Abstract: A broadcasting method comprising the steps of encoding program material using codes including a first set of bits and a second set of bits, the first set of bits contributing a greater coding gain to the codes than the second set of bits, modulating a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed carrier signals with the codes, whereby the first set of bits are carried by a first group of the carrier signals and the second set of bits are carried by a second group of the carrier signals, the first group of carrier signals being less susceptible to interference than the second group of carrier signals, broadcasting the carrier signals, receiving the carrier signals, estimating the interference to which the carrier signals in the second group have been subjected to determine if carrier signals in the second group have been corrupted, erasing bits carried by any of the carrier signals which have been determined to be corrupted, and decoding bits of the codes that have not been erased.

Abstract: A broadcasting method encodes program material using convolutional codes having non-puncturable bits and puncturable bits and modulates orthogonal frequency division multiplexed carrier signals with the convolutional codes. The non-puncturable bits are carried by a first group of the carriers and the puncturable bits are carried by a second group of the carriers, where the first group of carrier signals is less susceptible to interference than the second group of carrier signals. The carrier signals are then broadcast to receivers which determine if the carriers in the second group have been corrupted and erase puncturable bits carried by any of the carriers which have been determined to be corrupted. This produces punctured codes which are subsequently decoded to recover the program material.