Method for protecting important data bits using less important data bits

摘要

A method and apparatus for protecting a first group of data bits using a second group of data bits within digital data transmissions is disclosed. First and second groups of data bits are encoded for transmission in a communication network. The second group of encoded data bits are scrambled using a scrambling mask generated from the first group of data bits. The first group of encoded data bits and the second group of encoded and scrambled data bits are then interleaved and transmitted to a receiver. The first group of data bits are decoded and used to regenerate the scrambling mask to descramble the second group of encoded and scrambled data bits. The second group of data bits may then be decoded. The results of the decoding of the second group of data bits are used to determine whether or not the first group of data bits were properly decoded.