Mapping apparatus and method for transmission of data in a multi-carrier broadcast system

Abstract

An apparatus and a corresponding method for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system includes first and second frame forming mechanisms. The first frame forming mechanism is adapted to form first frames having a first frame structure and the second frame forming mechanism is adapted to form second frames having a second frame structure. Preferably, in a second frame structure the data blocks of a particular mapping input data stream are spread in time and frequency over various data symbols and various data segments of the second frames to provide high robustness against disturbances. The payload portion of the second frame is preferably segmented into various data segments enabling use of a narrow-band receiver, even if both the first and second frames cover the same total channel bandwidth.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system, said apparatus comprising:
 a data input for receiving said mapping input data streams each being subdivided into data blocks carrying payload data and for receiving signalling data;   a first frame forming means for mapping the data blocks of a first group of received mapping input data streams onto first frames having a first frame structure covering said channel bandwidth for use by receivers of a first type;   a second frame forming means for mapping the data blocks of a second group of received mapping input data streams onto second frames having a second frame structure covering said channel bandwidth for use by receivers of a second type, which second frame structure is different from the first frame structure, each of said second frames comprising a preamble portion and a payload portion, wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping the signalling data onto the preamble portion, which comprises at least one preamble symbol carrying at least one preamble signalling block including signalling data, and for mapping the payload data onto the payload portion comprising a plurality of data symbols carrying payload data of at least two mapping input data streams, said payload portion being segmented into data segments each covering a bandwidth portion of said channel bandwidth;   a stream forming means for forming said mapping output data stream by alternately arranging one or more first and one or more second frames; and   a data output for outputting said mapping output data stream.   
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping the data blocks of a mapping input data stream onto a second frame such that they are mapped onto a single data segment or onto two or more, in particular neighbouring, data segments of said second frame.   
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for selecting the number of data symbols, or neighbouring data symbols, per second frame onto which the data blocks of a mapping input data stream are mapped.   
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 31 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for varying the number of data symbols, or neighbouring data symbols, used at a time onto which the data blocks of a mapping input data stream are mapped.   
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 33 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for varying the number of data symbols, or neighbouring data symbols, used at a time onto which the data blocks of a mapping input data stream from second frame to second frame and/or within a second frame are mapped.   
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping the data blocks of a mapping input data stream onto a second frame such that they are spread in time and frequency over various data symbols and various data segments of said second frame.   
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for selecting the bandwidth of said data segments of the payload portion of the second frames.   
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the data segments of the payload portion of the second frames have a predetermined bandwidth, or equal bandwidth, in all second frames.   
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping the data blocks of a mapping input data stream onto a second frame such that at each time at most one data symbol comprises a data block of a particular mapping input data stream.   
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping the data blocks of a mapping input data stream onto a second frame such that the data blocks are irregularly mapped onto data symbols of the second frame.   
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping the data blocks of a mapping input data stream onto a second frame such that between one or more data symbols carrying one or more data blocks of a particular mapping input data stream there is one or more data symbol in time direction carrying no data blocks of the same particular mapping input data stream.   
     
     
         41 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for segmenting the preamble portion of the second frames into preamble segments all having an identical fixed bandwidth.   
     
     
         42 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 41 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping substantially the same signalling data onto all preamble segments of the preamble portion of a second frame.   
     
     
         43 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the at least one preamble signalling block comprises only high level, rough signalling information about the mapping of the data blocks onto the data segments of the second frames, and   wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping payload portion signalling blocks comprising low level, more detailed signalling information about the mapping of the data blocks onto the data symbols of the second frames.   
     
     
         44 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 43 ,
 wherein the at least one preamble signalling block comprises at least one pointer to a payload portion signalling block.   
     
     
         45 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 wherein the second frame forming means is adapted for mapping in-band signalling information comprising low level, more detailed signalling information about the mapping of data blocks of a particular mapping input data stream onto the data segments of the second frames into one or more of said data symbols, or into all data symbols carrying data blocks of said particular mapping input data stream.   
     
     
         46 . An apparatus for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system, said apparatus comprising:
 a data input for receiving said at least two mapping input data streams each being subdivided into data blocks carrying payload data and for receiving signalling data;   a frame forming means for mapping the data blocks of said at least two mapping input data streams onto frames of the frame structure of said mapping output data stream covering said channel bandwidth, each frame comprising a preamble portion and a payload portion, wherein the frame forming means is adapted for mapping the signalling data onto the preamble portion, which comprises at least one preamble symbol carrying at least one preamble signalling block including signalling data, and for mapping the payload data onto the payload portion comprising a plurality of data symbols carrying payload data of at least two mapping input data streams, said payload portion being segmented into data segments each covering a bandwidth portion of said channel bandwidth, wherein the data blocks of a mapping input data stream are mapped onto a frame such that they are spread in time and frequency over various data symbols and various data segments of said frame; and   a data output for outputting said mapping output data stream.   
     
     
         47 . A method for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system, said method comprising:
 receiving said mapping input data streams each being subdivided into data blocks carrying payload data and for receiving signalling data;   mapping the data blocks of a first group of received mapping input data streams onto first frames having a first frame structure covering said channel bandwidth for use by receivers of a first type;   mapping the data blocks of a second group of received mapping input data streams onto second frames having a second frame structure covering said channel bandwidth for use by receivers of a second type, which second frame structure is different from the first frame structure, each of said second frames comprising a preamble portion and a payload portion, wherein the signalling data are mapped onto the preamble portion, which comprises at least one preamble symbol carrying at least one preamble signalling block including signalling data, and wherein the payload data are mapped onto the payload portion comprising a plurality of data symbols carrying payload data of at least two mapping input data streams, said payload portion being segmented into data segments each covering a bandwidth portion of said channel bandwidth;   forming said mapping output data stream by alternately arranging one or more first and one or more second frames; and   outputting said mapping output data stream.   
     
     
         48 . A method for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system, said method comprising:
 receiving said at least two mapping input data streams each being subdivided into data blocks carrying payload data and for receiving signalling data;   mapping the data blocks of said at least two mapping input data streams onto frames of the frame structure of said mapping output data stream covering said channel bandwidth, each frame comprising a preamble portion and a payload portion, wherein the signalling data are mapped onto the preamble portion, which comprises at least one preamble symbol carrying at least one preamble signalling block including signalling data, and wherein the payload data are mapped onto the payload portion comprising a plurality of data symbols carrying payload data of at least two mapping input data streams, said payload portion being segmented into data segments each covering a bandwidth portion of said channel bandwidth, wherein the data blocks of a mapping input data stream are mapped onto a frame such that they are spread in time and frequency over various data symbols and various data segments of said frame; and   outputting said mapping output data stream.   
     
     
         49 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions stored thereon which, when carried out on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as claimed in  claim 47 . 
     
     
         50 . A transmission apparatus for transmitting data within a multi-carrier broadcast system, comprising:
 an apparatus according to  claim 30  for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system; and   a transmitter unit for transmitting said mapping output data stream.   
     
     
         51 . A transmission method for transmitting data within a multi-carrier broadcast system, comprising:
 a method according to  claim 47  for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system; and   transmitting said mapping output data stream.