HIERARCHICAL BROADCAST TRANSMISSION VIA MULTIPLE TRANSMITTERS

• US 20100056041A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MK Systems USA Inc.
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Huschke, Jorg
• Granted Patent: US 8,781,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.10
• 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 inter-site distances, wherein the broadcast area comprises at least a region of large inter-site distance and a region of small inter-site distance, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

initiating a first transmission into the broadcast area, the first transmission being adapted for reception in a first of the regions; and

initiating a second transmission into a second of the regions, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the second region.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission is adapted for reception in the region of large inter-site distance and the second transmission is accomplished into the region of small inter-site distance, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance.

3. The method according to claim 2, 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.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising the further step of determining if transmission resources for a transmission of the enhancement layer are available at one or more transmitter sites of the region of large inter-site distance;

and in case of available transmission resources, initiating a third transmission via the one or more transmitter sites into the region of large inter-site distance, the third transmission being adapted for reception of the enhancement layer in the region of large inter-site distance.

5. The method according to claim 4, 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.

6. The method according to claim 4, 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.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising the steps of

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

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

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

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transmitter sites of the broadcast area perform the first transmission each utilizing one and the same frequency and/or time resource and perform at least one of the second and third transmission(s) utilizing different frequency and/or time resources.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission is adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance and the second transmission is accomplished into the region of large inter-site distance, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the region of large inter-site distance.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein one and the 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.

11. The method according to claim 10, 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.

12. The method according to claim 10, 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.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising the steps of

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

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

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

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

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

initiating a second transmission into the cell, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance.

16. The method according to claim 14, 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 14, wherein one and the same broadcast signal representing the media data is transmitted in the first transmission and in the second transmission and the transmissions utilize 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 inter-site distances, wherein the broadcast area comprises at least a region of large inter-site distance and a region of small inter-site distance, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

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

receiving a second transmission from at least one transmitter site, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance.

27. 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.

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

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

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

at least one first transmission control component adapted for initiating a first transmission into the broadcast area, the first transmission being adapted for reception in a first of the regions; and

at least one second transmission control component adapted for initiating a second transmission into a second of the regions, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the second of the regions.

21. The broadcast control system according to claim 20, wherein one of the at least one first transmission control components is adapted to initiate the first transmission, which is adapted for reception in the region of large inter-site distance and one of the at least one second transmission control components is adapted to initiate the second transmission, which is adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance.

22. The broadcast control system according to claim 20, wherein one of the at least one first transmission control components is adapted to initiate the first transmission, which is adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance and one of the at least one second transmission control components is adapted to initiate the second transmission which is adapted for reception in the region of large inter-site distance.

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

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

a second transmission control component adapted for initiating a second transmission into the cell, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance.

24. (canceled)

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

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

a second interface component adapted for receiving a second transmission from at least one of the transmitter sites, the second transmission being adapted for reception in the region of small inter-site distance.

26. The receiver stage of claim 25, wherein the receiver stage is part of user equipment adapted for a mobile network.