Abstract: The present invention contemplates applying a form of emulation to the domain of communications baseband stack design, in which baseband stack resource requirements, capabilities and behaviour are modelled and described. and the resultant description input to software comprising a virtual machine layer optimised for a communications DSP in order to generate an emulation of the baseband stack. The virtual machine layer is not custom written for a specific task but is instead pre-fabricated as a general purpose layer designed to de-couple low MIPS control code from having to interface directly with high MIPS baseband processing algorithms.

Abstract: An encoder for encoding digital streaming media at a studio site, in which the encoder is a software encoder which uses an IP based protocol to communicate with a remote, central multiplexer. Because the encoder is a software encoder, it is significantly cheaper than conventional, dedicated hardware; the encoder can typically run on a PC or industrial PC. As an IP based protocol is used, the present invention is cheaper to implement than STI over G703/4 or a WG1/2 bus. Similarly, handling reconfiguration data is possible over IP and the software of the encoder also leads to increased reconfigurability. Placing the encoder at the studio site also eliminates the conventional need for extra codes in a central multiplexing paradigm, further reducing cost and increasing quality.

Abstract: A scheduler is used to schedule execution of tasks by ‘engines’ that perform high resource functions as requested by ‘executive’ control code, the scheduler using its knowledge of the likelihood of engine request state transitions. The likelihood of engine request state transitions describes the likely sequence of engines which executives will impose: the scheduler can at run-time in effect, as the start of a time slice, look-forward in time to discern a number of possible schedules (i.e. sequence of future engines), assess the merits of each possible schedule using pre-defined parameters (e.g. memory and power utilisation), then apply the schedule which is most appropriate given those parameters. The process repeats at the start of the next time slice. The scheduler therefore operates as a predictive scheduler. The present invention is particularly effective in addressing the ‘multi-mode problem”: dynamically balancing the requirements of multiple communications stacks operating concurrently.

Abstract: Many compressed audio or video frames contain silence (if audio), or a blank image (if video); these essentially information content free (e.g. silent if audio or blank if video) frames can be both detected whilst still in compressed form and then used to carry the additional data. In an MPEG implementation, subbands associated with silent frames are rendered digitally silent and then used to carry PAD (Programme Associated Data).

Abstract: An incomplete/partly corrupted media file is delivered ‘in the clear’; in addition, a delta file is delivered to users meeting access control criteria which, when combined with the incomplete/partly corrupted parts allows a complete and uncorrupted version of the media file to be re-constructed. The method allows, in one implementation, a secure music purchase system to operate over digital radio: for example, the start of a song when played over the radio is usually deliberately talked over and the end cut short to prevent listeners being able to record a complete copy. With the present system, this practice can continue, but listeners can also purchase the missing or corrupted sections to enable them to possess a complete and uncorrupted version for playback.

Abstract: A digital wireless basestation is disclosed which is programmed with a hardware abstraction layer suitable for enabling one or more baseband processing algorithms to be represented using high level software. Commodity protocols and hardware turn a basestation, previously a highly expensive, vendor-locked, application specific product, into a generic, scalable baseband platform, capable of executing many different modulation standards with simply a change of software. IP is used to connect this device to the backnet, and IP is also used to feed digitised IF to and from third party RF modules, using an open data and control format.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates applying a form of emulation to the domain of communications baseband stack design, in which baseband stack resource requirements, capabilities and behaviour are modelled and described. and the resultant description input to software comprising a virtual machine layer optimised for a communications DSP in order to generate an emulation of the baseband stack. The virtual machine layer is not custom written for a specific task but is instead pre-fabricated as a general purpose layer designed to de-couple low MIPS control code from having to interface directly with high MIPS baseband processing algorithms.

Abstract: An incomplete/partly corrupted media file is delivered ‘in the clear’; in addition, a delta file is delivered to users meeting access control criteria which, when combined with the incomplete/partly corrupted parts allows a complete and uncorrupted version of the media file to be re-constructed. The method allows, in one implementation, a secure music purchase system to operate over digital radio: for example, the start of a song when played over the radio is usually deliberately talked over and the end cut short to prevent listeners being able to record a complete copy. With the present system, this practice can continue, but listeners can also purchase the missing or corrupted sections to enable them to possess a complete and uncorrupted version for playback.

Abstract: An incomplete/partly corrupted media file is delivered ‘in the clear’; in addition, a delta file is delivered to users meeting access control criteria which, when combined with the incomplete/partly corrupted parts allows a complete and uncorrupted version of the media file to be re-constructed. The method allows, in one implementation, a secure music purchase system to operate over digital radio: for example, the start of a song when played over the radio is usually deliberately talked over and the end cut short to prevent listeners being able to record a complete copy. With the present system, this practice can continue, but listeners can also purchase the missing or corrupted sections to enable them to possess a complete and uncorrupted version for playback.

Abstract: A method of designing a system for real time digital signal processing, in which the system uses a virtual machine layer to separate (i) high resource functions from (ii) low resource control code that requests execution of the high resource functions, wherein the method comprises the step of partioning the system along its scheduling boundaries and assigning a software entity (“a plane”) to each partioned area such that scheduling is performed in respect of planes. The present invention enables a highly structured approach to system design.