Block QPSK modulation codes with two levels of error protection

A class of block QPSK modulation codes for unequal error protection (UEP) is presented. These codes are particularly suitable either for broadcast channels or for communication systems where parts of the information messages are more important than others. An example of the latter is coded speech transmission. Not much is known on the application of block UEP codes in combined coding and modulation schemes. We exhibit a method to combine binary linear UEP (LUEP) block codes of even length, using a Gray mapping, with a QPSK signal set to construct efficient block QPSK modulation codes with nonuniform error protection capabilities for bandwidth efficient transmission over AWGN (additive white Gaussian noise) and Rayleigh fading channels