DATA COMMUNICATION CHANNEL

摘要

A data channel for transmitting data from a base station to subscriber stations is provided. Each subscriber station has a different service-class which reflects the receptio n- quality of the data transmitted from the base station. The data channel is organized into a plurality of frames. Each frame contains service-class information that is packaged in the frame in such a manner that all subscriber stations can recover the service-class information. The frame also includes payload data destined for at least one of the subscriber stations. The payload data is packaged in the frame in such a manner that the subscriber station having payload data destined therefore can recover it s payload data, regardless of its service class. Subscriber stations that have no payload data destined therefore, and/or which are in a poorer service-class than the destined subscriber-stations, can use the service-class information to determine that the remainder of the frame can be ignored. An apparatus, syst em and method relating to the data channel are also provided.