Dual FEC Frame Headers for Lower OFDM Signaling Overhead

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing encoding schemes for Forward Error Correction (FEC) frames in digital communication systems, such as DVB-C2, suffer from high overhead due to repeated FEC headers, which inefficiently utilize transmission resources.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where a transmitter builds FEC frames with two headers, one for the current frame and one for the next consecutive frame, omitting the second frame's header if they are the same, and a receiver decodes these frames by comparing headers to determine if the second frame only contains data without an additional header.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a FEC frame includes a FEC header for each consecutive frame, then the signaling information for each frame is complete and accurate, but the transmission overhead increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling information accuracyVSAvoidtransmission overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the FEC header of the current frame with the FEC header of the next consecutive frame into a single combined header structure. This allows both frames to share common signaling information (such as modulation parameters, code rate, and PLP identifier) without repeating the same data, thereby reducing transmission overhead while maintaining complete and accurate signaling information for each frame.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The combined FEC header structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides signaling information for the current frame and for the next consecutive frame. The header becomes a universal structure that can be reused across multiple frames when they share the same parameters, eliminating the need for separate headers and reducing overall overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If the FEC header structure is simplified to reduce overhead, then transmission efficiency improves, but the ability to convey complete signaling information for multiple frames is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidsignaling information completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a dynamic FEC header structure where the presence and content of headers can vary based on the characteristics of consecutive frames. When frames have identical parameters, the header is omitted or merged; when parameters differ, the header is expanded or repeated. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize transmission efficiency while ensuring complete signaling information is always available when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2366230B1Method and device for transmitting and receiving digital information by use of a FEC frame comprising at least two FEC frame headers
Publication Date: 2012.11.28 THOMSON LICENSING SA
  • EP2366230B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2366230B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention provides a method used in a transmitter of a communication system, comprising providing at least two FEC frame headers for a first FEC frame for forming an OFDM signal.