Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In one implementation, information is accessed indicating the quality of at least one communication channel. Based on the accessed information, a modulation scheme is indicated for sending data over the channel encoded with a rateless code. Various different information relating to the communication channel can be used to determine a quality metric for the channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In order to maintain the real time constraints of the communication systems, time intervals and indication signals are used in various implementations to indicate and/or force subsequent transmissions of encoded data. An indication signal can include, for example, modulation modification information for subsequent transmissions. In various other implementations, a quality metric is computed for the communication channel and is used to provide modified modulation scheme information to be subsequently used on the communication channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In one implementation received encoded data is decoded using an inner rateless decoder to produce a series of decoded rateless outputs. The series of decoded rateless outputs is combined to produce a block, and the block is decoded using an outer block decoder. In another implementation, encoded data for a data block encoded with a rateless code is received. It is determined that an initial amount of mutual information for the data block has been received, the initial amount being an amount expected to allow decoding of the received encoded data. Additional encoded data for the data block is received. It is determined that an extra amount of mutual information for the data block has been received beyond said initial amount of mutual information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In one implementation, initial encoded data that has been encoded with a rateless code is received. A quality metric is determined for a communication medium on which the initial encoded data has been received. A modulation scheme used in sending the initial encoded data on the communication medium is identified. An estimate is determined, based on the identified modulation scheme and the determined quality metric, of an amount of mutual information being received per unit of received encoded data. An amount of mutual information being received is determined, based on the determined estimate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In one implementation, information is accessed indicating the quality of at least one communication channel. Based on the accessed information, a modulation scheme is indicated for sending data over the channel encoded with a rateless code. Various different information relating to the communication channel can be used to determine a quality metric for the channel.

Abstract: An implementation exits a power saving mode for fixed and periodic active periods of time to receive a separate burst transmission from a first stream during each of the corresponding active periods of time. The first stream is received at a first-stream burst data rate. The first stream includes data configured to be displayed at a first playback rate that is substantially less than the first-stream burst data rate. During the active periods of time, data is received from a second stream at a second-stream rate. The second stream includes data configured to be displayed at a second playback rate that is substantially the same as the second-stream rate. After receiving each of the burst transmissions from the first stream during the active periods of time, the power saving mode is entered for corresponding fixed and periodic power-saving periods of time while waiting for another burst from the first stream.

Abstract: An implementation exits a power saving mode for fixed and periodic active periods of time to receive a separate burst transmission from a first stream during each of the corresponding active periods of time. The first stream is received at a first-stream burst data rate. The first stream includes data configured to be displayed at a first playback rate that is substantially less than the first-stream burst data rate. During the active periods of time, data is received from a second stream at a second-stream rate. The second stream includes data configured to be displayed at a second playback rate that is substantially the same as the second-stream rate. After receiving each of the burst transmissions from the first stream during the active periods of time, the power saving mode is entered for corresponding fixed and periodic power-saving periods of time while waiting for another burst from the first stream.

Abstract: An implementation exits a power saving mode for fixed and periodic active periods of time to receive a separate burst transmission from a first stream during each of the corresponding active periods of time. The first stream is received at a first-stream burst data rate. The first stream includes data configured to be displayed at a first playback rate that is substantially less than the first-stream burst data rate. During the active periods of time, data is received from a second stream at a second-stream rate. The second stream includes data configured to be displayed at a second playback rate that is substantially the same as the second-stream rate. After receiving each of the burst transmissions from the first stream during the active periods of time, the power saving mode is entered for corresponding fixed and periodic power-saving periods of time while waiting for another burst from the first stream.

Abstract: An implementation provides a transmitter that separates sequential portions of data in a first set of data by time intervals allowing a power saving mode (1005). The transmitter transmits the sequential portions of data separated by respective time intervals having lengths configured to allow a receiver to enter and exit a power saving mode between receiving sequentially transmitted portions of data from the first set of data (1010). The transmitter separates sequential portions of data in a second set by time intervals that are not of sufficient length to allow a receiver to enter and exit a power saving mode during the time intervals (1015). The second set of data is then transmitted (1020).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption in an iterative decoder. A memory stores a decoded codeword for a current iteration and an iteration terminator compares the decoded codeword for the current iteration to the codeword from prior iterations, and further terminates the iterations when a confidence value is achieved.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for synchronizing tile processing and assignment processing in a communication device. In particular, the methods and apparatus utilize a tile processing scorecard with a number of assertable bits corresponding to a number of tiles to be tile processed. As each tile is tile processed, the scorecard or bit indicators are asserted to indicate that the tile has been processed. Assignment jobs, which involve codewords having information from symbols in multiple tiles are processed after all of the pertinent tiles are tile processed. The scorecard information is accessible for assignment processing to determine which tiles have been processed, thus affording synchronization of tile processing with assignment processing, while maximizing the independence of these two processing operations. Tile processing operations may further use the scorecard information to prioritize or order tile processing in relation to known queued assignment jobs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In one implementation, information is accessed indicating the quality of at least one communication channel. Based on the accessed information, a modulation scheme is indicated for sending data over the channel encoded with a rateless code. Various different information relating to the communication channel can be used to determine a quality metric for the channel.

