Combined Main and Mobile Data Receiver for ATSC Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ATSC A/153 Standard for mobile digital television broadcasting lacks a method to verify the proper placement and values of M/H data, including training signals, Reed Solomon data, CRC data, and TPC data, leading to confusion among transmitter manufacturers and the need for separate receivers for main and mobile data reception.
Innovation Solution
A data analyzer and combined receiver system that includes a processor with frame registration, randomization, and decoding blocks to verify the placement and values of M/H data, and a single receiver capable of receiving both main and mobile data by using frame registration, randomization, and decoding blocks to identify and decode M/H data within the MPEG transport stream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ATSC A/153 Standard introduces additional channel coding mechanisms for mobile reception, then robustness against doppler shift and multipath interference is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of verifying proper data placement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting training sequences and pilot symbols into the transmitted signal before mobile/handheld processing. These predefined reference signals are placed in known positions within the ATSC A/53 frame structure, enabling receivers to perform channel estimation and equalization before actual data decoding. This preliminary preparation of reference signals resolves the verification complexity by providing known patterns that simplify the reception and validation process despite the added channel coding mechanisms.
2Reliability
If separate receivers are used for main data and M/H data, then reception reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges main service reception and M/H service reception into a single receiver architecture. The receiver simultaneously processes both ATSC A/53 main data and ATSC A/153 mobile data by implementing multiple decoding paths within one device. The VSB demodulator outputs are distributed to both main service decoders and M/H service decoders, allowing one receiver to perform functions previously requiring separate dedicated receivers, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining reception reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver is designed with multi-functionality to handle both main service and mobile service protocols. By incorporating universal decoding capabilities for both ATSC A/53 and ATSC A/153 standards within a single device, the system achieves versatility without requiring multiple specialized receivers. This universal approach allows the same hardware platform to serve multiple reception purposes.
3Quantity of substance
If M/H data is embedded within the same frame structure as main data, then spectrum efficiency is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring proper data placement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the ATSC A/53 frame structure into distinct segments for main service and M/H service data. Within each 312-segment frame, specific segments are allocated to M/H data while others carry main service data. This segmentation is further refined by organizing M/H data into transport packets with specific packet identifiers (PIDs) and using dedicated transport streams. The segmented structure with clear boundaries and identifiers makes it easier to detect and verify proper data placement while maintaining high spectrum efficiency through shared transmission medium.
Data Source
AI summary
Mobile/handheld (M/H) data is received in an M/H frame equivalent in size to exactly 20 VSB data frames. Each VSB frame contains an odd VSB field and an even VSB field, and each of the VSB fields includes one field sync segment and 312 data segments. The M/H frame includes main data and M/H data, and the M/H data has more robust coding than the main data. The M/H frame is received and an MPEG encoded transport stream derived therefrom is outputted. Frame registration is found so as to find a structure of the M/H frame in the MPEG encoded transport stream. Based on the structure of the M/H frame, the M/H data is randomized. Based on the structure of the M/H frame, block mode data is located within the randomized M/H data. The M/H data is decoded using the block mode data.