Variable Data Rate Broadcast Sub-Blocks for Equalized Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in efficiently varying data rates for broadcast transmissions to accommodate different user capabilities without incurring substantial costs, particularly in radio-frequency transmissions and channels requiring equalization, where data rate changes impact bandwidth and overhead.

Innovation Solution

The system encodes different sub-blocks of a data block at varying data rates and organizes them with low data rate sub-blocks at the periphery and higher data rate sub-blocks in the interior, surrounded by known symbols for decoding, allowing for efficient transmission and reception across diverse reception conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If data rate is varied for different users, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but bandwidth impact and overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission efficiencyVSAvoidbandwidth impact
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The data block is divided into multiple sub-blocks, each encoded at different data rates. This segmentation allows the transmission to accommodate users with different reception capabilities simultaneously, with lower data rate sub-blocks for users with poorer reception conditions and higher data rate sub-blocks for users with better conditions, thereby improving overall transmission efficiency without excessively increasing bandwidth impact

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sub-blocks within the same data block are assigned different data rates based on local reception conditions. This local quality approach ensures that each portion of the data is transmitted at the optimal rate for its intended recipients, maximizing transmission efficiency while controlling bandwidth usage through selective encoding

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If data rate changes are made, then adaptability to different users is improved, but additional overhead is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different usersVSAvoidadditional overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple sub-blocks with different data rates are merged into a single data block that is transmitted together. This combining approach allows the system to serve multiple user types within one transmission cycle, improving adaptability while minimizing overhead by avoiding the need for separate preambles and control signals for each data rate change

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The data block structure is designed to be universal, accommodating multiple data rates and user types within a single transmission framework. This multi-functionality allows the same transmission infrastructure to serve both high-data-rate and low-data-rate users without requiring separate dedicated channels or excessive overhead for rate indication

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If known symbols are added for equalization, then decoding accuracy is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding accuracyVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Known symbols are placed at the beginning and end of the data block before the actual data transmission. This preliminary action provides the receiver with the necessary reference information to perform equalization and accurately decode the subsequent data sub-blocks, improving decoding accuracy while limiting bandwidth consumption by using known symbols only at the boundaries rather than throughout the entire block

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3876446B1Variable data rate broadcast method for channels requiring equalization
Publication Date: 2023.04.19 ROCKWELL COLLINS INC
  • EP3876446B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3876446B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3876446B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system and method for including multiple data rate sub-blocks (214,216,218,220) within a single data block includes dividing data blocks based on a priority or intended set of recipients. The sub-blocks are modulated at increasing data rates and the modulated sub-blocks are appended together and bounded by the known symbol blocks during transmission. The sub-blocks are organized in order of increasing data rate. During decoding, detected symbols of a first, low data rate sub-block are included in the detection process of higher data rate sub-blocks in place of additional symbols that would otherwise be needed for higher data rate transmissions. Alternatively, the sub-blocks may be organized with low data rate sub-block at the periphery and higher data rate sub-blocks in the interior such that the data block may be decoded from both ends.