Measurement of ATC3RF environment using an autonomous vehicle

Abstract

Techniques are described that extend and / or improve the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 television protocol in reliably delivering next-generation broadcast television services, where a receiver selects which frequency to tune to by considering not only the signal strengths and error rates of two frequencies carrying the same service, but also the relative location and direction of movement of the receiver with respect to each broadcast station, as well as parameters of the RF environment previously measured by an autonomous vehicle, such as a drone, in order to automatically switch from presenting the service on a first frequency to a second frequency, such as when a mobile receiver is moving through a boundary area between two broadcast stations.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application relates to technological advancements directed to digital television that are necessarily rooted in computer technology, and in particular to Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0. [Background technology]

[0002] The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 family of standards, outlined in A / 300, is a set of numerous industry technical standards for delivering next-generation broadcast television. ATSC 3.0 supports the delivery of a wide range of television services, including televised video, interactive services, non-real-time data delivery, and tailored advertising, to a variety of receiving devices, from ultra-high-definition televisions to wireless telephones. ATSC 3.0 also coordinates coordination between broadcast content (called "over the air," or OTA) and related broadband-delivered content and services (called "over the top," or OTT). ATSC 3.0 is designed to be flexible so that advancements can be easily incorporated as technology evolves without requiring a complete overhaul of any related technical standards. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] As understood herein, an ATSC 3.0 receiver scans for services, including within a coverage area that includes two or more frequencies carrying the same service, such as may occur in a border area where broadcast signals from two local ATSC 3.0 broadcast stations overlap. Such border areas exist within a multi-frequency network (MFN).

[0004] As will be further understood herein, a broadcast digital TV receiver should select to tune to the RF broadcast with the strongest, most error-free signal it can receive, which represents a small set of information. The present principles provide assistance in the form of characterizing the ATSC RF broadcast spectrum in a region to better enable receivers to automatically improve and optimize reception. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Thus, in digital television, where at least one receiver is capable of receiving broadcast signals, a method includes providing at least one vehicular digital television (DTV) receiver in at least one mobile radio frequency (RF) environmental data (RFED) vehicle, collecting RFEDs at a plurality of DTV frequencies using the vehicular DTV receiver while the RFED vehicle is moving, and providing the RFEDs to at least one client DTV receiver to enable the client DTV receiver to select a frequency for a desired service.

[0006] RFED vehicles may include other vehicles, such as drones, land vehicles, or water vehicles.

[0007] In some embodiments, a method may include scanning frequencies using a vehicle DTV receiver using at least one physical layer pipe (PLP), and collecting RFEDs from multiple frequencies identified in the scan.

[0008] In an implementation, the method can include identifying an antenna configuration that correlates with manipulating one or more antennas on the vehicle to optimize reception of DTV signals in the area.

[0009] In an example embodiment, the RFED includes one or more parameters selected from at least one topographical feature within an area in which the vehicle is located, at least first and second locations of respective first and second transmitters broadcasting respective first and second frequencies, at least first and second distances between the vehicle and the first and second locations of the respective first and second transmitters, at least first and second respective relative movements between the vehicle and the respective first and second locations, and at least first and second respective altitudes of the respective first and second transmitters.

[0010] In some examples, the RFED includes one or more parameters selected from signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), error rate, resolution, bit rate, form factor, content attributes, accessibility signaling, audio description, regional preferences, and user interface quality.

[0011] The vehicle DTV receiver may include an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 receiver.

[0012] In another aspect, a radio frequency (RF) environmental data (RFED) vehicle device includes at least one vehicle digital television (DTV) receiver and at least one processor configured to collect RFEDs at multiple DTV frequencies using the vehicle DTV receiver when the RFED vehicle is moving, and to provide the RFEDs to at least one database for provision to at least one client DTV receiver to enable the client DTV receiver to select a frequency for a desired service.

[0013] In another aspect, a client digital television (DTV) device comprises at least one digital television (DTV) receiver and at least one processor programmed with instructions to configure the processor to select, based at least in part on first and second radio frequency (RF) environmental data (RFED) previously collected by an RFED vehicle, either a first frequency from a first transmitter to provide the digital television service or a second frequency from a second transmitter to provide the digital television service, the RFED including first and second RFEDs associated with the respective first and second frequencies.

[0014] The details of the present application, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like elements and in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 illustrates components of the device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a system. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a digital TV receiver. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 illustrates a second embodiment of a digital TV receiver. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates example transmitter logic in example flow chart form in accordance with present principles; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 illustrates example receiver logic in example flow chart form in accordance with present principles; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 illustrates, in example flow chart form, logic for training a machine learning (ML) model according to present principles. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates an example RF environment characterization vehicle, embodied in this example as a drone. [Figure 10]FIG. 1 illustrates example logic in example flow chart form in accordance with present principles. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] This disclosure relates to technological advances in digital television, such as Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 television. An example system herein may include an ATSC 3.0 source component and a client component connected via broadcast and / or network so as to exchange data with each other. The client component may include one or more computing devices, such as portable televisions (e.g., smart TVs, Internet-enabled TVs), portable computers, such as laptops and tablet computers, and smartphones and other mobile devices, including further examples described below. These client devices may operate in a variety of operating environments. For example, some client computers may employ operating systems such as, by way of example, Microsoft Corporation's operating system, or the Unix operating system, or Android® manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. or Google Inc. These operating environments may be used to run one or more browsing programs, such as browsers created by Microsoft Corporation, Google Inc., or Mozilla, or other browsing programs capable of accessing websites hosted by Internet servers, as described below.

