Patent · US Expired

Digital simulcast transmission system

US5365569A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
12References
47Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 17, 1992
Grant dateNov 15, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 17, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W84/022
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A simulcast system for broadcasting the same signal for a number of spaced-apart broadcast sites is disclosed. The system (20) of this invention includes a hub (28) adapted to receive the signal to be simulcast and a number of stations (30) that actually broadcast the signal. The hub places the digital signal packets referred to as PDBs (36). As part of the signal packetization process, the hub evaluates the rate at which the signals should be broadcast and assigns a start time at which the signals should be broadcast; this information is attached to the PDBs. After a PDB is created it is forwarded to the stations over a link channel. Each station includes a station controller (32) and a station transmitter (34). The station controller, upon receiving a PDB, forwards the signal therein to the transmitter at the start time indicated and at the appropriate broadcast rate. All of the stations transmitting the signals contained within a single PDB do so based on the start time and broadcast rate information contained in that PDB. Consequently, each station broadcasts the same signals at the same time and at the same rate so as to ensure their simultaneous transmission.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.