Multiplexing Transport Streams for Regional Content Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for delivering national and regional content over a single frequency network (SFN) like DVB-H are inefficient, especially when using bandwidth-constrained links, as they require separate broadcast multiplex signals for each region, which is not feasible with time-slicing requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that multiplexes a first transport stream with packet burst streams from national and regional services, ensuring a deterministic relationship between packet bursts to create a 'master' multiplexed signal distributed via satellite, allowing each transmission site to construct a custom multiplexed signal including national and regional content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate broadcast multiplex signals are created for each region, then regional content delivery is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the broadcast signal into a common multiplex signal containing national channels and separate regional multiplex signals containing local channels. Each transmission site receives the common signal and adds only its specific regional content, avoiding redundant transmission of national channels across all regions. This segmentation allows regional customization while minimizing bandwidth consumption.
2Quantity of substance
If a single multiplexed signal is constructed at each transmission site, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but time-slicing synchronization becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-synchronizing the common multiplex signal at a central distribution point before transmission to all sites. Each transmission site receives this pre-synchronized signal and simply adds its regional content without needing to perform complex time-slicing synchronization themselves. The deterministic relationship between packet bursts in the common signal and regional signal packets is established in advance, reducing on-site complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If national channels are included in every regional signal, then content availability is improved, but bandwidth utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the common national multiplex signal with regional multiplex signals at each transmission site. Instead of transmitting separate complete signals to each region, the system combines the shared national content (transmitted once) with local regional content (added at each site). This merging ensures all regions have access to national channels while optimizing bandwidth utilization by eliminating redundant transmissions.
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the invention relates to a method and apparatus for multiplexing content. In one example, a first transport stream is received. The first transport stream includes a sequence of burst cycles, each of the burst cycles having a plurality of packet bursts respectively associated with a plurality of primary services. In one example, a primary service is a national service. A packet burst stream is received that is associated with a secondary service. In one example, a secondary service is a regional service. The first transport stream is multiplexed with the packet burst stream to produce a second transport stream. The second transport stream includes a deterministic relationship between the plurality of packet bursts in each of the burst cycles and packet bursts of the packet burst stream. Additional packet burst streams associated with additional secondary services may be received and multiplexed in a similar manner.