[0017] ATSC 3.0 Publication A / 344, which is incorporated herein by reference, may be particularly relevant to the techniques described herein.

[0018] An ATSC 3.0 source component may include a broadcast transmission component and a server and / or gateway, which may include one or more processors that execute instructions that configure the source component to broadcast and / or transmit data over a network such as the Internet. Examples of client components and / or local ATSC 3.0 source components include gaming consoles such as the Sony PlayStation®, personal computers, etc.

[0019] Information may be exchanged between the client and the server over a network. For this purpose and for security, the server and / or client may include firewalls, load balancers, temporary storage, proxies, and other network infrastructure that enhances authenticity and security.

[0020] As used herein, instructions refer to computer-implemented steps for processing information within a system. Instructions may be implemented in software, firmware, or hardware and may include any type of program step performed by a component of the system.

[0021] The processor can be a single-chip or multi-chip processor capable of implementing logic through various lines such as address lines, data lines and control lines, as well as registers and shift registers.

[0022] The software modules illustrated by the flowcharts and user interfaces herein may include various subroutines, procedures, etc. Without limiting the disclosure, logic disclosed as being performed by a particular module may also be redistributed among other software modules and / or combined into a single module and / or utilized in a shareable library. While a flowchart format may be used, it should be understood that the software may also be implemented as a state machine or other logical method.

[0023] The principles described herein may be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, and thus, example components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described in terms of their functionality.

[0024] In addition to those suggested above, the logic blocks, modules, and circuits may be implemented or performed using general purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A processor may be implemented by a controller, a state machine, or a combination of computing devices.

[0025] The functions and methods described below, when implemented in software, can be written in any suitable language, such as, but not limited to, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)-5, Java / Javascript, C#, or C++, and can be stored on or transmitted through a computer-readable storage medium, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or other optical disk storage, such as a digital versatile disk (DVD), magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, including removable universal serial bus (USB) thumb drives. A connection can constitute the computer-readable medium. Such connections can include wired cables, including, by way of example, optical fiber, coaxial cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), and twisted pair cable.

[0026] Components included in one embodiment may be used in other embodiments in any suitable combination. For example, any of the various components described herein and / or illustrated in the figures may be combined, substituted, or excluded from other embodiments.

[0027] The phrase "having at least one of A, B, and C (and similarly, "having at least one of A, B, or C" and "having at least one of A, B, and C")" includes A only, B only, C only, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, and / or all of A, B, and C, etc.

[0028] The present principles can employ a variety of machine learning models, including deep learning models. Machine learning models according to the present principles can use a variety of algorithms trained using methods including supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, reinforcement learning, feature learning, self-learning, and other forms of learning. Examples of such algorithms that can be implemented by computer circuitry include one or more neural networks, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and a type of RNN known as a long short-term memory (LSTM) network. Support vector machines (SVMs) and Bayesian networks can also be considered examples of machine learning models.

[0029] Thus, as understood herein, performing machine learning can involve accessing the training data and then training a model based on the training data so that the model can process additional data and make inferences. Thus, an artificial neural network / artificial intelligence model trained through machine learning can include an input layer, an output layer, and multiple hidden layers therebetween that are configured and weighted to make inferences regarding the appropriate output.

[0030] 1, an example ATSC 3.0 source component, designated as a "broadcast station facility" 10, may include an over-the-air (OTA) facility 12 that broadcasts television data wirelessly, typically via orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in a one-to-many relationship, to multiple receivers 14, such as ATSC 3.0 televisions. The one or more receivers 14 may communicate with one or more companion devices 16, such as remote controls, tablet computers, and mobile phones, via a short-range link 18, which is typically wireless and may be implemented by Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy, other near-field communication (NFC) protocols, infrared (IR), or the like.

[0031] One or more of the receivers 14 may also communicate with over-the-top (OTT) equipment 22 of the broadcast facility 10 via a wired and / or wireless network link 20, such as the Internet, typically in a one-to-one relationship. The OTA equipment 12 may be co-located with the OTT equipment 22, or both equipments 12, 22 of the broadcast facility 10 may be remotely located and communicate with each other through suitable means. In either case, the receiver 14 may receive ATSC 3.0 television signals over the air via a tuned ATSC 3.0 television channel, or receive related content, including television, over the air (broadband). Note that the computer devices described in all figures herein may include some or all of the components shown for the various devices in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0032] Referring now to Figure 2, details of example components shown in Figure 1 can be seen. Figure 2 illustrates an example protocol stack that can be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. A broadcaster can transmit a hybrid service distribution that delivers one or more program elements over a computer network (referred to herein as "broadband" and "over the top" (OTT)) and over the air (referred to herein as "broadcast" and "over the air" (OTA)) using the ATSC 3.0 protocol stack, appropriately modified for the broadcaster side, shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 also illustrates an example stack, including hardware that can be embodied by a receiver.

