Time-interleaved simulcast for tune-in reduction

• US 8,396,082 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Core Wiresless Licensing SARL (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Hannuksela, Miska, Vadakital, Vinod Kumar Malamal, Bouazizi, Imed
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masur, Paul H
• Application Number:
  US11/758,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20080304520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,107 Days
• Field of Search: 370/473, 370/528, 375/240.26, 375/240.27
• US Class Current: 370/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/20 Arrangements for broadcast or distribution of identical information via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0057 Block codes H04L1/0061, H04L1/0064 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0068 by puncturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/187 the unit being a scalable video layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/503 involving temporal prediction adaptive coding with adaptive selection between spatial and temporal predictive coding H04N19/107; adaptive coding with adaptive selection among a plurality of temporal predictive coding modes H04N19/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/88 involving rearrangement of data among different coding units, e.g. shuffling, interleaving, scrambling or permutation of pixel data or permutation of transform coefficient data among different blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64315 DVB-H

Abstract

A system and method for providing faster tuning into a chosen program in a time-sliced multicast and/or broadcast transmission environment. Multimedia data of the same source material but of different transmission and presentation characteristics are coded and compressed. According to various embodiments, simulcast streams of a program are time-sliced, placed maximally apart from each other in terms of transmission time, and sent over the channel.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a first coded data stream and a second coded data stream both representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other;

transmitting portions of the first coded data stream in first and second time-sliced bursts; and

transmitting a portion of the second coded data stream in a third time-sliced burst,

wherein the transmission of the portions of the first and second coded data streams do not overlap with each other, and occur subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a content rendering duration of each of the first, second and third time-sliced bursts is substantially equal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a transmission time of the third time-sliced burst is placed substantially in the middle of an interval between transmission times of the first time-sliced burst and the second time-sliced burst.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a content rendering range of the third time-sliced burst starts substantially from the middle of content rendering start times of the first and the second time-sliced bursts.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a content rendering range of the third time-sliced burst starts substantially from the same position as a content rendering start time of the first time-sliced burst.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and transmitting an indication of the similarity of a reference picture management of the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream.

7. A computer program product, embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising computer code configured to:

generate a first coded data stream and a second coded data stream both representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other;

transmit portions of the first coded data stream in first and second time-sliced bursts; and

transmit a portion of the second coded data stream in a third time-sliced burst,

wherein the transmission of the portions of the first and second coded data streams do not overlap with each other, and occur subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit communicatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for generating a first coded data stream and a second coded data stream both representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other;

computer code for transmitting portions of the first coded data stream in first and second time-sliced bursts; and

computer code for transmitting a portion of the second coded data stream in a third time-sliced burst,

wherein the transmission of the portions of the first and second coded data streams do not overlap with each other, and occur subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a content rendering duration of each of the first, second and third time-sliced bursts is substantially equal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a transmission time of the third time-sliced burst is placed substantially in the middle of an interval between transmission times of the first time-sliced burst and the second time-sliced burst.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a content rendering range of the third time-sliced burst starts substantially from the middle of content rendering start times of the first and the second time-sliced bursts.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a content rendering range of the third time-sliced burst starts substantially from the same position as a content rendering start time of the first time-sliced burst.

13. A data transmission system, comprising:

means for generating a first coded data stream and a second coded data stream both representing the same, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other;

means for transmitting portions of the first coded data stream in first and second time-sliced bursts; and

means for transmitting a portion of the second coded data stream in a third time-sliced burst,

wherein the transmission of the portions of the first and second coded data streams do not overlap with each other, and occur subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a content rendering duration of each of the first, second and third time-sliced bursts is substantially equal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a transmission time of the third time-sliced burst is placed substantially in the middle of an interval between transmission times of the first time-sliced burst and the second time-sliced burst.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving a time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream and, subsequently, time-sliced bursts of a second coded data stream, both the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being conveyed in non-overlapping time-slices, and subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data;

decoding a subset of the time-sliced burst of the received first coded data stream; and

decoding a subset of the time-sliced bursts of the received second coded data stream.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the decoding of the subset of the time-sliced burst of the received first coded data stream and the decoding of the subset of the time-sliced bursts of the received second coded data stream result in time-wise non-overlapping decoded samples of the content.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the time-wise non-overlapping decoded samples of the content represent a continuous signal.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the time-sliced burst of the first coded data stream is received before any of the time-sliced bursts of the second coded data stream.

