Abstract: A receiver includes an equalizer and a decoder which decodes data from a signal. The signal is based upon an output of the equalizer. The receiver also includes an encoder, which re-encodes the decoded data, and an error generator, which generates an error vector based upon the signal and the encoded data and which weights the error vector according to a reliability that the decoder accurately decoded the data from the signal. A controller controls the equalizer in response to the weighted error vector.

Abstract: A method of controlling sampling frequency of a sampling device (40), where the sampling device (40) generates samples (62) in response to the receipt of a signal (20) resulting from a transmission of a series of symbols through a channel, the method including the steps of estimating (46) a channel impulse response of the channel from the samples, calculating a characteristic of the channel impulse response estimate, and determining (52) the sampling frequency in accordance with the characteristic.

Abstract: Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data. The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave.

Abstract: Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data. The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave.

Abstract: A digital receiver for processing a signal received from a channel includes a digital demodulator and an equalizer coupled to the digital demodulator. The equalizer includes a feedforward filter and a decision feedback equalizer (DFE), wherein the feedforward filter includes a plurality of feedforward filter taps. Coefficients are associated with the plurality of feedforward filter taps and the values of all of the coefficients associated with the plurality of feedforward filter taps are dynamically determined.

Abstract: Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data. The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a feedforward filter (46) that receives a signal resulting from the transmission of a series of symbols through a channel, wherein the series of symbols includes a predetermined sequence of symbols includes the step of developing a plurality of samples from the received symbols (60), wherein a sequence of samples corresponds to the predetermined sequence of symbols. The method further includes the steps of estimating a channel impulse response from the plurality of samples, calculating a characteristic of the channel impulse response, and synchronizing (54) the feedforward filter in accordance with the estimated channel impulse response.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a system for transmitting a plurality of modes of digital television signals within the same transmission channel where one transmission mode is more robust than another mode. The present invention also concerns a system for receiving and decoding such signals. More specifically, an aspect of the present invention involves a method and an apparatus for utilizing a proper length of preamble data for the improvement of reception. Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention involves a method and an apparatus for inserting a preamble into a proper place in a transmitted data stream relative to the filed synchronization data. Another aspect of the present invention involves a method and an apparatus for decoding trellis-coded data, using the predetermined preamble data.

Abstract: Information is transmitted indicating when a burst mode will take place which intervenes during a regular transmission mode. The information transmitted can also include information indicating how long such a burst mode will be and the contents of the burst mode where such contents can be identified as video, audio, system information, advertisements, or interactive content.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a feedforward filter that receives a signal resulting from the transmission of a series of symbols through a channel, wherein the series of symbols includes a predetermined sequence of symbols includes the step of developing a plurality of samples from the received symbols, wherein a sequence of samples corresponds to the predetermined sequence of symbols. The method may further include the steps of estimating a channel impulse response from the plurality of samples, wherein the channel impulse response estimate is represented by a plurality of correlation values, identifying a maximum correlation value from the plurality of correlation values, defining a window relative to the maximum correlation value, calculating a characteristic of the correlation values within the window, and synchronizing the feedforward filter in accordance with the characteristic.

Abstract: A method and architecture for processing signal communications between an encoder and decoder operating according to the ATSC standard adapted for mobile handheld transmission is disclosed. The method and apparatus comprises transmitting a packet and a redundant packet according to spatial, time and frequency diversity to enhance the redundancy error processing.

Abstract: New capabilities will allow conventional broadcast transmission to be available to mobile devices. The present embodiments describe an apparatus and method for encoding and decoding signals. An apparatus includes a first encoder, the first encoder receiving data and encoding the data using a first byte code encoding process, an interleaver coupled to the first encoder to receive the encoded data from the first encoder and re-order the data, and a second encoder coupled to the interleaver to receive the re-ordered data and encode the re-ordered data using a second byte code encoding process. A method includes the steps receiving data encoding the data using a first byte code encoding process, interleaving the encoded data, and encoding the interleaved data using a second byte code encoding process. An apparatus and method for decoding signals is also described.

Abstract: New capabilities will allow conventional broadcast transmission to be available to mobile devices. A method is described including the steps of receiving data, encoding the data using a first encoding process, inserting training data into the encoded data, and encoding the encoded data and the training data using a second encoding process. An apparatus is also described including a first encoder receiving at least a portion of data and encoding the portion of data using a first encoding process, a training data inserter inserting training data into the first encoded data, and a second encoder encoding the first encoded data and the training data using a second encoding process.

Abstract: New capabilities will allow conventional broadcast transmission to be available to mobile devices. A method is described including the steps of receiving a packet of data having a data payload and a header, byte code encoding the data in the packet, and altering information in the header in response to the byte code encoding. An apparatus is described including an encoder receiving a packet of data and encoding the data using a byte code encoding process and a header modifier altering information in the header in response to the byte code encoding. A decoding apparatus is described including a packet identifier receiving a plurality of data packets, and identifying a data packet based on information in the header, a byte code decoder decoding the identified data packet using a byte code decoding process, and a Reed-Solomon decoder decoding at least the decoded identified data packet using a Reed-Solomon decoding process.

Abstract: A method and architecture for processing signal communications between an encoder and decoder operating according to the ATSC standard adapted for mobile handheld transmission is disclosed. The method and apparatus comprises embedding code rate identifiers in the packet ID and training sequences, using a chirp sequence as a training sequence and transmitting data in a single burst wherein the data is encoded according to multiple code rates.

Abstract: New capabilities will allow conventional broadcast transmission to be available to mobile devices. A method is described including receiving a data set, extracting a subset, encoding the subset using a first encoding process, combining the encoded subset with the remaining portion, and encoding the combined data set including the appended subset using a second encoding process. an apparatus is described including means for extracting a subset, means for first encoding, means for combining, and means for second encoding. An apparatus for decoding includes a data identifier receiving a data set and identifying a subset of data, a first decoder decoding the subset using a first decoding process, and a second decoder combining the subset of data with a remaining portion of the data set and decoding the combined data using a second decoding process. A method for decoding is also described.

Abstract: New capabilities will allow conventional broadcast transmission to be available to mobile devices. The present embodiments describe an apparatus and method for encoding and decoding signals. A method includes the steps of generating data blocks, encoding a first set of data blocks using a first encoding rate, encoding a second set of data blocks using a second encoding rate, and generating a control packet, the control packet identifying the first set of data blocks and the first encoding rate, and identifying the second set of data blocks and the second encoding rate. An apparatus includes a first decoder receiving data and decoding a first subset of the data, including a control packet, at a first decoding rate and a controller controlling the operation of the first decoder based on the decoded control packet.

Abstract: Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data. The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave.

Abstract: Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data. The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave.

Abstract: A method of controlling a digital demodulator (922) coupled to an equalizer (930) includes the steps of generating an equalizer value (930A), filtering (944) the equalizer value (930A) to obtain a post filter output, subtracting the equalizer output signal (930C) from the decoded data (930D) and generating an error value (924A). The post filter output is correlated (948) with the error value (924A) to obtain a correlated value (74A). A control signal is developed from the correlated value and is used to adjust the digital demodulator (922).