[0033] 2 from the perspective of a broadcast station facility 10, one or more processors 200 accessing one or more computer storage media 202, such as any memory or storage described herein, can be implemented to provide one or more software applications at a top-level application layer 204. The application layer 204 can include one or more software applications written in, for example, HTML5 / Javascript, that operate in a runtime environment. Applications in the application stack 204 can include, but are not limited to, a linear TV application, an interactive services application, a companion screen application, a personalization application, an emergency alert application, and a usage reporting application. Typically, applications are embodied in software that represents elements of the viewer experience, including video coding, audio coding, and the runtime environment. As an example, applications can be provided that allow users to control dialogue, use alternate audio tracks, and control audio parameters such as normalization and dynamic range.

[0034] Below the application layer 204 is the presentation layer 206. The presentation layer 206 includes a broadcast audio-video playback device called a media processing unit (MPU) 208 on the over-the-air (OTA) side, which, when implemented in a receiver, decodes and plays over-the-air broadcast audio-video content on one or more displays and speakers. The MPU 208 is configured to present the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Base Media File Format (BMFF) data representation 210 and video in High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) with audio in, for example, Dolby Audio Compression (AC)-4 format. The ISO BMFF is a generic file structure for time-based media files, divided into "segments" and presentation metadata. Essentially, each file is a set of nested objects, each with its own type and length. The MPU 208 has access to a broadcast-side encrypted media extension (EME) / common encryption (CENC) module 212 to facilitate decryption.

[0035] 2 further shows that on the broadcast side, the presentation layer 206 can include signaling modules, including either a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Media Transport Protocol (MMTP) signaling module 214 or a real-time object delivery over unidirectional transport (ROUTE) signaling module 216, to deliver non-real-time (NRT) content 218 accessible to the application layer 204. NRT content can include, but is not limited to, stored alternative advertisements.

[0036] On the broadband (OTT or computer network) side, when implemented by a receiver, the presentation layer 206 can include one or more Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) (DASH) players / decoders 220 to decode and play audio-video content from the Internet. To this end, the DASH players 220 can access an EME / CENC module 222 on the broadband side. The DASH content can be provided as DASH segments 224 in ISO / BMFF format.

[0037] The broadband side of the presentation layer 206, like the broadcast side, may contain NRT content in files 226 and signaling objects 228 that provide playback signaling.

[0038] Below the presentation layer 206 in the protocol stack is the session layer 230, which includes either the MMTP protocol 232 or the ROUTE protocol 234 on the broadcast side. Note that the ATSC standard provides the option of using MPEG MMT for transmission, but this is not shown here.

[0039] The session layer 230 includes the HTTP protocol 236, which can be implemented on the broadband side as HTTP-secure (HTTP(S)). The broadband side of the session layer 230 may also employ an HTTP proxy module 238 and a service list table (SLT) 240. The SLT 240 contains a table of signaling information used to build a basic service list and provide bootstrap discovery of broadcast content. The "ROUTE signaling" table contains media presentation descriptions (MPDs) delivered over the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) by the ROUTE transport protocol.

[0040] Below the session layer 230 in the protocol stack is the transport layer 242 for establishing low-latency, loss-tolerating connections, which uses UDP 244 on the broadcast side and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) 246 on the broadband side.

[0041] 2 also includes a network layer 248 below the transport layer 242. The network layer 248 uses the Internet Protocol (IP) on both sides for IP packet communication, with multicast delivery being typical on the broadcast side and unicast on the broadband side.

[0042] Below the network layer 248 is a physical layer 250 that includes broadcast transmit / receive equipment 252 and computer network interface(s) 254 for communicating over the respective physical media associated with both sides. The physical layer 250 converts Internet Protocol (IP) packets for transmission over the associated media, adds forward error correction to enable error correction at the receiver, and may include modulation and demodulation modules to incorporate modulation and demodulation functions. The physical layer 250 converts bits into symbols for long-distance transmission and improved bandwidth efficiency. On the OTA side, the physical layer 250 typically includes a wireless broadcast transmitter that broadcasts data over the air using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), and on the OTT side, it includes a computer transmission component that transmits data over the Internet.

[0043] On the broadband side, the DASH Industry Forum (DASH-IF) profile can be used, transmitted over various protocols in the protocol stack (HTTP / TCP / IP). Media files in the DASH-IF profile, which is based on ISO BMFF, can be used as a distribution, media encapsulation, and synchronization format for both broadcast and broadband distribution.

[0044] Typically, each receiver 14 includes a protocol stack that is complementary to the protocol stack of the broadcast station equipment.

[0045] Receiver 14 of FIG. 1 may include an Internet-enabled TV with an ATSC 3.0 TV tuner 256 (equivalent to a set-top box that controls a TV), as shown in FIG. 2. Receiver 14 may be an Android®-based system. Alternatively, receiver 14 may be implemented by a computerized Internet-enabled (“smart”) phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a wearable computing device, or the like. Nevertheless, it should be understood that receiver 14 and / or other computers described herein are configured to implement the present principles (e.g., to communicate with other devices to implement the present principles, to execute the logic described herein, and to perform any other functions and / or operations described herein).

