CA2700260C - Digital broadcasting system and data processing method in the digital broadcasting system - Google Patents

Abstract

A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. In an aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a data processing method including receiving a broadcast signal in which main service data and mobile service data are multiplexed, demodulating the received broadcast signal, acquiring demodulation time information of a specific position of a broadcast signal frame, and acquiring fast information channel (FTC) information representing binding information of a virtual channel in an ensemble and the ensemble of the mobile service data, acquiring a mobile service data frame of a specific virtual channel using the FTC information, and reference time information contained in a mobile service data frame, setting the reference time information to a system time clock at a specific time based on the demodulation time information and decoding the mobile service data according to the system time clock.

Description

Description DIGITAL BROADCASTING SYSTEM AND DATA PROCESSING METHOD IN
THE DIGITAL BROADCASTING SYSTEM
Technical Field [1] The present invention relates to a digital broadcasting system, and more particularly, to a digital broadcasting system and a data processing method.
Background Art [2] The Vestigial Sideband (VSB) transmission mode, which is adopted as the standard for digital broadcasting in North America and the Republic of Korea, is a system using a single carrier method. Therefore, the receiving performance of the digital broadcast receiving system may be deteriorated in a poor channel environment. Particularly, since resistance to changes in channels and noise is more highly required when using portable and/or mobile broadcast receivers, the receiving performance may be even more deteriorated when transmitting mobile service data by the VSB transmission mode.
Disclosure of Invention [3] An object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcasting system and a data processing method that are highly resistant to channel changes and noise.

[4] An object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcasting system and a method of processing data in a digital broadcasting system that can enhance the receiving performance of a receiving system (or receiver) by having a transmitting system (or transmitter) perform additional encoding on mobile service data.

[5] Another object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcasting system and a method of processing data in the digital broadcasting system that can also enhance the receiving performance of a =

la digital broadcast receiving system by inserting known data already known in accordance with a pre-agreement between the receiving system and the transmitting system in a predetermined region within a data region.

[6] Another object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcast system and a data processing method which can process service data discontinuously received on a time axis at a constant bit rate.
[6a] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of transmitting a broadcast signal in a transmitter, the method comprising:
multiplexing mobile data and main data; and transmitting a transmission frame including the multiplexed mobile data and main data, wherein a plurality of parades of data groups are transmitted during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing the mobile data and the main data, wherein the data groups of one of the plurality of parades are assigned to be spaced apart from one another within the transmission frame, wherein each of the data groups includes the mobile data, signaling information and known data sequences, wherein the signaling information includes fast information channel (FIC) data, wherein the FIC data is divided into a plurality of FIC segments, and each of the plurality of FIC
segments includes an FIC segment header and is transmitted in each of the data groups, wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service, and wherein the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RC-CRC (Reed Solomon ¨ cyclic redundancy check) encoded through a 2-dimensional Reed-Solomon (RS) frame, each row of a payload of the RS frame including a transport packet of the mobile data.
[6b] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of receiving a broadcast signal in a receiver, the method comprising:
receiving the broadcast signal including a transmission frame, wherein a plurality of parades of data groups in the broadcast signal is received during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing mobile data and main data, wherein the data groups of one of the plurality of parades are spaced apart from one another within the transmission frame, and wherein each of the data groups includes the mobile data, signaling information and lb known data sequences; demodulating the broadcast signal and obtaining, from the signaling information, fast information channel (FIC) data including binding information between a service of the mobile data and an ensemble and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data indicating a version of the FIC data, wherein the FIC data is divided into a plurality of FIC
segments, and wherein each of the plurality of FIC segments includes an FIC
segment header and is received in each of the data groups, and wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service; building a Reed-Solomon (RS) frame corresponding to the ensemble by collecting a plurality of data portions which are mapped to the data groups;
and decoding the RS frame, wherein the RS frame is a 2-dimensional data frame through which the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RS-CRC (Reed Solomon -cyclic redundancy check) encoded, each row of a payload of the RS frame including a transport packet of the mobile data.
[6c] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal, the apparatus comprising: a multiplexer configured to multiplex mobile data and main data; and a transmission unit configured to transmit a transmission frame including the multiplexed mobile data and main data, wherein a plurality of parades of data groups are transmitted during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing the mobile data and the main data, wherein the data groups of one of the plurality of parades are assigned to be spaced apart from one another within the transmission frame, wherein each data group includes the mobile data, signaling information and known data sequences, wherein the signaling information includes fast information channel (FIC) data including binding information between a service of the mobile data and an ensemble and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data indicating a version of the FIC data, wherein the FIC data is divided to a plurality of FIC
segments, and each of the plurality of FIC segments includes an FIC segment header and is received in each of the data groups, wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service, and wherein the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RS-CRC
(Reed Solomon - cyclic redundancy check) encoded through a 2-dimensional Reed-Solomon (RS) frame, each row of a payload of the RS frame including a transport packet of the mobile data.

