Hierarchical broadcast transmission via multiple transmitters

• US 8,781,391 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MK Systems USA Inc.
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Huschke, Jorg
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US12/375,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20100056041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,910 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers

Abstract

A technique for controlling a wireless broadcast transmission of media data via multiple transmitter sites into a broadcast area with different inter-site distances is proposed. The broadcast area comprises a region of large inter-site distance (ISD) and a region of small inter-site distance. The technique provides for a high spectral efficiency in regions of small ISD and at the same time for an acceptable reception quality in regions of large ISD. A first transmission is initiated into the broadcast area, wherein the first transmission is adapted for reception in a first of the regions. A second transmission is initiated into a second of the regions, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the second region.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a wireless broadcast transmission of media data via multiple transmitter sites into a broadcast area with different transmitter inter-site distances, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

determining a region of large transmitter inter-site distance and a region of small transmitter inter-site distance based on a distance threshold between the multiple transmitter sites in the broadcast area;

initiating a first transmission of the media data to a first transmitter site in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance; and

initiating a second transmission of the media data of different quality to a second transmitter site in the region of small transmitter inter-site distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the media data comprise hierarchically layered data with at least a base layer and an enhancement layer, and wherein the step of initiating the first transmission comprises initiating a transmission of the base layer and the step of initiating the second transmission comprises initiating a transmission of the enhancement layer.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising the further step of determining if transmission resources for a transmission of the enhancement layer are available at the first transmitter site in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance, and in case of available transmission resources, initiating a third transmission to the first transmitter site in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second transmission comprises transmitting a single representation of the media data and the third transmission comprises transmitting multiple representations of the media data.

5. The method according to claim 3, comprising the further steps of:

transmitting a subset of the media data of the enhancement layer via the second transmission, and

transmitting the media data of the enhancement layer via the third transmission.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising the further steps of:

indicating in a bit stream associated with the media data of enhancement layer bits that may be omitted in a transmission,

transmitting the bit stream via the second transmission excluding omitted bits, and

transmitting the bit stream via the third transmission including the omitted bits.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first or second transmitter sites of the broadcast area perform the first transmission each utilizing one and a same frequency and/or time resource and perform at least one of the second and third transmissions utilizing different frequency and/or time resources.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein one and a same broadcast signal representing the media data is transmitted in the first transmission and in the second transmission, and the second transmission utilizes more transmission resources than the first transmission.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission comprises transmitting a single representation of the media data and the second transmission comprises transmitting multiple representations of the media data.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

transmitting a subset of the media data via the first transmission, and

transmitting the media data via the second transmission.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

indicating in a bit stream associated with the media data that may be omitted in a transmission,

transmitting the bit stream via the first transmission excluding omitted bits, and

transmitting the bit stream via the second transmission including the omitted bits.

12. A method of controlling a wireless broadcast transmission of media data via multiple transmitter sites into a broadcast area with different transmitter inter-site distances, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

determining a region of large transmitter inter-site distance and a region of small transmitter inter-site distance based on a distance threshold between the multiple transmitter sites in the broadcast area;

initiating a first transmission of the media data into a cell served by a transmitter site for reception in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance; and

initiating a second transmission of the media data of different quality into the cell for reception in the region of small transmitter inter-site distance.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the media data comprise hierarchically layered data with at least a base layer and an enhancement layer, and wherein the first transmission comprises a transmission of the base layer and the second transmission comprises a transmission of the enhancement layer.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein one and a same broadcast signal representing the media data is transmitted in the first transmission and in the second transmission utilizing different transmission resources.

15. A method of receiving a wireless broadcast transmission of media data via multiple transmitter sites into a broadcast area with different transmitter inter-site distances, wherein the broadcast area comprises at least a region of large transmitter inter-site distance and a region of small transmitter inter-site distance, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

receiving a first transmission of the media data from at least one transmitter site for reception in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance; and

receiving a second transmission of the media data of different quality from at least one transmitter site for reception in the region of small transmitter inter-site distance, the region of large transmitter inter-site distance and the region of small transmitter inter-site distance being based on a distance threshold between the multiple transmitter sites in the broadcast area.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the media data comprise hierarchically layered data with at least a base layer and an enhancement layer, and wherein the first transmission comprises a transmission of the base layer and the second transmission comprises a transmission of the enhancement layer.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein one and a same broadcast signal representing the media data is transmitted in the first transmission and in the second transmission utilizing different transmission resources.

18. A broadcast control system for controlling a wireless broadcast transmission of media data via multiple transmitter sites into a broadcast area with different transmitter inter-site distances, wherein the system comprises:

a component for determining a region of large transmitter inter-site distance and a region of small transmitter inter-site distance based on a distance threshold between the multiple transmitter sites in the broadcast area;

at least one first transmission control component for initiating a first transmission of the media data to a first transmitter site in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance; and

at least one second transmission control component for initiating a second transmission of the media data of different quality to a second transmitter site in the region of small transmitter inter-site distance.

19. The broadcast control system according to claim 18, wherein the media data comprise hierarchically layered data with at least a base layer and an enhancement layer, and wherein the first transmission is a transmission of the base layer and the second transmission is a transmission of the enhancement layer.

20. The broadcast control system according to claim 18, wherein the first transmission comprises a single representation of the media data and the second transmission comprises multiple representations of the media data.

21. A transmitter for controlling a wireless broadcast transmission of media data via multiple transmitter sites into a broadcast area with different transmitter inter-site distances, wherein the transmitter comprises:

a component for determining a region of large transmitter inter-site distance and a region of small transmitter inter-site distance based on a distance threshold between the multiple transmitter sites in the broadcast area;

a first transmission control component for initiating a first transmission of the media data into a cell of the broadcast area served by the transmitter for reception in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance; and

a second transmission control component for initiating a second transmission of the media data of different quality into the cell for reception in the region of small transmitter inter-site distance.

22. A receiver stage for receiving a wireless broadcast transmission of media data via multiple transmitter sites into a broadcast area with different transmitter inter-site distances, wherein the broadcast area comprises at least a region of large transmitter inter-site distance and a region of small transmitter inter-site distance, and wherein the receiver stage comprises:

a first interface component for receiving a first transmission of the media data from at least one transmitter site for reception in the region of large transmitter inter-site distance; and

a second interface component for receiving a second transmission of the media data of different quality from at least one transmitter site for reception in the region of small transmitter inter-site distance, the region of large transmitter inter-site distance and the region of small transmitter inter-site distance being based on a distance threshold between the multiple transmitter sites in the broadcast area.

23. The receiver stage of claim 22, wherein the receiver stage is part of user equipment for a mobile network.