[0046] Accordingly, receiver 14 may be established with some or all of the components shown in FIG. 1 to implement such principles. For example, receiver 14 may include one or more displays 258, which may or may not be implemented with high-definition or ultra-high-definition “4K” or higher flat screens and may be touch-enabled to receive user input signals via touch on the display. Receiver 14 may also include one or more speakers 260 for outputting audio in accordance with present principles and at least one additional input device 262, such as an audio receiver / microphone, for inputting audible commands to receiver 14, e.g., to control receiver 14. An example receiver 14 may further include one or more network interfaces 264 for communicating over at least one network, such as the Internet, a WAN, a LAN, or a PAN, under the control of one or more processors 266. Accordingly, interface 264 may be a Wi-Fi transceiver, which is an example of a wireless computer network interface, such as, but not limited to, a mesh network transceiver. Interface 264 can be, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth® transceiver, a Zigbee® transceiver, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) transceiver, a wireless USB transceiver, a wired USB, a wired LAN, a powerline, or a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA). It should be understood that processor 266 controls receiver 14 to implement the present principles, including other elements of receiver 14 described herein, such as controlling display 258 to present images and receive input. Additionally, network interface 264 can be, for example, a wired or wireless modem or router, or other suitable interface, such as a wireless telephone transceiver or Wi-Fi transceiver as described above.

[0047] In addition to the above, receiver 14 may also include one or more input ports 268, such as a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port or a USB port, for physically connecting to another CE device (using a wired connection), and / or a headphone port for connecting headphones to receiver 14 to present audio from receiver 14 to a user through the headphones. For example, input port 268 may be connected via wire or wireless to a cable or satellite source of audio-video content. Thus, the source may be a separate or integrated set-top box or satellite receiver. Alternatively, the source may be a game console or disc player.

[0048] Receiver 14 may further include one or more computer memories 270, such as non-transitory, disk-based or solid-state storage, embodied in some cases as a stand-alone device within the receiver chassis, as a personal video recorder (PVR) or video disc player for playing audio-video (AV) programs, or as removable storage media, either internal or external to the receiver chassis. Also, in some embodiments, receiver 14 may include a position or location receiver 272, such as, but not limited to, a cellular telephone receiver, a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver, and / or an altimeter, configured to receive geographic location information, e.g., from at least one satellite or cellular telephone tower, and provide this information to processor 266 and / or determine the altitude at which receiver 14 is located with processor 266. However, it should be understood that other suitable position receivers other than a cellular telephone receiver, a GPS receiver, and / or an altimeter may be used in accordance with the present principles to determine the location of receiver 14, e.g., in all three dimensions.

[0049] Continuing with the description of receiver 14, in some embodiments, receiver 14 may include one or more cameras 274, which may include one or more of a thermal imaging camera, a digital camera such as a webcam, and / or a camera integrated into receiver 14 and controllable by processor 266, for collecting photographs / images and / or videos in accordance with the present principles. Receiver 14 may also include a Bluetooth® transceiver 276 or other near field communication (NFC) element for communicating with other devices using Bluetooth® and / or NFC technology, respectively. An example NFC element may be a radio frequency identification (RFID) element.

[0050] Additionally, receiver 14 may also include one or more auxiliary sensors 278 (e.g., motion sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, cyclometers, or magnetic sensors and combinations thereof) that provide input to processor 266, infrared (IR) sensors for receiving IR commands from a remote control device, optical sensors, speed and / or cadence sensors, gesture sensors (for detecting gesture commands), etc. An IR sensor 280 may also be provided for receiving commands from a wireless remote control. A battery (not shown) may also be provided to power receiver 14.

[0051] Companion device 16 may include some or all of the elements shown in connection with receiver 14 above.

[0052] The methods described herein may be implemented as software instructions executed by a processor, a suitably configured application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or field programmable gate array (FPGA) module, or any other convenient method as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The software instructions, if employed, may be embodied in a non-transitory device such as a CD ROM or flash drive. Alternatively, the software code instructions may be embodied in a transitory configuration such as a radio or optical signal, or via download over the internet.

[0053] Referring now to Figure 3, a simplified digital TV system, such as an ATSC 3.0 system, is shown. In Figure 3, a mobile or fixed digital TV receiver, such as an ATSC 3.0 receiver 300, which may include some or all of the associated components described above in connection with Figures 1 and 2, is located in a boundary region 302 between a first and a second ATSC 3.0 broadcast station or assembly 304, with signals from both stations 304 being picked up by the receiver 300 within the region 302. The first broadcast station 304 broadcasts a first ATSC 3.0 service ("Service A") on a first frequency 306, while the second broadcast station 304 broadcasts the same Service A on a second frequency 308 that is different from the first frequency 306. The receiver 300 picks up both frequencies, i.e., the receiver 300 picks up signals from both stations 304.

[0054] Figure 4 illustrates a non-limiting example embodiment of a digital TV receiver, such as an ATSC 3.0 receiver 400, which may include some or all of the associated components described above in connection with Figures 1 and 2. In the illustrated example, the ATSC 3.0 receiver 400 may be a fixed receiver, such as a receiver located in a home. In some examples, the ATSC 3.0 receiver 400 may be a mobile receiver, such as implemented in a mobile phone or located in a moving vehicle.