1 c [6d] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for receiving a broadcast signal, the apparatus comprising: a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal including a transmission frame, wherein a parade of data groups is received during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing of mobile data and main data, and wherein each of the data groups includes the mobile data, signaling information and known data sequences, a demodulator configured to demodulate the received broadcast signal and obtain, from the signaling information, fast information channel (FIC) data including binding information between a service of the mobile data and an ensemble and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data indicating a version of the FIC data, wherein the FIC data is divided to a plurality of FIC segments, and each of the FIC segments includes an FIC segment header and is received in each of the data groups, and wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service; and an RS frame decoder configured to build a Reed-Solomon (RS) frame corresponding to the ensemble by collecting a plurality of data portions which are mapped to the data groups, and decode the RS frame, wherein the RS frame is a 2-dimensional data frame through which the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RS-CRC (Reed Solomon - cyclic redundancy check) encoded, and each row of a payload of the RS frame includes a transport packet of the mobile data.

[7] In one aspect, a data processing method 7 4 4 2 0 ¨ 4 3 7 includes receiving a broadcast signal in which main service data and mobile service data are multiplexed, demodulating the received broadcastsignal, outputting de-modulation time information of a specific position of a broadcast signal frame, and acquiring reference time information contained in the mobile service data frame, setting the reference time information to a system time clock at a specific time based on the demodulation time information and decoding the mobile service data according to the system time clock.

[8] The reference time information may be a network time protocol (NTP) timestamp.
The demodulation time information may include either one of the frame starting point and the frame end point of the broadcast signal. The manager set the reference time in-formation to the system time clock at interval of 968 milliseconds.

[9] The broadcast signal includes a data group in which the mobile service data en-or-correction-encoded by at least one of code rates, and the mobile service data in the in-terleaved data group includes periodically-inserted known data.
[101 In another aspect, a digital broadcast system includes a receiver configured to receive a broadcast signal in which main service data and mobile service data are multiplexed, a demodulator configured to demodulate the received broadcastsignal, output demodulation time information of a specific position of a broadcast signal frame, and output a mobile service data frame from the de-modulated broadcast signal, a mobile service data frame decoder configured to decoding the mobile service data frame and output a transport packet, a transport packet (TP) handler configured to output reference time information contained in the transport packet, a manager configured toset the outputted reference time information to a system time clock at a specific time based on the demodulation time information, a decoder configured to decode the mobile service data according to the system time clock and a display configured todisplay contents contained in the decoded mobile service data.
[11] The digital broadcast system may further include a buffer for temporarily storing mobile service data contained in the transport packet according to the system time clock. The manager may control the display for displaying contents contained in the mobile service data according to the system time clock.
1121 The demodulator outputs fast information channel (FTC) information representing binding information of a virtual channel in an ensemble and the ensemble of the mobile service data, and the mobile service data frame decoder decodes the mobile service data frame using the FTC information.
1131 The digital broadcast system and the data processing method according to some embodiments of the present invention have strong resistance to any errors encountered when mobile service data is transmitted over the channel, and can be easily compatible with the conventional receiver.
[14] The digital broadcast system according to some embodiments of the present invention can normally receive mobile service data without any errors over a poor channel which has lots of ghosts and noises. The digital broadcast system according to some embodiments of the present invention inserts known data at a specific location of a data zone, and performs signal transmission, thereby increasing the Rx performance under a high-variation channel environment.
[15] Also, some embodiments of the present invention can process service data, which is discontinuously received with time, at a constant bitrate.
Brief Description of the Drawings [16] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram showing a general structure of a digital broadcasting receiving system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[17] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary structure of a data group according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[18] FIG. 3 illustrates an RS frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[19] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an MH frame structure for transmitting and receiving mobile service data according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[20] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a general VSB frame structure;
[21] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of mapping positions of the first 4 slots of a sub-frame in a spatial area with respect to a VSB frame;
[22] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of mapping positions of the first 4 slots of a sub-frame in a chronological (or time) area with respect to a VSB frame;

[23] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary order of data groups being assigned to one of 5 sub-frames configuring an MH frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[24] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a single parade being assigned to an MH frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[25] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of 3 parades being assigned to an MH
frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[26] FIG. 11 illustrates an example of the process of assigning 3 parades shown in FIG. 10 being expanded to 5 sub-frames within an MH frame;
[27] FIG. 12 illustrates a data transmission structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein signaling data are included in a data group so as to be transmitted;
[28] FIG. 13 illustrates a hierarchical signaling structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[29] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary FIC body format according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[30] FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure with respect to an FIC segment according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[31] FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure with respect to a payload of an FIC segment according to an embodiment of the present invention, when an FIC type field value is equal to '0';
[32] FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of a service map table according to an embodiment of the present invention;

