HbbTV Application Profile Bitmap Segmentation for Function Capacity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The current 16-bit bitmap structure for platform profiles in HbbTV systems is insufficient for representing the increasing number of additional functions for applications, leading to a capacity issue in describing available functions.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves a transmission apparatus and method that utilizes a bitmap structure with a first bit region of higher-order n bits and a second bit region of lower-order (16 - n) bits to represent additional functions, allowing for the transmission of multiple application profiles with different values in the first bit region to enhance representation capacity, where n can range from 2 to 14, optimizing the number of functions that can be represented.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a 16-bit bitmap structure is used for platform profile, then the structure is simple and easy to implement, but the representation capacity is insufficient for increasing number of functions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplatform profile structureVSAvoidrepresentation capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The 16-bit platform profile is segmented into two regions: a first bit region (higher-order n bits) for indicating the type of additional functions, and a second bit region (lower-order 16-n bits) for indicating presence/absence of specific functions using bitmap structure. This segmentation allows the system to maintain the simplicity of bitmap representation while significantly expanding the total representation capacity to support up to 320 different function types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of functions to be represented is increased, then the adaptability improves, but the bitmap structure capacity becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of representable functionsVSAvoidbitmap capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a single-dimension 16-bit bitmap to a two-dimensional structure where the first bit region (n bits) provides one dimension for function type classification and the second bit region (16-n bits) provides another dimension for function presence indication. This dimensional expansion multiplies the representation capacity, allowing up to 2^n different function types with 2^(16-n) possible combinations per type, achieving up to 320 representable functions while maintaining 16-bit total width.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3007377B1Transmission apparatus, transmission method, reception apparatus and receiving method
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3007377B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3007377B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3007377B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a transmission apparatus, including: an application information table transmission section adapted to transmit an application information table which has an application profile field including an application profile which represents functions required by the application, wherein the application profile is configured from a first bit region of high-order n bits and a second bit region of lower-order bits of a bitmap structure.