[0055] 4 includes a tuner 402 that receives signals from one or more antennas 406 and sends them to a demodulator 404. The receiver 400 includes only one tuner, only one demodulator, and only one antenna.

[0056] In contrast, Figure 5 illustrates a non-limiting example embodiment of a digital TV receiver, such as an ATSC 3.0 receiver 500, which may include some or all of the associated components described above in connection with Figures 1 and 2. In the illustrated example, the ATSC 3.0 receiver 500 may be a mobile receiver, such as mounted in a mobile phone or located in a mobile vehicle. In some examples, the ATSC 3.0 receiver 500 may be a fixed receiver, such as a receiver located in a home.

[0057] The example ATSC 3.0 receiver 500 shown in FIG. 5 includes multiple tuners 502 that transmit signals picked up from one or more antennas 506 to respective demodulators 504. In the illustrated non-limiting example, the ATSC 3.0 receiver 500 has two tuners and two demodulators, although it should be understood that a greater or lesser number of tuners / demodulators is also possible. In the illustrated non-limiting example, the ATSC 3.0 receiver 500 has four antennas, although it should be understood that a greater or lesser number of antennas is also possible. The receiver 500 can switch antenna inputs to the tuners, such that a first tuner receives signals from, say, three antennas, a second tuner receives a signal from a fourth antenna, and then switch between the antenna inputs. Two antennas can also provide inputs to each respective tuner. All four antennas can also provide inputs to a single tuner. These and other antenna-tuner configurations can be changed on the fly during operation as needed.

[0058] Quality metrics for RF frequencies are described herein, and such quality metrics can be identified and stored. Quality metrics can include, for example, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and error rate, which can be represented by packet error count (PEN). Quality metrics can include resolution, such as whether a service is high definition (HD) or standard definition (SD). Quality metrics can also include bit rate and form factor, recognizing that not all HD is the same. Quality metrics can include content attributes, such as whether a service supports foreign languages, accessibility signaling (e.g., where the sign is located), audio descriptions, and other content aspects. Quality metrics can include locality preference (e.g., a first region's channels are strong, but a duplicate service from a second region can be given preference over the first region because all the ads are for the first region and not the second region desired by the user). Quality metrics can include the quality of the user interface featured in the service.

[0059] In a non-limiting example, the SNR can be determined during a scan by noting both the received signal strength at each receive frequency and any accompanying noise at that frequency and taking the quotient thereof. The error rate can be determined, for example, by determining the percentage of packets that are lost (by noting the lost packet number) and / or by determining the percentage of received packets that contain errors as determined by an error correction algorithm.

[0060] Figure 6 illustrates logic that a transmitter, such as an OTA or OTT transmitter, can implement. When an ATSC 3.0 receiver, particularly (but not limited to) a mobile device, encounters a set of two or more RF broadcasts, and the two or more RF broadcasts contain programming that is identified as substantially the same (e.g., by having the same globalServiceId value), the receiver should select to tune to the RF broadcast that can be received with the strongest and most error-free signal. Without this principle, the receiver would have to make the selection based solely on current or previously encountered signal strength or error rate.

[0061] In practice, the present principles can enable a receiver to select the best RF broadcast to tune to based on information about the RF environment, such as the receiver's location, direction and speed of movement, transmitter location, and terrain features at the receiver and transmitter locations, pre-recorded as described herein within the receiver's geographical area. For example, if a receiver encounters two equivalent signals and is moving in the direction of one of those signals, it should tune to the transmission it is moving to with a high probability. On the other hand, if the receiver encounters a terrain feature (such as a mountain) that would likely degrade signal quality if it continued moving at its current heading and speed, it can choose to tune to a broadcast that does not suffer from the mountain's signal quality issues until the mountain no longer affects signal quality. Note that a terrain map can also be generated using, for example, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device associated with the receiver.

[0062] The receiver can also use the above information to automatically adjust its antenna configuration to maximize reception (e.g., by controlling the antenna rotator or the beamforming capabilities of the antenna) using the above information (e.g., transmitter location and receiver location).

[0063] Additionally, a machine learning (ML) model process can utilize the above information to predict the best reception parameters (antenna configuration) and best transmission for more accurate and efficient tuning.

[0064] Accordingly, reference is now made to Figure 6. Starting at block 600, in an MFN, such as an ATSC3 broadcast network, two or more transmitters, which may be over-the-air broadcast transmitters and / or broadband transmitters, transmit substantially the same digital TV service substantially simultaneously, albeit on different frequencies as needed. In some embodiments, "substantially the same service" may refer to two duplicate versions of the same service having the same Global Service Identifier (GSID), which references the attribute @globalServiceID in Table 6.2 (SLT) of A / 331. In some embodiments, "substantially the same service" may refer to two duplicate versions of the same service having the same Broadcast Stream Identifier (BSID).

[0065] Proceeding to block 602, each transmitter may signal its respective geolocation data, e.g., latitude, longitude, altitude, etc. This signaling may be inserted into the SLT.

