, using a designated inner channel code to thereby generate a channel coded bit stream. The channel coded bit stream may then be subject to further processing operations prior to transmission in the communication system. Advantageously, the invention allows unequal channel error protection to be provided for source coded audio, image, video or multimedia bit streams in a standard second generation (2G) or third generation (3G) wireless system in a manner which is independent of the physical layer coding infrastructure of the system.