Receiver for robust data extension for 8VSB signaling

Abstract

A robust data extension added to a standard 8VSB digital television signal is used to improve the performance of a digital television receiver. The robust data extension is added to a standard 8VSB digital television transmission system by encoding high priority data packets in a rate 1 / 2 trellis encoder. The high priority data 1 / 2 trellis encoded packets are then multiplexed with normal data packets and input into the normal data service of an 8VSB system, which further contains a rate 2 / 3 trellis encoder. The combined trellis encoding results in a rate 1 / 3 trellis encoding for robust data packets and a rate 2 / 3 trellis encoding for normal packets. Backward compatibility with existing receivers is maintained for 1) 8VSB signaling, 2) trellis encoding and decoding, 3) Reed Solomon encoding and decoding, and 4) MPEG compatibility. In addition to delivery of robust data for mobile applications, the redundant robust data packets also improve the performance of the receiver in the normal tier of service. In particular, the robust data packets improve the performance of the receiver equalizer filter in the presence of rapidly changing transient channel conditions such as dynamic multipath for both robust data packets and normal data packets. The robust data packets improve the performance of the carrier recovery loop and the symbol timing recovery loop.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving the robustness of digital communications systems. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) transmission format for digital television (DTV) uses an 8 level vestigial sideband (8VSB) technique in which each successive 3 bit symbol is transmitted as one of 8 possible signal amplitudes. In a 4VSB system, each successive 2-bit symbol is transmitted as one of 4 possible signal amplitudes. In a 2VSB system, each successive 1-bit symbol is transmitted as one of 2 possible signal amplitudes. A 2VSB signal (or 4VSB signal) is more robust than an 8VSB signal because the distance between permissible signal levels is greater, making the transmitted signal more impervious to noise bursts and signal distortions. [0003] It would be desirable to add a robust extension to the ATSC transmission format to enable the TV broadcasters to serve both the HDTV fixe...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a system for embedding information in a more robust way in the ATSC compliant embedding of symbols. The system creates a more robust tier of service that improves the performance of the equalizer in the receiver and enhances the receivability of the normal tier of service. The system achieves this by using two levels of trellis encoding and decoding, adding parity bytes to the robust data packet, and allowing the receiver to switch between robust and normal modes based on the received data. The system also maintains compatibility with existing receivers and transmitters, ensuring that the high priority data packets are not flagged as having Reed Solomon errors. Overall, the system improves the reliability and performance of the ATSC transmission system."

Problems solved by technology

The ATSC format was designed primarily for fixed reception and is not currently well optimized for robust reception.

Unfortunately, a 2VSB signaling mode is not backward compatible with the existing 8VSB format for a number of reasons.

It has been determined through extensive field-testing that the repetition rate of the training sequence is too low to track dynamic multi-path.

The introduction of 2VSB symbols interspersed with 8VSB symbols would cause the CMA error function to be mismatched.

A natural choice would be {+5, −5}, however, it can be shown that this chosen symbol set as well as any other bipolar set from the 8VSB set is incompatible with the 8VSB set itself when utilizing blind equalization such as CMA.

Therefore, if the 2VSB signaling format is used with existing (i.e., legacy) demodulator ICs that use the 8VSB modulus for blind equalization, the equalized symbol levels will be incompatible with the levels needed for decision directed mode.

Also, the mismatch will lead to a failure to acquire the signal when there is severe multi-path and / or significant gaussian noise and the critical handoff from blind to decision directed is compromised.

The introduction of training packets to aid equalization reduces the payload capacity of the channel.

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