= CA 02700260 2010-03-19 4a [33] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH
audio descriptor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[34] FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH RTP payload type descriptor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[35] FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH current event descriptor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[36] FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH next event descriptor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[37] FIG. 22 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH system time descriptor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[38] FIG. 23 illustrates segmentation and encapsulation processes of a service map table according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[39] FIG. 24 illustrates a flow chart for accessing a virtual channel using FIC and SMT according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[40] FIG. 25 shows a timing model;
[41] FIG. 26 shows a bit rate varying with time while signals are transmitted and received according to a time slicing technique;
[42] FIG. 27 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a method for processing a reception (Rx) signal at a constant data processing rate;
[43] FIG. 28 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a digital broadcast reception system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and [44] FIG. 29 is a flow chart illustrating a data processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4b Detailed Description [45]
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention.
Herein structures and operations of the invention illustrated in figures and described by being referred to the figures are examples of embodiments of the invention.

[46]
[47] Definition of the terms used in the embodiments [48] Although the terms used in the present invention are selected from generally known and used terms, some of the terms mentioned in the description of the present invention have been selected by the applicant at his or her discretion, the detailed meanings of which are described in relevant parts of the description herein.
Fur-thermore, it is required that the present invention is understood, not simply by the actual terms used but by the meaning of each term lying within.
[49] Among the terms used in the description of the present invention, main service data correspond to data that can be received by a fixed receiving system and may include audio/video (A/V)data. More specifically, the main service data may include A/V data of high definition (HD) or standard definition (SD) levels and may also include diverse data types required for data broadcasting. Also, the known data correspond to data pre-known in accordance with a pre-arranged agreement between the receiving system and the transmitting system.
[50] Additionally, among the terms used in the present invention, "MH"corresponds to the initials of "mobile" and "handheld" and represents the opposite concept of a fixed-type system. Furthermore, the MH service data may include at least one of mobile service data and handheld service data, and will also be referred to as "mobile service data" for simplicity. Herein, the mobile service data not only correspondto MH service data but may also include any type of service data with mobile or portable characteristics.
Therefore, the mobile service data according to the present invention are not limited only to the MH service data.
[51] The above-described mobile service data may correspond to data having information, such as program execution files, stock information, and so on, and may also correspond to A/V data. Most particularly, the mobile service data may correspond to A/V data having lower resolution and lowerdata rate as compared to the main service data. For example, if an A/V codec that is used for a conventional main service cor-responds to a MPEG-2 codec, a MPEG-4 advanced video coding (AVC) or scalable video coding (SVC) having better image compression efficiency may be used as the A/
V codec for the mobile service. Furthermore, any type of data may be transmitted as the mobile service data. For example, transport protocol expert group (TPEG) data for broadcasting real-time transportation information may be transmitted as the main service data.
[52] Also, a data service using the mobile service data may include weather forecast services, traffic information services, stock information services, viewer participation quiz programs, real-time polls and surveys,interactive education broadcast programs, gaming services, services providing information on synopsis, character, background music, and filming sites of soap operas or series, services providing information on past match scores and player profiles and achievements, and services providing in-formation on product information and programs classified by service, medium, time, and theme enabling purchase orders to be processed. Herein, the present invention is not limited only to the services mentioned above.
[53] In the present invention, the transmitting system provides backward compatibility in the main service data so as to be received by the conventional receiving system.
Herein, the main service data and the mobile service data are multiplexed to the same physical channel and then transmitted.
[54] Furthermore, the digital broadcast transmitting system according to the present invention performs additional encoding on the mobile service data and inserts the data already known by the receiving system and transmitting system (e.g., known data), thereby transmitting the processed data.
[55] Therefore, when using the transmitting system according to the present invention, the receiving system may receive the mobile service data during a mobile state and may also receive the mobile service data with stability despite various distortion and noise occurring within the channel.
[56]
[57] Receiving System [58] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram showing a general structure of a digital broadcasting receiving system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The digital broadcast receiving system according to the present invention includes a baseband processor 100, a management processor 200, and a presentation processor 300.
[59] The baseband processor 100 includes an operation controller 110, a tuner 120, a de-modulator 130, an equalizer 140, a known sequence detector (or known data detector) 150, a block decoder (or mobile handheld block decoder) 160, a promary Reed-Solomon (RS) frame decoder 170, a secondary RS frame decoder 180, and a signaling decoder 190. The operation controller 110 controls the operation of each block included in the baseband processor 100.
