SYSTEMS, APPARATUS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVIDING ATSC INTEROPERABILITY

• US 20080211969A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rosum Corporation (Liberty Broadband Corp.), Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: SIMON, MICHAEL, FURMAN, SCOTT, SPILKER, JAMES
• Granted Patent: US 8,149,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products are provided for causing a dataframe to be emitted at an air interface of an antenna. A memory stores a transmission to antenna delay value (TAD). An offset calculator calculates an offset value based on an epoch of a global timebase generator and the transmission to antenna delay value (TAD). An interface controller in communication with the offset calculator communicates a segment synchronization signal and a field synchronization signal based on the offset value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for causing a dataframe to be emitted at an air interface of an antenna, comprising:

a memory configured to store a transmission to antenna delay value (TAD);

an offset calculator configured to calculate an offset value based on an epoch of a global timebase generator and the transmission to antenna delay value (TAD); and

an interface controller in communication with the offset calculator and configured to communicate a segment synchronization signal and a field synchronization signal based on the offset value.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface controller is further operable to release a transport stream of packets from a buffer when the dataframe is in cadence with the epoch.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the dataframe is a superframe.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the offset is referenced to a next edge of a pulse signal from the global timebase.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing a predetermined maximum delay value (Max Delay) corresponding to a value of time greater than the longest delay through a plurality of distribution networks;

a cyclic counter, synchronized with at least one signal of the global timebase, and configured to increment a count value;

a timing calculator configured to calculate the difference between a synchronization time stamp (STS) in a predetermined transport stream packet and the count value at the instant the predetermined transport stream packet is received, wherein the difference is a transport delay time (Transport Delay) across a distribution network; and

wherein the timing calculator is further configured to calculate a buffer delay value (TX Delay=Max Delay−

(Transport Delay+TAD)).

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one signal of the global timebase comprises a reference signal and a pulse signal.

7. An apparatus for causing the release of a VSB frame initialization packet into a distribution network, comprising:

an offset calculator configured to calculate an offset between a next edge of a pulse signal of a global timebase and a start of a superframe;

a timing calculator configured to calculate a release time based on the offset and a maximum delay value of the distribution network; and

an interface controller configured to control an emission multiplexer to release the VSB frame initialization packet at the release time.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a cyclic counter, synchronized with at least one signal of the global timebase, and configured to increment a count value, wherein the count value is stored in the VSB frame initialization packet when the VSB frame initialization packet is released into the distribution network.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the offset calculator is further configured to calculate the offset based on an epoch of a global timebase generator.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein content inserted in a deterministic location of the superframe at the emission multiplexer is synchronized with the content inserted at the deterministic location in another superframe at another multiplexer, the synchronization being referenced to an epoch of the global timebase.

11. A method for causing a dataframe to be emitted at an air interface of an antenna, comprising:

storing a transmission to antenna delay value (TAD);

calculating an offset value based on an epoch of a global timebase generator and the transmission to antenna delay value (TAD); and

communicating a segment synchronization signal and a field synchronization signal based on the offset value.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

releasing a transport stream of packets from a buffer when a dataframe is in cadence with the epoch.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the dataframe is a superframe.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the offset is referenced to a next edge of a pulse signal from the global timebase.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing a predetermined maximum delay value (Max Delay) corresponding to a value of time greater than the longest delay through a plurality of distribution networks;

synchronizing a cyclic counter with at least one signal of the global timebase and incrementing a count value;

calculating the difference between a synchronization time stamp (STS) in a predetermined transport stream packet and the count value at the instant the predetermined transport stream packet is received, wherein the difference is a transport delay time (Transport Delay) across a distribution network; and

calculating a buffer delay value (TX Delay=Max Delay−

(Transport Delay+TAD)).

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one signal of the global timebase comprises a reference signal and a pulse signal.

22. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform:

releasing a transport stream of packets from a buffer when a dataframe is in cadence with the epoch.

23. The computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the dataframe is a superframe.

17. A method for causing the release of a VSB frame initialization packet into a distribution network, comprising:

calculating an offset between a next edge of a pulse signal of a global timebase and a start of a superframe;

calculating a release time based on the offset and a maximum delay value of the distribution network; and

controlling an emission multiplexer to release the VSB frame initialization packet at the release time.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

synchronizing a cyclic counter with at least one signal of the global timebase and incrementing a count value; and

storing the count value in the VSB frame initialization packet when the VSB frame initialization packet is released into the distribution network.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

calculating the offset based on an epoch of a global timebase generator.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

inserting content in a deterministic location of the superframe at the emission multiplexer; and

inserting content at the deterministic location in another superframe at another multiplexer,

wherein the superframes are synchronized with reference to an epoch of the global timebase.

21. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions which when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform:

storing a transmission to antenna delay value (TAD);

calculating an offset value based on an epoch of a global timebase generator and the transmission to antenna delay value (TAD); and

communicating a segment synchronization signal and a field synchronization signal based on the offset value.

24. The computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the offset is referenced to a next edge of a pulse signal from the global timebase.

25. The computer-readable medium according to claim 21, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform:

storing a predetermined maximum delay value (Max Delay) corresponding to a value of time greater than the longest delay through a plurality of distribution networks;

synchronizing a cyclic counter with at least one signal of the global timebase and incrementing a count value;

calculating the difference between a synchronization time stamp (STS) in a predetermined transport stream packet and the count value at the instant the predetermined transport stream packet is received, wherein the difference is a transport delay time (Transport Delay) across a distribution network; and

calculating a buffer delay value (TX Delay=Max Delay−

(Transport Delay+TAD)).

26. The computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the at least one signal of the global timebase comprises a reference signal and a pulse signal.

27. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions which when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform:

calculating an offset between a next edge of a pulse signal of a global timebase and a start of a superframe;

calculating a release time based on the offset and a maximum delay value of the distribution network; and

controlling an emission multiplexer to release the VSB frame initialization packet at the release time.

28. The computer-readable medium according to claim 27, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform:

synchronizing a cyclic counter with at least one signal of the global timebase and incrementing a count value; and

storing the count value in the VSB frame initialization packet when the VSB frame initialization packet is released into the distribution network.

29. The computer-readable medium according to claim 27, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform:

calculating the offset based on an epoch of a global timebase generator.

30. The computer-readable medium according to claim 27, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform:

inserting content in a deterministic location of the superframe at the emission multiplexer; and

inserting content at the deterministic location in another superframe at another multiplexer,

wherein the superframes are synchronized with reference to an epoch of the global timebase.