20. A computer program product, embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising computer code configured to:

receive a time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream and, subsequently, time-sliced bursts of a second coded data stream, both the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being conveyed in non-overlapping time-slices, and subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data;

decode a subset of the time-sliced burst of the received first coded data stream; and

decode a subset of the time-sliced bursts of the received second coded data stream.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit communicatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for processing a received time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream and, subsequently, time-sliced bursts of a second coded data stream, both the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being conveyed in non-overlapping time-slices, and subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data;

computer code for decoding a subset of the time-sliced burst of the received first coded data stream; and

computer code for decoding a subset of the time-sliced bursts of the received second coded data stream.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein decoding the subset of the time-sliced burst of the received first coded data stream and decoding the subset of the time-sliced bursts of the received second coded data stream results into time-wise non-overlapping decoded samples of the content.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the time-wise non-overlapping decoded samples of the content represent a continuous signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the time-sliced burst of the first coded data stream is received before any of the time-sliced bursts of the second coded data stream.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream and, subsequently, time-sliced bursts of a second coded data stream, both the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being independently decodable from each other, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream being conveyed in non-overlapping time-slices, and subsequently to each other in transmission order and substantially without delay between transmission of data;

means for decoding a subset of the time-sliced burst of the received first coded data stream; and

means for decoding a subset of the time-sliced bursts of the received second coded data stream.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the decoding of the subset of the time-sliced burst of the received first coded data stream and the decoding of the subset of the time-sliced bursts of the received second coded data stream result in time-wise non-overlapping decoded samples of the content.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the time-wise non-overlapping decoded samples of the content represent a continuous signal.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the time-sliced burst of the first coded data stream is received before any of the time-sliced bursts of the second coded data stream.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to decode and render the second coded stream.

30. A method, comprising:

receiving a first time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream;

identifying an unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst;

receiving a second time-sliced burst of a second coded stream, wherein the second time-sliced bust is subsequent to the first time-sliced burst in transmission order; and

in response to the identification of the unrecoverable error, decoding a subset of the content of the second time-sliced burst to conceal the unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst,

wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are both representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are independently decodable from each other, and wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are conveyed in non-overlapping time-sliced bursts and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein portions of the first coded stream are provided in the first and second time-sliced bursts, a portion of the second coded data stream is provided in a third time-sliced burst, and wherein the portions of the first and second coded data streams do not overlap with each other.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving an indication of the similarity of a reference picture management of the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream; and

in response to an indication of identical reference picture management, utilizing a reference picture resulting from decoding of the second coded data stream.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the decoding of the subset of the content of the second time-sliced burst is initiated from a random-access point.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

receiving an indication of the similarity of a reference picture management of the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream; and

in response to an indication of different reference picture management, initiating the decoding of the subset of the content of the second time-sliced burst from the random-access point.

32. A computer program product, embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising computer code configured to perform:

receive a first time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream;

identify an unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst;

receive a second time-sliced burst of a second coded stream, wherein the second time-sliced bust is subsequent to the first time-sliced burst in transmission order; and

in response to the identification of the unrecoverable error, decode a subset of the content of the second time-sliced burst to conceal the unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst,

wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are both representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are independently decodable from each other, and wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are conveyed in non-overlapping time-sliced bursts and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit communicatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for processing a received first time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream;

computer code for identifying an unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst;

computer code for processing a received second time-sliced burst of a second coded stream, wherein the second time-sliced bust is subsequent to the first time-sliced burst in transmission order; and

computer code for, in response to the identification of the unrecoverable error, decoding a subset of the content of the second time-sliced burst to conceal the unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst,

wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are both representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are independently decodable from each other, and wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are conveyed in non-overlapping time-sliced bursts and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein portions of the first coded stream are provided in the first and second time-sliced bursts, a portion of the second coded data stream is provided in a third time-sliced burst, and wherein the portions of the first and second coded data streams do not overlap with each other.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a first time-sliced burst of a first coded data stream;

means for identifying an unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst;

means for receiving a second time-sliced burst of a second coded stream, wherein the second time-sliced bust is subsequent to the first time-sliced burst in transmission order; and

means for, in response to the identification of the unrecoverable error, decoding a subset of the content of the second time-sliced burst to conceal the unrecoverable error in the first time-sliced burst,

wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are both representing the same content, the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are independently decodable from each other, and wherein the first coded data stream and the second coded data stream are conveyed in non-overlapping time-sliced bursts and substantially without delay between transmission of data.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein portions of the first coded stream are provided in the first and second time-sliced bursts, a portion of the second coded data stream is provided in a third time-sliced burst, and wherein the portions of the first and second coded data streams do not overlap with each other.