Abstract: A hierarchical QAM system allows the transmission of different sources by embedding the relative constellation points. A QAM transmitting system, includes a source of a level 1 and a level 2 data stream, each data stream carrying successive symbols. A hierarchical QAM transmitter, coupled to the level 1 and level 2 data stream source, generates a hierarchical QAM signal in which a level 1 symbol is represented by a data point in one of four quadrants in the I-Q plane, and a level 2 symbol is represented by the data point in one of four sub-quadrants surrounding a center point of the quadrant containing the level 1 data point. The level 2 data point is spaced away from the center point by a grouping factor set to more closely match the bit error rate performance of the level 1 and level 2 data streams.

Abstract: A OAM receiver includes a source of a received hierarchical OAM signal. The hierarchical OAM signal represents successive data points in the I-Q plane, each data point being in one of four quadrants. Circuitry, coupled to the hierarchical OAM signal source, calculates the location in the I-Q plane of the center-of-gravity of successive received data points in a quadrant. A level 1 decoder is responsive to a received data point and detects the quadrant in the I-Q plane of a received data point. Further circuitry, coupled to the hierarchical OAM signal source and responsive to the calculating circuitry, translates the received data point in the I-Q plane such that the center-of-gravity of the detected quadrant is translated to the origin of the I-Q plane. A level 2 decoder is then responsive to the translated data point for detecting the quadrant of the translated data point.

Abstract: A hierarchical QAM system allows the transmission of different sources by embedding the relative constellation points. At the transmitter the constellations generated by the different sources are remapped by a grey coder and then combined. At the receiver, the different source data are decoded by using a corresponding grey code demapper.

Abstract: The power of the respective codes used by the first and second error detection/correction circuitry are such that the coded bit error rate of the first data stream is more closely matched to the coded bit error rate of the second data stream. A hierarchical QAM system allows the transmission of different sources by embedding the relative constellation points. The hierarchical QAM transmitter encodes the first data stream using a code having a first detection/correction power and encodes the second data stream using a code having a second detection/correction power.