Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a best-effort service is divided into packets for best-effort digital broadcast transmission. The packets are encapsulated with an encapsulation protocol that uses a packet order defining field. The encapsulated packets are inserted into an unused portion of a slot of a digital broadcast transmission frame. Then, the encapsulated packets are repeatedly inserted into the unused portion of the slot of the digital broadcast transmission frame in a packet-carousel fashion. And the transmission frame is digitally broadcast. In accordance with an embodiment, a digital broadcast transmission is received. Encapsulated packets that have been repeatedly broadcast in a packet-carousel fashion are accessed from a best-effort portion of a digital broadcast transmission frame slot. And a best-effort service is composed from the encapsulated packets by combining the encapsulated packets in an order based on a packet order defining field of the encapsulated packets.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to using forward error correaction in a digital broadcast network that supports generic stream encapsulation. According to an embodiment, error correaction data is calculated over application data, and the application data and error correaction data are encapsulated in generic stream encapsulation packets. In another embodiment, error correaction data is calculated over generic stream encapsulation packets. In yet another embodiment, error correaction data is calculated over, and encapsulated within, generic stream encapsulation packets. In still another embodiment, error correaction data is calculated over application data packets.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to service and channel discovery in a digital broadcast network. A pilot synchronization symbol, which has known characteristics, is included as a first symbol of digital broadcast frames. The pilot symbol, which can be decoded without having to resort to trial and error methods, contains parameters for the rest of the signal. So, the rest of the signal can be decoded without trial and error methods after the pilot symbol (and any additional synchronization symbols) is decoded. Channels containing digital video broadcast services can be efficiently detected using the known part of the signal. If the fixed known part is not found from the examined signal, then the signal will be considered a non-digital-video-broadcast signal or an empty channel, and the receiver can promptly proceed to a next channel/frequency. In this way, detecting non-digital-video-broadcast and empty channels becomes relatively fast.

Abstract: The invention is directed to efficient transfer of low bit rate services in a communication system. A synchronization symbol which has known characteristics may be included as a first symbol of digital broadcast frames. The synchronization symbol, which can be decoded without having to resort to trial and error methods, contains parameters for the rest of the signal. Low bit rate services are allocated to time slots following the pilot symbol used for synchronization allowing for fast access times with maximum power saving capabilities. A user terminal wakes up just before the synchronization symbol and received the data allocated for the low bit rate services. The user terminal may power off for the remaining time slots which are allocated for higher bit services to conserve power.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to service and channel discovery in a digital broadcast network. A pilot synchronization symbol, which has known characteristics, is included as a first symbol of digital broadcast frames. The pilot symbol, which can be decoded without having to resort to trial and error methods, contains parameters for the rest of the signal. In another aspect of the invention, at least two pilot symbols may be defined and used at the beginning of each frame. The at least two pilot symbols P1 and P2 may enable fast channel search and service discovery within the frame. Signaling may be realized as a combination of L1 and L2 signaling.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one embodiment, fixed TDM slot/frame structure and statistical multiplexing are combined. A TDM slot, which is fixed (in size and position) is reserved for a variable bit rate service such that the bit rate of the TDM slot/channel is below the average rate of the service. Such a reserved TDM slot may be referred to as a service specific slot. Since the service specific slot is reserved with a bit rate below the average rate of the service, additional capacity is reserved from a rate matching slot, which may be common for multiple services. In this rate matching slot, the capacity may be shared between services according to any suitable strategy for allotting services to portions of the rate matching slot, including, but not limited to, a statistical multiplexing algorithm.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to service discovery in a digital broadcast network. A service discovery descriptor, which may be electronic service guide-provider and cell specific, provides mapping between a service identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a physical channel, which may be characterized by a frame identifier and a slot identifier, that is, each physical channel may have one or more slots within one or more frames. A neighboring service discovery descriptor provides mapping for the service available within neighboring cells. Aspects of the invention are directed to an encapsulation protocol that encapsulates variable length data, including, but not limited to, the service discovery descriptor and the neighboring service discovery descriptor, into fixed length data stream packets.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to defining hierarchical digital broadcast transport streams as separate cells, which reduces the signaling in OSI layer 1, and removing use of sub-cells so that the coverage area of a transposer may be treated as a cell. In accordance with at least one embodiment, each hierarchical DVB-H stream (i.e., the HP stream and the LP stream) has its own separate dedicated “current signal” frame. This allows the streams to be independent of each other (even to belong to different networks). Furthermore, in accordance with the hierarchical signal arrangement, a cell can be uniquely identified by its network_id and cell_id. In accordance with at least one embodiment, frequency may be used as an additional identifier thereby allowing a first cell to be transposed to a sub-cell.