Abstract: A system and method for carrier recovery includes a plurality of carrier recovery modules, each processing the same input symbols, and each having a gain input and an error output. A loop gain control receives errors from the carrier recovery modules and provides gains to the carrier recovery modules. Based upon the errors during a current period, the loop gain control determines which module produced lowest errors, and selects the gain associated with that module as a best gain which is applied to a module which outputs symbols for decoding during a next period.

Abstract: There are provided a method, an apparatus and a computer program product for reducing power consumption in an iterative decoder. The apparatus includes a memory device and an iteration termination device. The memory device is for storing a bit number difference indicating a number of bits that are different between a decoded codeword for a current iteration and a decoded codeword for a previous iteration, for each iteration of the iterative decoder prior to a maximum number of iterations. The iteration termination device is for comparing the bit number difference to a pre-specified bit number difference threshold value, incrementing a confidence value when the bit number difference exceeds the pre-specified bit number difference threshold value, and terminating further iterations of the iterative decoder when the confidence value exceeds a pre-specified confidence threshold value.

Abstract: A satellite receiver receives a hierarchical modulation based received signal, which has at least an upper layer (UL) and a lower layer (LL), and simultaneously recovers therefrom data conveyed in the UL signal and data conveyed in the LL signal.

Abstract: A satellite communications system comprises a transmitter, a satellite transponder and a receiver. The transmitter transmits an uplink multi-level modulated signal (hierarchical modulation, layered modulation, etc.) to the satellite transponder, which broadcasts the multi-level modulated signal downlink to one, or more, receivers. The multi-level modulated signal comprises an upper layer and a lower layer. The lower layer conveys LDPC blocks, or LDPC frames, each LDPC block comprising S bits of data including a header portion and a data-bearing portion. The upper layer conveys shorter blocks, each shorter block comprising R bits of data, where R<S, the shorter block also comprising a header portion and a data-bearing portion. The transmitter synchronizes the start of transmission of each LDPC block to the start of transmission of a shorter block. The receiver uses the received shorter blocks to assist in searching for particular data in the lower layer portion of the received multi-level modulated signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In one implementation received encoded data is decoded using an inner rateless decoder to produce a series of decoded rateless outputs. The series of decoded rateless outputs is combined to produce a block, and the block is decoded using an outer block decoder. In another implementation, encoded data for a data block encoded with a rateless code is received. It is determined that an initial amount of mutual information for the data block has been received, the initial amount being an amount expected to allow decoding of the received encoded data. Additional encoded data for the data block is received. It is determined that an extra amount of mutual information for the data block has been received beyond said initial amount of mutual information.

Abstract: A multi-access multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system comprises a base station (BS) and a number of user equipment (UE), N, for serving N users. The BS divides the N users into L mobility groups, where each mobility group is associated with a certain range of channel dynamics. Those mobility groups having lower channel dynamics—that is, the channel dynamics change less rapidly—are updated with beamforming information less frequently than those mobility groups having higher dynamics—that is, the channel dynamics change more rapidly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In one implementation, initial encoded data that has been encoded with a rateless code is received. A quality metric is determined for a communication medium on which the initial encoded data has been received. A modulation scheme used in sending the initial encoded data on the communication medium is identified. An estimate is determined, based on the identified modulation scheme and the determined quality metric, of an amount of mutual information being received per unit of received encoded data. An amount of mutual information being received is determined, based on the determined estimate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance in communication systems is provided. In order to maintain the real time constraints of the communication systems, time intervals and indication signals are used in various implementations to indicate and/or force subsequent transmissions of encoded data. An indication signal can include, for example, modulation modification information for subsequent transmissions. In various other implementations, a quality metric is computed for the communication channel and is used to provide modified modulation scheme information to be subsequently used on the communication channel.