Outer coding methods for broadcast/multicast content and related apparatus

• US 8,175,090 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Vayanos, Alkinoos Hector, Grilli, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): GREY, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US11/947,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20080151805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370/328, 370/331, 370/389, 370/394, 714752-776, 455/436, 455/439
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/15 Cyclic codes, i.e. cyclic shifts of codewords produce other codewords, e.g. codes defined by a generator polynomial, Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem [BCH] codes H03M13/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/1515 Reed-Solomon codes
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/2707 Simple row-column interleaver, i.e. pure block interleaving
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0041 Arrangements at the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0045 Arrangements at the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0057 Block codes H04L1/0061, H04L1/0064 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0061 Error detection codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

Transmission techniques are provided that improve service continuity and reduce interruptions in delivery of content that can be caused by transitions that occur when the User Equipment (UE) moves from one cell to the other, or when the delivery of content changes from a Point-to-Point (PTP) connection to a Point-to-Multipoint (PTM) connection in the same serving cell, and vice-versa. Such transmission techniques enable seamless delivery of content across cell borders and/or between different transmission schemes such as Point-to-Multipoint (PTM) and Point-to-Point (PTP). Mechanisms for adjusting different streams and for recovering content from each data block during such transitions are also provided so that data is not lost during a transition. In addition, mechanisms for realigning data during decoding at a receiving terminal are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of creating a variable row size outer code block having a plurality of rows, comprising:

receiving rows of user information over a radio bearer, wherein the size of the rows of user information varies based on an application;

once all rows of user information are received, determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, wherein the size of the outer code block transmitted during a transmission timing interval varies based on the outer code block row size;

segmenting and concatenating rows of user information to fit within variable-size outer code block rows;

placing the rows of user information into outer code block rows to generate information blocks;

adding at least one length indicator to each outer code block row to indicate that a row of user information ends within the outer code block row occupied by that information block, wherein the rows of user information fully occupy the plurality of outer code block rows, and wherein a encoder packet comprises the information blocks and length indicators;

extracting a portion of each encoder packet to obtain extracted information;

encoding the extracted information to generate rows of redundancy information;

adding the rows of redundancy information to the encoder packet to generate an outer code block having the variable row size; and

transmitting the encoder packet.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, comprises:

once all rows of user information are received or a determination is made that the outer code block is to be generated, determining a variable outer code block row size from a number of predetermined outer code block row sizes, based on the amount of user information received, that allows the portion of the outer code block occupied by non-user information to be minimized to thereby allow the user information rate to be reduced.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, comprises:

once all rows of user information are received, determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, that allows the rows of user information to fully occupy the encoder packet, wherein the size of the outer code block that is transmitted during a transmission timing interval varies based on the outer code block row size.

4. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium including codes for causing a computer to:

receive rows of user information over a radio bearer, wherein the size of the rows of user information varies based on an application;

once all rows of user information are received, determine a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, wherein the size of the outer code block transmitted during a transmission timing interval varies based on the outer code block row size;

segment and concatenate rows of user information to fit within variable-size outer code block rows;

place the rows of user information into outer code block rows to generate information blocks;

add at least one length indicator to each outer code block row to indicate that a row of user information ends within the outer code block row occupied by that information block, wherein the rows of user information fully occupy the plurality of outer code block rows, and wherein a encoder packet comprises the information blocks and length indicators;

extract a portion of each encoder packet to obtain extracted information;

encode the extracted information to generate rows of redundancy information;

add the rows of redundancy information to the encoder packet to generate an outer code block having the variable row size; and

send the encoder packet.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the codes include codes for determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, comprising:

once all rows of user information are received or a determination is made that the outer code block is to be generated, determining a variable outer code block row size from a number of predetermined outer code block row sizes, based on the amount of user information received, that allows the portion of the outer code block occupied by non-user information to be minimized to thereby allow the user information rate to be reduced.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the codes include codes for determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, comprising:

once all rows of user information are received, determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, that allows the rows of user information to fully occupy the encoder packet, wherein the size of the outer code block that is transmitted during a transmission timing interval varies based on the outer code block row size.

7. A communications apparatus for creating a variable row size outer code block having a plurality of rows, comprising:

a memory;

a processor module coupled to the memory, said processor module configured to;

receive rows of user information over a radio bearer, wherein the size of the rows of user information varies based on an application;

once all rows of user information are received, determine a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, wherein the size of the outer code block transmitted during a transmission timing interval varies based on the outer code block row size;

segment and concatenate rows of user information to fit within variable-size outer code block rows;

place the rows of user information into outer code block rows to generate information blocks;

add at least one length indicator to each outer code block row to indicate that a row of user information ends within the outer code block row occupied by that information block, wherein the rows of user information fully occupy the plurality of outer code block rows, and wherein a encoder packet comprises the information blocks and length indicators;

extract a portion of each encoder packet to obtain extracted information;

encode the extracted information to generate rows of redundancy information;

add the rows of redundancy information to the encoder packet to generate an outer code block having the variable row size; and

a transmitter module configured to send the encoder packet.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, comprises:

once all rows of user information are received or a determination is made that the outer code block is to be generated, determining a variable outer code block row size from a number of predetermined outer code block row sizes, based on the amount of user information received, that allows the portion of the outer code block occupied by non-user information to be minimized to thereby allow the user information rate to be reduced.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, comprises:

once all rows of user information are received, determining a variable outer code block row size, based on the amount of user information received, that allows the rows of user information to fully occupy the encoder packet, wherein the size of the outer code block that is transmitted during a transmission timing interval varies based on the outer code block row size.