Method and apparatus for dynamic allocation of transmission bandwidth resources and for transmission of multiple audio signals with a video signal

• US 20010000457A1
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Published: 04/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ian A. Lerner, Larry W. Hinderks, Laurence A. Fish, Roswell R. Roberts III
• Original Assignee: Ian A. Lerner, Larry W. Hinderks, Laurence A. Fish, Roswell R. Roberts III
• Inventors: Fish, Laurence A., Lerner, Ian, Roberts, Roswell R. III, Hinderks, Larry W.
• Application Number:
  US09/729,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1682 Allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users, e.g. concentrated multiplexers, statistical multiplexers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/023 Multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals multicarrier modulation H04L27/2601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for dynamically allocated multiple slots within a multi-channel multi-carrier transmission system. The slots may be allocated sequentially or non-sequentially. The data transmission rate for each slot remains constant, while multiple slots may be allocated to a single user service. Each carrier signal contains header data regarding all other carriers associated with the transmission system to identify the allocation of slots to user services. In an alternative embodiment, an encoding and transmitting system is provided for transmitting one or more video and audio encoded signals in a time division multiplexed manner along separate channels having fixed bandwidths. Multiple audio channels may be transmitted simultaneously with a related single video channel, and vice versa. The time division multiplexed audio/video signals may be transmitted over a single carrier or over multiple carriers.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic allocation of transmission bandwidth resources, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving data from user services having predefined data service transmission rates;

defining a plurality of slots within the transmission bandwidth resources, each of said slots representing a channel having a predefined data channel transmission rate;

dynamically allocating said slots to user services based on said data service transmission rates and said data channel transmission rates; and

transmitting data received from said user services in said slots according to said dynamic allocation step.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, further comprising the step of utilizing one of said slots to carry slot mapping information identifying allocation of said slots among said services.

3. A method according to

claim 1

, further comprising the step of transmitting as auxiliary header information, an allocation map defining a relationship between each service and one or more associated slots.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said defining step includes defining dynamically said channels with differing data channel transmission rates.

5. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said defining step includes defining said channels with a fixed common data channel transmission rate.

6. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said allocating step includes allocating at least a first service to a single first slot and at least a second service to at least second and third slots.

7. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said allocating step allocates said slots sequentially.

8. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said allocating step allocates said slots non-sequentially.

9. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein a first user service has a service transmission rate and is allocated first and second slots which separately have slot transmission rates of approximately one-half of said service transmission rate.

10. A method according to

claim 1

, further comprising the step of:

dividing data received from at least one of said user services into at least two bitstreams which are allocated to different slots; and

combining bitstreams from all user services into allocated slots of an aggregate bitstream, said dividing and combining steps being performed based on said dynamic allocation step.

11. A method according to

claim 1

, further comprising the step of maintaining a slot allocation table mapping a relation between services and slots.

12. A method according to

claim 1

, further comprising the step of updating and reallocating slots between services when a service transmission rate of at least one user service changes.

14. A system according to

claim 1

, wherein said slot allocation includes at least one switch for dividing data from at least one user service between at least two of said input channels.

13. A multiple channel, multiple carrier transmission system for transmitting data from a plurality of user services over dynamically allocated transmission bandwidth resources, said system comprising:

a plurality of input channels for carrying data for user services at predefined service data rates;

a multiplexor for combining service data from said input channels into an aggregate bitstream comprising data slots, each of said slots representing an output channel having a predefined data channel transmission rate;

a modulator for converting said aggregate bitstream into an RF signal; and

a slot allocator, communicating with said input channels, for dynamically allocating input channels and associated slots to said user services based on transmission rates of said user services and of said slots.

15. A system according to

claim 13

, wherein said slot allocator generates a map defining a relation between user service and channels.

16. A system according to

claim 13

, further comprising a slot allocation table for storing a mapping relation between each user service and slots allocated thereto.

17. A system according to

claim 13

, further comprising a switch for dividing data from a first user service among multiple input channels, said slot allocator connecting a second user service to a single input channel.

18. A system according to

claim 13

, wherein said slot allocator allocates said input channels sequentially to use services.

19. A system according to

claim 13

, wherein said slot allocation allocates said input channels non-sequentially to user services.

20. A system according to

claim 13

, wherein said slot allocation updates and reallocates slots between user services when a service transmission rate of at least one user service changes.

21. A system for digitally encoding and transmitting digital video signals and related digital audio signals, said system comprising:

at least one video encoder for receiving and encoding digital signals to provide encoded video bitstreams;

at least a first audio encoder for receiving and encoding at least one audio bitstream, said audio bitstream relating to said video bitstream;

a multiplexor for time division multiplexing said video bitstream and said audio bitstream received along at least two separate input channels to produce an aggregate audio/video bitstream containing at least two channels of fixed band width; and

a modulator for transmitting said aggregate audio/video bitstream.

22. A system according to

claim 21

wherein said audio and video encoders separately packetized each of said audio and video bitstreams in audio and video packets, which contain presentation time stamps with respect to differing audio and video reference times generated independent of the time division multiplexing operation, said multiplexor multiplexing said audio and video packets without changing said presentation time stamps.

23. A system according to

claim 21

, wherein said multiplexor outputs said video bitstream upon at least a first video channel and outputs first and second audio bitstreams upon at least first and second audio channels, said first video channel and said first and second audio channels being non-overlapping with and mutually exclusive from one another.

24. A system according to

claim 21

, wherein said modulator transmits said aggregate bitstream containing all of said audio and video channels over a single carrier signal.

25. A system according to

claim 21

, wherein said modulator transmits said aggregate bitstream over multiple carrier signals.