Data delivery over a cellular radio network

Abstract

In a digital broadband broadcasting system, in which information is transmitted and received periodically in bursts to reduce receiver power consumption, time-slice information is provided from the transmitter to the receiver. The time-slice information can include information from which the receiver can determine when a subsequent transmission burst will be transmitted. The time-slice information can include a burst duration, an amount of time between original bursts, the time between an original burst and a copy of the burst, and numbering of original bursts. This type of time-slice information can be placed into packet headers, such as one or more bytes reserved, but not used, for media access control addressing.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to transmission of audio data, video data, control data, or other information and, in particular, to signaling time-slice information for efficiently using information broadcasting resources. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Video streaming, data streaming, and broadband digital broadcast programming is increasing in popularity in network applications. An example of a digital broadband broadcast network enjoying popularity in Europe and elsewhere world-wide is Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) which, in addition to the delivery of televisual content, is also capable of delivering data. The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has also defined a digital broadband broadcast network. Both ATSC and DVB use a containerization technique in which content for transmission is placed into MPEG-2 packets that act as data containers. Thus, the containers can be used to transport any suitably digitized data including, but not limited to ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes a method to reduce power consumption in a digital broadcasting system by transmitting information in bursts. The transmitter sends a signal to the receiver about when it should expect to receive the bursts of information. This signaling information is added to the packets of the bursts. The receiver then powers down during idle time between bursts, resulting in reduced power consumption. The method is achieved by adding time-slice information to packet headers, which includes information about the timing of the bursts. This allows the receiver to accurately determine when it should power up and receive the information. The patent also includes computer-readable media containing instructions for implementing the method."

Problems solved by technology

However, in the current state of the art, power consumption levels, especially in the front end of a digital broadcast receiver, are relatively high.

Images