Signaling Frame Protection With Reed-Muller FEC Header Coding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face challenges in effectively protecting signaling information, especially in noisy channel environments, where loss of signaling data can impact payload data demodulation, and current methods like DVB-T2's concatenation channel code do not adequately address the need for robust signaling protection across different transmission standards.
Innovation Solution
The method involves encoding frame signaling information using Reed-Muller codes to protect FEC block signaling information, allowing easy detection of the FEC block header through autocorrelation calculation and supporting variable coding and modulation, while also using a transmitter and receiver system with specific components for encoding and decoding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If concatenation channel codes (inner punctured S2-LDPC and outer shortened BCH codes) are used to protect L1 signalling information at the OFDM frame level, then signaling information protection is achieved, but the protection may not be adequate in noisy channel environments and the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the encoding parameters by using Reed-Muller codes with specific code lengths (e.g., 32, 64, 128, 256) and dimensions tailored to FEC block signaling information, replacing the generic concatenation code approach. This allows optimization of protection level versus complexity for different signaling sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the signaling information protection into two levels: frame-level signaling protection and FEC block-level signaling protection. Each level uses appropriate coding schemes, with Reed-Muller codes specifically applied to FEC block headers to enable independent detection and protection without requiring complex joint decoding
2Ease of operation
If Reed-Muller codes are used to encode FEC block signaling information, then easy detection of FEC block header is achieved through autocorrelation, but the code selection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the symmetry structure of Reed-Muller codewords to create a detectable pattern (analogous to color change) that stands out from the data stream. The autocorrelation property of RM codes creates a distinctive signature that enables easy header detection without complex search algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary encoding of FEC block headers with Reed-Muller codes before transmission, ensuring that the symmetry structure is already embedded in the transmitted signal. This preliminary action enables the receiver to detect headers through simple autocorrelation without requiring complex real-time analysis
3Device complexity
If signaling information is protected at the OFDM frame level only, then the protection structure is simple, but the protection is not adequate for individual FEC blocks in noisy environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides signaling information protection into two independent segments: frame-level signaling (L1 pre-signaling, L1 post-signaling) protected with appropriate FEC, and FEC block-level signaling (headers) protected with Reed-Muller codes. This segmentation allows each level to be optimized independently for its specific requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial protection strategies by using Reed-Muller codes specifically for FEC block headers where detection reliability is critical, while other signaling information uses standard protection. This partial application of enhanced protection achieves reliability improvement without full-system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for protecting signalling information in a frame to be transmitted to a receiver in a communication system, comprising: encoding frame signalling information of the frame to protect the frame signalling information; and encoding Forward Error Correction FEC block signalling information of FEC blocks in the frame by using Reed-Muller codes to protect the FEC block signaling information.