[0066] Receiver-side logic is shown in FIG. 7. Beginning at block 700, the receiver can receive substantially the same service, as indicated by having the same GSID or BSID, from each broadcast transmitter on two different frequencies, particularly in boundary regions where signals from two adjacent transmitters in adjacent broadcast regions overlap. One or more quality metrics for each received frequency can also be determined. However, rather than relying solely on channel quality to select which frequency to use for service presentation, the logic can proceed to block 702 and access transmitter geolocation data, such as that received from the transmitter via SLT, for each transmitter.

[0067] Additionally, in block 704, the receiver may access its current location, speed, and direction of travel using signals from a position sensor, such as position receiver 272 of Figure 2. The receiver may also access a terrain map in block 706. The receiver may also access a database of RF characteristics of the area in which the receiver is located. Such a database is further described below.

[0068] In block 708, frequencies to be used for presentation of services carried on two or more frequencies are selected based on the quality metrics as well as the distance and direction / speed of movement of the receiver relative to each transmitter, and, if necessary, the topography and RF characteristics of the area. If the receive antenna(s) can be moved, they can be moved or otherwise reconfigured in block 710 to maximize reception from the transmitters associated with the selected frequencies. Services from the selected frequencies are presented on an audio-video display device associated with the receiver.

[0069] For example, in some embodiments, when the receiver is stationary, a first frequency may be selected that has a better quality metric than a second frequency.

[0070] A first frequency having better quality metrics than a second frequency can be selected when the receiver is stationary and there are no terrain obstructions between the receiver and the transmitter transmitting the service on the first frequency.

[0071] In some embodiments, a first frequency having a lower quality metric than a second frequency may be selected when the receiver is stationary and at least one terrain obstruction exists between the receiver and a transmitter transmitting a service on the first frequency.

[0072] In some embodiments, when the receiver is stationary and there is at least one terrain obstruction between the receiver and the transmitter transmitting the service on the first frequency, a first frequency may be selected that has a quality metric that is better than a second frequency by a significant amount, such as an SNR difference above a threshold.

[0073] In some embodiments, when a receiver is moving towards a transmitter transmitting a service on a first frequency, the receiver may select a first frequency that has a lower quality metric than a second frequency.

[0074] In some embodiments, a first frequency having a lower quality metric than a second frequency may be selected only if the receiver is moving at at least a threshold speed towards a transmitter transmitting a service on the first frequency.

[0075] In some embodiments, a first frequency having a lower quality metric than a second frequency may be selected only if the receiver is moving toward a transmitter transmitting a service on the first frequency and there are no obstacles between the receiver and the transmitter.

[0076] In some embodiments, a first frequency having a lower quality metric than a second frequency may be selected only when the receiver is moving towards a transmitter transmitting a service on a first frequency and an obstacle is present between the receiver and the transmitter transmitting a service on a second frequency.

[0077] In some embodiments, when a receiver is moving toward a transmitter transmitting a service on a first frequency and an obstacle is present between the receiver and the transmitter transmitting the service on the first frequency, but the transmitter transmitting the service on the first frequency is at a higher elevation than the obstacle, a first frequency having a lower quality metric than a second frequency may be selected.

[0078] In some embodiments, a first frequency having a lower quality metric than a second frequency may be selected if the RF characteristics in the area of ​​the transmitter transmitting the service on the first frequency are better than the RF characteristics in the area of ​​the transmitter transmitting the service on the second frequency.

[0079] These are just some example heuristics that can be used to select frequencies.

[0080] The selection can involve the use of at least one ML model, which can be trained beginning at block 800 of Figure 8. The ML model is input with ground truth. The ground truth can include latitude, longitude, and elevation of actual digital TV broadcast station transmitters overlaid on a topographical map of the surrounding environment. The ground truth can include these characteristics for only a region, a country, or the entire globe.

[0081] The ground truth may also include the locations, course, and speeds of multiple virtual receivers, as well as virtual signal quality metrics or quality metrics, or actual RF environment data measured at that location by an actual test vehicle. The ground truth may also include an indication of which of two frequencies is the best choice at each virtual receiver location. In block 802, an ML model is trained based on the ground truth input in block 800 for subsequent use in a receiver running the ML model.

[0082] FIG. 9 illustrates a mobile vehicle 900, such as a drone, with an integrated RF environmental sensor including an ATSC 3.0 receiver 902 that receives signals from one or more antennas 903. While two antennas 903 are shown, it should be understood that the vehicle 900 can have fewer or more antennas than two for antenna diversity. The antennas can be physically movable and / or electronically steerable. In addition to manned aircraft, automobiles, buses, and trains can also be used as the vehicle 900. It should be understood that the vehicle 900 also includes the appropriate components of FIG. 2 , including one or more processors, storage, and network interfaces arranged to communicate with the vehicle antennas and receivers / sensors.

[0083] The receiver 902 can be implemented by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) TV tuner receiver dongle containing a Sony CXD2885GG-W4 diversity receiver LSI and some memory. A gimbaled camera 905 can be used for object recognition, and the camera gimbal can be used to rotate the antenna independently of the drone, for example.

