Apparatus and method for re-synthesizing signals

• US 20100067431A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: McNeely, David Lowell
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18526 Arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to an apparatus and a method for re-synthesizing signals. The apparatus includes a receiver for receiving a plurality of digitally multiplexed signals, each digitally multiplexed signal associated with a different physical transmission channel, and for simultaneously recovering from at least two of the digital multiplexes a plurality of bit streams. The apparatus also includes a transmitter for inserting the plurality of bit streams into different digital multiplexes and for modulating the different digital multiplexes for transmission on different transmission channels. The method involves receiving a first signal having a plurality of different program streams in different frequency channels, selecting a set of program streams from the plurality of different frequency channels, combining the set of program streams to form a second signal, and transmitting the second signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a plurality of digitally multiplexed signals, each digitally multiplexed signal associated with a different physical transmission channel, and for simultaneously recovering from at least two of the digital multiplexes a plurality of bit streams; and

a transmitter for inserting the plurality of bit streams into different digital multiplexes and for modulating the different digital multiplexes for transmission on different transmission channels.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said receiver further comprises:

a sampler for sampling the signal to provide a plurality of decimated sample streams; and

a distributor operatively connected to said sampler for processing said plurality of decimated sample streams to provide output signals representative of said one or more different physical channels.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said distributor includes a transform element.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said sampler further comprises:

a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the signal into said plurality of decimated sample streams; and

a plurality of filters connected to said demultiplexer for processing said plurality of decimated sample streams.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said receiver further comprises a selector operatively connected to said distributor for selecting a subset of output signals representative of said one or more different physical channels.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said receiver further comprises a demodulator operatively coupled to said selector for processing said subset of output signals and generating said plurality of bit streams.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a bit stream processor for processing said plurality of bit streams into said new digital multiplexes; and

a modulator connected to said bit stream processor for modulating said new digital multiplexes into a set of selected physical channels.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said bit stream processor includes a processor for inserting new bit streams into said new digital multiplexes not present in said plurality of digital multiplexes.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said bit stream processor includes a processor for re-arranging said bit streams between said plurality of digital multiplexes and said new digital multiplexes.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said modulator is a modulator capable of modulating signals for reception by a satellite signal receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

an assembler operative on said selected physical channels to provide a set of parallel data streams representing the combination of said selected physical channels; and

a converter for converting said parallel data streams into said different physical transmission channels.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said assembler includes a transform element.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said converter further comprises:

a plurality of filters for processing said plurality of parallel data streams; and

a multiplexer connected to said plurality of filters for multiplexing said plurality of parallel data streams into a single sample stream containing said different physical transmission channels.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said different transmission channels are included in one signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of bit streams include a plurality of program streams containing audio, video, or data information.

7. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. A method for re-synthesizing signals comprising:

receiving a first signal having a plurality of different program streams in different frequency channels;

selecting a set of program streams from said plurality of different frequency channels;

combining said set of program streams to form a second signal; and

transmitting said second signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of selecting further comprises:

decimating said first signal into a plurality of decimated sample streams;

performing a transform on said number of decimated sample streams to provide transform output signals.

20. The method claim 19, wherein the step of decimating includes:

demultiplexing the signal into the number of decimated sample streams; and

processing the number of decimated sample streams with a plurality of filters for matching the discrete cosine transform.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of selecting includes re-ordering said set of program streams.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of combining further comprises:

performing transform-based processing on said set of different frequency channels to provide a plurality of parallel data streams; and

processing said plurality of parallel data streams to provide said second signal.

23. An integrated circuit for use in a receiving system, which receives signals representing a plurality of channels, the integrated circuit comprising:

a demultiplexing element for demultiplexing a received sampled signal to produce a plurality of first data streams;

a transform element for transforming said plurality of first data streams into a plurality of transform output signals, and for transforming at least two of said plurality of transform output signals into a plurality of second data streams;

a bit stream processing element for processing said plurality of transform output signals to select a set of bit streams and to combine said selected bit streams into said at least two transform output signals; and

a multiplexing element for mulitplexing said plurality of second data streams and outputting a sampled signal.

24. The integrated circuit of claim 23, wherein said transform element uses a type IV discrete cosine transform.

25. The integrated circuit of claim 23, further comprising:

a first filter element operative to filter said plurality of first data streams prior to providing said plurality of first data streams to said transform element; and

a second filter element operative to filter said plurality of second data streams prior to providing said plurality of second data streams to said multiplexing element.

26. The integrated circuit of claim 23, further comprising:

a demodulator element for demodulating said plurality of transform output signals prior to providing said plurality of transform output signals to said bit stream processing element; and

a modulator element for modulating said at least two transform output signals prior to providing said least two transform output signals to said transform element.

27. An apparatus for re-synthesizing signals comprising:

means for receiving a first signal having a plurality of bit streams from different frequency channels;

means for translating said first signal into a set of signals representing said plurality of different frequency channels;

means for selecting a set of bit streams from said set of signals;

means for combining said set of bit streams to form a second signal; and

means for transmitting said second signal.