Satellite Signal Frame Tagging for Baud Rate Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

The average bit rate through user terminals in satellite systems is limited by channel decoder capacity, restricting the maximum baud rate in forward link applications, where not all frames need to be processed at all destinations.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where receivers identify and decode only frames destined for their specific group by using a frame tag field in the signal header, reducing unnecessary decoding and thus lowering the average bit rate through the channel decoder, allowing higher baud rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all frames are decoded at all destinations to ensure complete signal processing, then reliability is improved, but channel decoder capacity is exceeded and baud rate is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing completenessVSAvoidbaud rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the frame stream by inserting a frame tag field that identifies destination groups. Receivers are segmented into specific destination groups and only decode frames tagged with their group identifier, dividing the decoding workload across multiple receivers rather than requiring all receivers to process all frames.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts only the necessary frames for each receiver by using the frame tag field to identify and select frames destined for specific destination groups. Each receiver extracts and decodes only the subset of frames relevant to its destination group, eliminating unnecessary decoding operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If channel decoder capacity is increased to handle higher baud rates, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebaud rateVSAvoidchannel decoder capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies partial action by having receivers decode only a portion of the total frames (those tagged for their destination group) rather than all frames. This reduces the decoding capacity required at each receiver, allowing the system to achieve higher overall baud rates without requiring proportionally higher decoder capacity at each endpoint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If frame tagging is implemented to enable selective decoding, then channel decoder time is reduced and baud rate increases, but signal structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebaud rateVSAvoidsignal structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The frame tag field is inserted into the signal header during the encoding phase, before transmission. This preliminary tagging action allows receivers to identify and select relevant frames through simple header inspection without requiring complex processing during decoding, reducing decoder time and enabling higher baud rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2073400B1Satelite television system, signals and coder therefore
Publication Date: 2011.12.28 NEWTEC CY NV
  • EP2073400B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2073400B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2073400B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

In high speed applications, the decoder is the limiting factor for the maximum baudrate in the FW link. In applications, however, where not all frames need to be processed at all destinations, quite some decoder time can be saved, if the receiver 'knows' in advance (i.e. before decoding) the destination of a frame, simply by ignoring the unwanted frames. A satellite broadcasting system is described using a signal having up to three fields: a frame tag field for frame tagging to define one of a plurality of destination groups, a modcode field for defining one of a plurality of modulation codes and a type field for defining whether pilot signals are used or not.