[0084] The vehicle 900 may have a terrain sensor 904, such as a radar, sonar, or lidar transceiver. The vehicle 900 travels within an area adjacent to an ATSC3 broadcast station 906, or at various altitudes in the case of a drone, to sense the RF reception environment using an ATSC3 receiver 902. Data is saved, for example every few seconds, along with the vehicle's 900 location, course, speed, altitude, and antenna configuration. The vehicle may pass the same point in space multiple times, each with a different antenna configuration.

[0085] In one embodiment, available frequencies from broadcast station 906 are detected by vehicle 900 using receiver 902 to perform a quick scan, for example, using a lower layer protocol (LLP) physical layer pipe (PL). Additionally or alternatively, higher level PLPs can be used for scanning. The RF environment is sensed for each available frequency. The sensed RF environment factors include any one or more of the quality metrics described herein.

[0086] If the vehicle 900 is an aerial drone that flies higher than land vehicles, the vehicle 900 may also include a terrain sensor 904 that detects terrain features, such as hills 908. The locations of the terrain features are recorded.

[0087] The RF environmental data (RFED) detected and stored by the vehicle 900 can be uploaded (e.g., via satellite or terrestrial receivers) to one or more computer network servers. The RFED can be signaled to all receivers in the area via other methods, such as ATSC 3.0 broadcast or 5G. Alternatively, the RFED can be kept proprietary and made available to subscriber receivers for a fee, such as via 5G and Wi-Fi. Alternatively, the RFED can be embedded in a capable receiver.

[0088] Vehicle 900 is able to detect the physical locations of transmitters 906 as a result of the directionality of antenna 903. These physical locations can be reported to authorities and compared to the locations of approved transmitters to determine whether any illegal transmitters have been identified, and if so, where.

[0089] At this point, it can be seen that the use of vehicle 900 provides a more complete and accurate picture of the RF environment than mathematical models such as Longley-Rice, which model signal strength throughout an entire broadcast area. This principle allows for measurements beyond signal strength, a factor predicted by most models. While this presents several problems, one notable problem is that the model predicts signal strength. A simple signal strength model is not ideal for selecting which RF signals to use.

[0090] Vehicle movement, when embodied as a drone, is reasonably unconstrained and unconstrained by roads, etc., and can provide a highly accurate image of RF performance across the entire broadcast footprint. These measurements (RFED) provide information with multiple uses. Using RFED, receivers can ameliorate the effects of signal loss or erroneous reception that can cause video freezing, packet loss, and macroblocking in broadcast digital television reception, especially in mobile environments, which would otherwise adversely affect observations.

[0091] In the first use case, RFED can be used (in place of or in addition to models) in regulatory surveys.

[0092] Second, RFEDs can be broadcast by broadcasters for use by receivers, which is particularly useful for mobile receivers (vehicle, pedestrian, or other) to make better selections of reception and tuning parameters (e.g., RF broadcast in an MFN, or antenna rotation).

[0093] Third, RFEDs can be proprietary data stored by collectors, and the reception performance of the devices can be improved through business arrangements with the collectors or owners of the data.

[0094] Now, see Figure 10. Techniques such as "four diversity" tuner reception, rotatable UHF / VHF antenna 903, along with machine learning object recognition can be used to obtain best-in-class RF reception profiles for use in digital television and related RF receiver products.

[0095] Beginning at block 1000, one or more processors within the drone operate its ATSC3 receiver 902 to scan frequencies as described above. At block 1002, the location of an ATSC3 transmitter is identified by triangulating received signals from a movable antenna or receiving transmitter location information within a broadcast. At block 1004, one or more antennas can be physically or electronically moved to various configurations, including pointing them directly at the transmitter location. While blocks 1002 and 1004 are being executed, RF environment data (RFED) from each frequency scanned with each antenna configuration is recorded at block 1006. This operation includes recording any dropout zones, i.e., zones where no signal is received from a particular frequency or transmitter, at block 1008. The RFEDs, including the quality metrics measured for each frequency, transmitter and vehicle locations, and antenna configurations for each set of RFEDs, are correlated and stored for later provision via broadcast or other methods to client receivers traversing the area.

[0096] Thus, the vehicle 900 can use knowledge of transmitter locations to calculate antenna orientations based on input from drone hardware such as a TV tuner / demodulator dongle and record the best reception profile. The vehicle 900 of Figure 9 executing the logic of Figure 10 can be used to determine the best antenna location between physically separated transmitters while maintaining reception, as shown in a multi-frequency network (MFN) environment.

[0097] By knowing that a particular channel is likely to drop out due to terrain (e.g., mountains, tall buildings, bridges), a machine learning (ML) model executed by a receiver accessing the RFED can take corrective action. For example, the ML model can switch to another channel with the same content. The other channel can be a relay or affiliate station in a nearby broadcast area. Alternatively, the lost content can be retrieved via a network connection, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 141,155, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0098] Alternatively, vehicle 900 can be implemented by a land vehicle traveling a specific route that executes the logic of Figure 10 to upload RFEDs to a database. The database can be crowdsourced by multiple vehicles traveling various routes. All devices traveling a specific route can then share this database.

