Data communications system and hybrid time-code multiplexing method

The present invention relates to digital data communications, and more particularly, to systems and methods for accommodating terminals of different throughput capabilities. A data communications system, particularly suited for shared or wireless communications channels, capable of accommodating terminals having different throughput capabilites by flexibly allocating cyclically rotated phases of a common code is disclosed. One or more shifts of a cyclic orthogonal code are assigned to a terminal. These codes are preferably cyclically padded to increase their tolerance to arbitrary time shifts, and the resulting codes are used to spread the signals for transmission.