Dynamic Phase-Locked Loop Gain Renormalization With Phase Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Satellite delivery of DVB-T transport streams in Single Frequency Networks (SFNs) faces challenges due to packet jitter, RF noise, and weather-related interference, leading to potential destructive interference and transmitter outages, which existing error correction methods cannot fully mitigate.

Innovation Solution

The SciMux system combines multiple DVB-T transport streams into a single carrier using Digital Transport Formatters (DTFs) and Multiple Transport Receivers (MTRs), employing Adaptation Fields to coordinate timestamps and correct packet jitter, and incorporates In-Band Controllers for secure, flexible, and resilient data routing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If satellite delivery is used to convey transport streams to distributed modulators, then installation cost is reduced and deployment time is shortened, but packet jitter and transmission errors increase due to RF noise and weather interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation costVSAvoidtransmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and applies compensation values for satellite positional drift and packet jitter before transmission. Timestamps are adjusted in advance to account for expected variations in satellite position and transmission delays, allowing the receiving modulators to synchronize without being affected by the jitter that would otherwise occur during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention dynamically adjusts transmission parameters including packet timing and timestamps based on satellite position data. By changing the timing parameters of packet transmission and insertion based on predicted satellite drift, the system maintains synchronization accuracy despite the unreliable satellite transmission medium.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If multiple transport streams are combined into a single satellite carrier, then system complexity is reduced and security is improved, but packet jitter increases making synchronization difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidsynchronization precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that combines multiple transport streams into a single satellite carrier while maintaining synchronization information. The combining methodology uses intermediary timestamp adjustments and compensation mechanisms to ensure that even though streams are merged, the original synchronization precision is preserved through careful management of packet timing and identifier assignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Before combining multiple transport streams into the single satellite carrier, the system pre-processes each stream by assigning adjusted timestamps that account for expected jitter. This preliminary timing adjustment ensures that when streams are combined and transmitted, they can be accurately re-synchronized at the receiving end despite the combined stream's inherent jitter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If modulators wait for GPS-synchronized mega frames to ensure temporal alignment, then signal synchronization is improved, but transmission delays increase during resynchronization events

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal synchronizationVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where modulators continuously monitor packet arrival timing and use this information to adjust their transmission timing. By providing feedback on actual packet reception times and using compensation values based on satellite position, the system maintains synchronization without requiring periodic resynchronization pauses, thus eliminating transmission delays while preserving signal synchronization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2235832B1Phase compensated renormalizable dynamic phase locked loop
Publication Date: 2019.06.12 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP2235832B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2235832B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2235832B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A variable bandwidth phase locked loop (PLL) includes renormalizable circuitry configured to allow a gain of the PLL to be changed without causing a disturbance, and a phase compensation circuit configured to adjust a final output phase of the PLL based on parameter changes supplied to the PLL.