TV White Space Host Device Retransmitting OTA Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users in areas with poor reception or distant from over-the-air television broadcast towers face challenges in accessing free channels due to terrain and distance obstacles, as traditional methods either fail to receive signals or provide insufficient image quality.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a host device to receive over-the-air content and retransmit it via television-white-space channels using the IEEE 802.11af 'Super Wi-Fi' standard, establishing a wireless local area network connection between the host device and television receiver, allowing the receiver to access content without direct reception capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If over-the-air television reception is used, then the service is free, but reception quality deteriorates due to terrain and distance obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
A host device acts as an intermediary between the broadcast tower and the television receiver. The host device receives over-the-air signals in locations with good reception and retransmits them via television-white-space channels to remote receivers, bridging the gap caused by terrain and distance obstacles while maintaining free service access
2Reliability
If satellite or cable television is used, then reception coverage is improved, but service cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The host device captures and copies over-the-air broadcast signals, then retransmits them through television-white-space channels. This creates a local copy distribution network that provides satellite/cable-like coverage reliability while maintaining the cost benefits of over-the-air reception
3Ease of operation
If direct over-the-air reception is attempted from remote locations, then service accessibility is improved, but signal strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The host device serves as a signal amplifier and relay station located in areas with strong reception. It receives weak signals that would be inaccessible to remote receivers and retransmits them with sufficient strength through television-white-space channels, enabling service accessibility without sacrificing signal strength
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are directed towards a television system that utilizes a host device and television receiver to receive content via over-the-air television channels where the television receiver cannot directly receive over-the-air transmissions. The television receiver selects an over-the-air channel and provides the selection to the host device. The host device selects a television-white-space channel and provides the selection to the television receiver. The host device then receives content via the selected over-the-air channel, transcodes the content into wireless local area network data packets, and provides the transcoded content to the television receiver using the selected television-white-space channel. The television receiver receives the content via the selected television-white-space channel over the wireless local area network and provides it to a display device for display to a user.