[0099] By having advanced characterization data and knowledge of the specific (electromagnetic) paths taken by mobile receivers and their associated actual interference factors, reception profiles can be recorded and used by products to predict conditions and mitigate issues by (for example) antenna rotation, or in the case of multi-frequency networks, predict the best RF to select based on the RF environment and other parameters (e.g., receiver sensitivity, direction of travel, destination of travel).

[0100] This results in a more robust solution with improved signal levels and image stability by configuring the antenna and switching channels and frequencies before a complete dropout occurs.

[0101] While the present principles have been described with reference to certain example embodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments are not intended to be limiting and that the subject matter claimed herein may be implemented using a variety of alternative configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 900 Mobile Vehicles 902 ATSC 3.0 receiver 903 Antenna 904 Terrain Sensor 905 Gimbal Camera 906 ATSC3 broadcasting stations 908 Hill

Claims

1. In a digital television in which at least one receiver is capable of receiving a broadcast signal, providing at least one vehicle digital television (DTV) receiver in at least one mobile radio frequency (RF) environmental data (RFED) vehicle; collecting RFEDs on multiple DTV frequencies using the vehicle DTV receiver while the RFED vehicle is moving; providing said RFED to at least one client DTV receiver to enable said client DTV receiver to select a frequency of a desired service; Including, The method of claim 1, wherein the RFED provided to the client DTV receiver includes an RFED associated with a frequency of a desired service.

2. The RFED vehicle includes a drone. The method of claim 1.

3. The RFED vehicle includes a land vehicle. The method of claim 1.

4. scanning frequencies using the vehicle DTV receiver using at least one physical layer pipe (PLP); collecting the RFEDs from a plurality of frequencies identified in the scan; The method of claim 1 , comprising:

5. manipulating one or more antennas on the vehicle to identify an antenna configuration correlated with optimizing reception of DTV signals in the area; The method of claim 1.

6. the RFED includes one or more parameters selected from at least one topographical feature within an area in which the vehicle is located, at least first and second locations of respective first and second transmitters broadcasting respective first and second frequencies, at least first and second distances between the vehicle and the first and second locations of the respective first and second transmitters, at least first and second respective relative movements between the vehicle and the respective first and second locations, and at least first and second respective altitudes of the respective first and second transmitters; The method of claim 1.

7. the vehicle DTV receiver comprises an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 receiver; The method of claim 1.

8. 1. A radio frequency (RF) environmental data (RFED) vehicle device comprising: at least one vehicle digital television (DTV) receiver; at least one processor; wherein the at least one processor collecting RFEDs on a plurality of DTV frequencies using the vehicle DTV receiver while the RFED vehicle is moving; providing said RFED to at least one database for provision to at least one client DTV receiver to enable said client DTV receiver to select a frequency for a desired service; It is structured as follows: the RFED provided to the client DTV receiver includes an RFED associated with a frequency of a desired service; An RFED vehicle device characterized by:

9. The RFED vehicle includes a drone.

9. The RFED vehicle device of claim 8.

10. The RFED vehicle includes a land vehicle.

9. The RFED vehicle device of claim 8.

11. The processor: scanning frequencies using the vehicle DTV receiver using at least one physical layer pipe (PLP); collecting said RFEDs from a plurality of frequencies identified in said scan; 9. The RFED vehicle device of claim 8, configured to:

12. The processor: manipulating one or more antennas on the vehicle to identify an antenna configuration correlated to optimizing reception of DTV signals in the area; 9. The RFED vehicle device of claim 8, configured to:

13. the RFED includes one or more parameters selected from at least one topographical feature within an area in which the vehicle is located, at least first and second locations of respective first and second transmitters broadcasting respective first and second frequencies, at least first and second distances between the vehicle and the first and second locations of the respective first and second transmitters, at least first and second respective relative movements between the vehicle and the respective first and second locations, and at least first and second respective altitudes of the respective first and second transmitters; 9. The RFED vehicle device of claim 8.

14. the vehicle DTV receiver comprises an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 receiver; 9. The RFED vehicle device of claim 8.

15. 1. A client digital television (DTV) device, comprising: at least one digital television (DTV) receiver; at least one processor programmed with instructions; wherein the instructions cause the processor to: and a radio frequency (RF) environment data (RFED) vehicle configured to select either a first frequency from a first transmitter to provide digital television services or a second frequency from a second transmitter to provide digital television services based at least in part on first and second RFED data previously collected by the RFED vehicle, the RFED including first and second RFEDs associated with the respective first and second frequencies; A client DTV device comprising:

16. the RFED includes at least one parameter selected from at least one topographical feature within an area in which the receiver is located, at least first and second locations of the respective first and second transmitters, at least first and second distances between the receiver and the first and second locations of the respective first and second transmitters, at least first and second respective directions of movement between the receiver and the respective first and second locations, and at least first and second respective altitudes of the respective first and second transmitters; 16. The client DTV device of claim 15.

17. The instructions are executable to execute at least one machine learning (ML) model to select a frequency.

16. The client DTV device of claim 15.

18. The RFED includes one or more parameters selected from a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), an error rate, a resolution, a bit rate, a form factor, a content attribute, an accessibility signaling, an audio description, a regional preference, and a quality of a user interface; 16. The client DTV device of claim 15.

19. the DTV receiver includes at least one Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 receiver; 16. The client DTV device of claim 15.

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