Abstract: A computer-readable medium, device and system for responding to a request for a geographically-based service are provided. A request for a geographically-based service is received. The received request indicates that a geographical position of a target node and a radius associated with a maximum distance from the geographical position is requested. A requesting service message is formatted that is associated with a higher-layer protocol and includes an indicator indicating that the geographical position of the target node and the radius is requested. The requesting service message is merged in a first header of a requesting datagram which is sent to the target node. A reply datagram is received from the target node and a reply position message component is extracted from the received reply datagram. A reply position message component is extracted from a second header of the received reply datagram.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer media are provided for supporting roaming between platforms which allow for continuous delivery of the same content. A mobile terminal receives digital content from a current signal for a selected service from a current platform. The mobile terminal obtains platform information about another platform that provides the selected service in a candidate cell. When the mobile terminal determines that the signal quality is below a predetermined threshold, the mobile terminal selects another signal in a candidate cell. When the current platform is not available in the candidate cell, the mobile terminal performs a roaming procedure by changing platforms. When the current platform is supported in the candidate cell, the mobile terminal performs a handover to the candidate cell. The mobile terminal may evaluate the availability of roaming services and select another signal based on the availability of roaming services.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for sharing cell coverage information among devices in a cell network. Cell coverage information includes bitmap models of signal strength to enable intelligent handover decisions. Mobile terminals are able to receive cell coverage information over a broadband unidirectional broadcast network, such as a digital video broadcast network. They are also able to receive cell coverage information from other mobile terminals via ad hoc wireless signalling. Mobile terminals are also able to store and upload raw signal measurements to a cell coverage information center.

Abstract: Provided are apparatuses and methods for efficient and timely broadcasting of emergency information over any system by at least one transport protocol supported within each system, e.g., in DVB-H it is carried as an IP stream or as filecast, and within other DVB systems, can be supported as audio, video, or data and even as IP. Systems and methods are provided by which urgent emergency information or other information that needs immediate action(s) can be signaled to an end user.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for including geographical information of a target node in a geographical response message when requested by a requesting node. Geographical messages are supported at higher layer protocol. The geographical messaging may be included in an IPv6 datagram that supports a data payload and the geographical information in an extension header. An embodiment of the invention supports messaging that is associated with the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and that is compatible with IPv6 specifications. The requesting node may insert the geographical position of the requesting node when sending a request to the target node. Both peer-to-peer and client-server architectures may be supported. A node may provide geographical-based information that comprises geographical coordinates or other variations of the geographical-based information. Moreover, a node may include non-geographical information that is associated with the node.

Abstract: Provided are apparatuses and methods for transmitting and receiving a service discovery section (SDS) associated with a service. In one example, the SDS corresponds to a channel identifier and contains mapping information. The mapping information may map the channel identifier to a packet identifier for the service. In addition, the mapping information may contain mapping information for IP addresses corresponding to the channel identifier, information identifying the network for transmission, a cell in which data is transmitted or priority information for the data.

Abstract: Provided are apparatuses and methods for transmitting and receiving quick access services. For example, a mobile terminal may receive a data stream containing a quick access service of a particular type. The quick access service may have a fixed Packet Identification (PID) and/or fixed IP address. The fixed PID and/or fixed IP addressed may be associated with a quick access service based on the particular type of the quick access service. In another example, a mobile terminal and a user interface on a mobile terminal may provide a menu for selection of an access mode for accessing the quick access service. Also, a quick access service may be selected based on the type of the quick access service.

Abstract: Mobile terminals and methods are provided for making handover decisions based on the priority of IP streams that are being received by a mobile terminal. The IP streams currently being received or requested are ranked according to their priority. The selection of a new cell during the handover procedure is a function of the ranking of priorities.

Abstract: Provided are apparatuses and methods for detecting neighboring cells in a communication network based on Transmission Parameter Signaling (TPS) bits received in a signaling frame. In one example, a signaling frame contains a field of TPS bits that indicate a type of the signaling frame. The type of the signaling frame may indicate the information carried in the signaling frame as information of a current cell or a neighboring cell. The signaling frame may further include information from a neighboring cell in the same network or a different network as the current cell. The signaling frame may further be arranged in a superframe in which the a plurality of frames are transmitted to a receiver in a certain sequence. Each frame in a superframe or a sequence of frames may include a parameter for defining the location of the frame.

Abstract: Provided are apparatuses and methods for identifying unused bandwidth in portions of a time slice frame that are allocated to carrying elementary service burst data and related overhead data, and using that unused bandwidth for the transmission of additional data. The unused portions may be aggregated and subdivided into unused time slice frames, which may be further subdivided into additional channels for use by different services.

Abstract: A terrestrial digital video broadcast (DVB-T) network includes a content provider and first to third transmitters. Each transmitter may transmit more than one signal, different signals having different frequencies, multiplexes and the like and relating to different network types. An integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) is mobile in the area around transmitters. As well as transmitting service information as part of a network information table on a data layer, the transmitters provide in their output signals transmitter parameter information as TPS data on a physical layer. This TPS information includes one bit identifying the type of the network to which the signal relates and information identifying whether or not the signal contains time-sliced data streams. This information is used by the IRD both in signal scan, or initialising the IRD with parameters needed for OSI layers service discovery, and for deselecting signals as handover candidates.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for supporting geographical-based services in a communications system. In an embodiment of the invention, a terminal node (e.g., a wireless terminal) inserts geographical information into a header portion of an IPv6 datagram. The serving network utilizes the geographical information to support a geographical-based service. In another embodiment, a terminal node, which is located in a geographical area, receives service configuration information regarding service regions from a serving network and determines what services are supported in the geographical area. In an embodiment, header formats for the inserted geographical information in a propagated signal between a terminal node and a serving network are provided.