Transmission protocol for file transfer in a DAB system

• US 6,415,135 B1
• Filed: 01/26/1998
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Salomäki, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/981,052
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 455/31.1, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/39, 455/422, 455/517, 455/466, 455/45, 455/186.1, 340/825.44, 348/468, 348/473, 348/480, 348/482, 348/484, 348/487
• US Class Current: 455/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/46 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53-H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/86 Arrangements characterised by the broadcast information itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/20 digital audio broadcasting [DAB]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention relates to the transmission of files in a digital broadcasting system, particularly in a DAB system according to the standard ETS 300 401. According to the invention, a file descriptor (16) is created for each file. This file descriptor is of the data group type denoted by 0011 in said standard and includes parameters (27) describing the file associated with the descriptor. The file descriptor is transmitted in the broadcasting system before the file and possibly also during the transmission of the file. The information to be transmitted is divided into segments, which are identified in a file-specifically unique manner, such as consecutive numbering, which starts from zero at the beginning of each file.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information in a broadcast-type digital telecommunication system using Digital Audio Broadcasting from a transmitter to a receiver, which information is in the form of a file with a beginning, end and a middle part, and in which telecommunication system data groups of a predetermined form are formed of the information to be transmitted in the system, wherein a data element (16) describing the file to be transmitted is created in the method, which data element has the same form as the data group used in the telecommunication system and includes mechanisms for

indicating at least the beginning and the end of said file,

including a selectable number of additional parameters (27) describing said file and

indicating the number and size of the additional parameters included in the data element,

and which data element (16) is transmitted in said telecommunication system from said transmitter to said receiver.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data element (16) is transmitted in said telecommunication system from said transmitter to said receiver essentially earlier than said file.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data element (16) is transmitted in said telecommunication system from said transmitter to said receiver immediately before said file.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data element (16) is also transmitted in said telecommunication system from said transmitter to said receiver at least once during said file transmission.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said file is also divided into segments, each of which segments is identified in a file-specifically unique manner.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a first parameter, which has a multitude of allowed values, the first of which indicates that the file associated with said data element (16) is currently being transmitted from said transmitter to said receiver, and the other values indicate that the file associated with said data element (16) will be transmitted later from said transmitter to said receiver.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates the number of times left for said file to be transmitted in an unchanged form from said transmitter to said receiver.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates the name of said file.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said file is associated with a multimedia object and said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates the number of the multimedia object that said file is associated with.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates which version of said file is transmitted.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates the type of information contained by said file.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates the size of said file.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise an parameter, which indicates the file group to which said file belongs.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates the number of times left for the file group of said file to be transmitted in an unchanged form from said transmitter to said receiver.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates which version of the file group of said file is transmitted.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said parameters (27) comprise a parameter, which indicates whether said file is the last file of the file group to which it belongs.

17. Equipment for transmitting information in digital form using Digital Audio Broadcasting, which information is in the form of a file with a beginning, end and a middle part therebetween, and which equipment comprises means for arranging the information into data groups of a predetermined form for transmission, wherein it also comprises means for arranging information describing said file into a data element (16) describing the file to be transmitted, which data element has the same form as the data groups of a predetermined form and includes mechanisms for

indicating at least the beginning and the end of said file,

including a selectable number of additional parameters (27) describing said file and

indicating the number and size of the additional parameters included in the data element.

18. Equipment according to claim 17, further comprising means for dividing said file into segments and for identifying said segments for said transmission.

19. Equipment for receiving information transmitted in digital form, using Digital Audio Broadcasting, which information is in the form of a file with a beginning, end and a middle part in between, and which equipment comprises means for interpreting information from the data groups of a predetermined form, further comprising means for interpreting information describing said file from a data group (16) of a predetermined form, which information includes mechanisms for

indicating at least the beginning and the end of said file,

indicating a selectable number of additional parameters (27) describing said file and

indicating the number and size of the additional parameters included in the data group.

20. Equipment according to claim 19, further comprises means for compiling said file from segments transmitted one by one.