Apparatus, systems and methods for providing enhancements to ATSC networks using synchronous vestigial sideband (VSB) frame slicing

• US 8,208,580 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Simon, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ODOM, CURTIS B
• Application Number:
  US12/418,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 375/295, 375/299
• US Class Current: 375/295
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0057 Block codes H04L1/0061, H04L1/0064 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0065 Serial concatenated codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/007 Unequal error protection for format H04L1/0078; for codes per se H03M13/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0071 Use of interleaving interleaving per se H03M13/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/02 Amplitude-modulated carrier systems, e.g. using on-off keying; Single sideband or vestigial sideband modulation H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/04 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for signaling to a receiver an availability of a service and a deterministic mapping of a service content corresponding to the service. A modulator receives a digital signal and generates a data frame from the digital signal, where the data frame is divided into segments, where at least one grouping of the segments contains the service content. The modulator modulates at least one grouping in accordance with the deterministic mapping. A receiving device receives a digital signal containing the availability of a service, the deterministic mapping corresponding to the service, and the service content, and performs an operation on the service content in accordance with the deterministic mapping.

Claims

1. A method for modulating, comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital signal from a transport stream;

generating a data frame from the digital signal, wherein the data frame is divided into a predetermined number of segments, wherein at least one grouping of the predetermined number of segments contains a service content; and

modulating the at least one grouping in accordance with a deterministic mapping into a physical layer by inserting an initialization packet containing a plurality of stuff bytes positioned in predetermined byte positions into the digital signal, respectively, for setting each one of a plurality of Trellis coders to a predetermined state as a corresponding stuff byte enters,

wherein the service content is recognized at known symbol locations within the physical layer based on the deterministic mapping.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one grouping contains a normal broadcast content.

3. A modulator, comprising:

a receiver operable to receive a digital signal from a transport stream;

a data frame generator operable to generate a data frame from the digital signal, wherein the data frame is divided into a predetermined number of segments, wherein at least one grouping of the predetermined number of segments contains a service content; and

a modulation unit operable to modulate the at least one grouping in accordance with a deterministic mapping into a physical layer by inserting an initialization packet containing a plurality of stuff bytes positioned in predetermined byte positions into the digital signal, respectively, for setting each one of a plurality of Trellis coders to a predetermined state as a corresponding stuff byte enters,

wherein the service content is recognized at known symbol locations within the physical layer based on the deterministic mapping.

4. The modulator of claim 3, wherein at least one grouping contains a normal broadcast content.

5. A modulator, comprising:

means for receiving a digital signal from a transport stream;

means for generating a data frame from the digital signal, wherein the data frame is divided into a predetermined number of segments, wherein at least one grouping of the predetermined number of segments contains a service content; and

means for modulating the at least one grouping in accordance with a deterministic mapping into a physical layer by inserting an initialization packet containing a plurality of stuff bytes positioned in predetermined byte positions into the digital signal, respectively, for setting each one of a plurality of Trellis coders to a predetermined state as a corresponding stuff byte enters,

wherein the service content is recognized at known symbol locations within the physical layer based on the deterministic mapping.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having control logic stored therein for modulating, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

receive a digital signal from a transport stream;

generate a data frame from the digital signal, wherein the data frame is divided into a predetermined number of segments, wherein at least one grouping of the predetermined number of segments contains a service content; and

modulate the at least one grouping in accordance with a deterministic mapping into a physical layer by inserting an initialization packet containing a plurality of stuff bytes positioned in predetermined byte positions into the digital signal, respectively, for setting each one of a plurality of Trellis coders to a predetermined state as a corresponding stuff byte enters,

wherein the service content is recognized at known symbol locations within the physical layer based on the deterministic mapping.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein at least one grouping contains a normal broadcast content.