[60] By tuning the receiving system to a specific physical channel frequency, the tuner 120 enables the receiving system to receive main service data, which correspond to broadcast signals for fixed-type broadcast receiving systems, and mobile service data, which correspond to broadcast signals for mobile broadcast receiving systems.
At this point, the tuned frequency of the specific physical channel is down-converted to an in-termediate frequency (IF) signal, thereby being outputted to the demodulator 130 and the known sequence detector 140. The passband digital IF signal being outputted from the tuner 120 may only include main service data, or only include mobile service data, or include both main service data and mobile service data.
[61] The demodulator 130 performs self-gain control, carrier wave recovery, and timing recovery processes on the passband digital IF signal inputted from the tuner 120, thereby modifying the IF signal to a baseband signal. Then, the demodulator outputs the baseband signal to the equalizer 140 and the known sequence detector 150.
The demodulator 130 uses the known data symbol sequence inputted from the known sequence detector 150 during the timing and/or carrier wave recovery, thereby enhancing the demodulating performance.
[62] The equalizer 140 compensates channel-associated distortion included in the signal demodulated by the demodulator 130. Then, the equalizer 140 outputs the distortion-compensated signal to the blcok decoder 160. By using a known data symbol sequence inputted from the lnown sequence detector 150, the equalizer 140 may enhance the equalizing performance. Furthermore, the equalizer 140 may receive feed-back on the decoding result from the block decoder 160, thereby enhancing the equalizing per-formance.
[63] The known sequence detector 150 detects known data place (or position) inserted by the transmitting system from the input/output data (i.e., data prior to being de-modulated or data being processed with partial demodulation). Then, the known sequence detector 150 outputs the detected known data position information and known data sequence generated from the detected position information to the de-modulator 130 and the equalizer 140. Additionally, in order to allow the block decoder 160 to identify the mobile service data that have been processed with additional encoding by the transmitting system and the main service data that have not been processed with any additional encoding, the known sequence detector 150 outputs such corresponding information to the block decoder 160.
[64] If the data channel-equalized by the equalizer 140 and inputted to the block decoder 160 correspond to data processed with both block-encoding and trellis-encoding by the transmitting system (i.e., data within the RS frame, signaling data), the block decoder 160 may perform trellis-decoding and block-decoding as inverse processes of the transmitting system. On the other hand, if the data channel-equalized by the equalizer 140 and inputted to the block decoder 160 correspond to data processed only with trellis-encoding and not block-encoding by the transmitting system (i.e., main service data), the block decoder 160 may perform only trellis-decoding.
[65] The signaling decoder 190 decoded signaling data that have been channel-equalized and inputted from the equalizer 140. It is assumed that the signaling data inputted to the signaling decoder 190 correspond to data processed with both block-encoding and trellis-encoding by the transmitting system. Examples of such signaling data may include transmission parameter channel (TPC) data and fast information channel (FIC) data. Each type of data will be described in more detail in a later process.
The FTC data decoded by the signaling decoder 190 are outputted to the FTC handler 215.
And, the TPC data decoded by the signlaing decoder 190 are outputted to the TPC handler 214.
[66] Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the transmitting system uses RS
frames by encoding units. Herein, the RS frame may be divided into a primary RS
frame and a secondary RS frame. However, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the primary RS frame and the secodnary RS frame will be divided based upon the level of importance of the corresponding data.
[67] The primary RS frame decoder 170 receives the data outputted from the block decoder 160. At this point, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the primary RS frame decoder 170 receives only the mobile service data that have been Reed-Solomon (RS)-encoded and/or cyclic reduncancy check (CRC)-encoded from the block decoder 160.
[68] Herein, the primary RS frame decoder 170 receives only the mobile service dataand not the main service data. The primary RS frame decoder 170 performs inverse processes of an RS frame encoder (not shown) included in the digital broadcast transmitting system, thereby correcting errors existing within the primary RS
frame.
More specifically, the primary RS frame decoder 170 forms a primary RS frame by grouping a plurality of data groups and, then, correct errors in primary RS
frame units.
In other words, the primary RS frame decoder 170 decodes primary RS frames, which are being transmitted for actual broadcast services.
[69] Additionally, the secondary RS frame decoder 180 receives the data outputted from the block decoder 160. At this point, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the secondary RS frame decoder 180 receives only the mobile service data that have been RS-encoded and/or CRC-encoded from the block decoder 160.
Herein, the secondary RS frame decoder 180 receives only the mobile service data and not the main service data. The secondary RS frame decoder 180 performs inverse processes of an RS frame encoder (not shown) included in the digital broadcast transmitting system, thereby correcting errors existing within the secondary RS frame. More specifically, the secondary RS frame decoder 180 forms a secondary RS frame by grouping a plurality of data groups and, then, correct errors in secondary RS frame units. In other words, the secondary RS frame decoder 180 decodes secondary RS frames, which are being transmitted for mobile audio service data, mobile video service data, guide data, and so on.
[70] Meanwhile, the management processor 200according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an MH physical adaptation processor 210, an IP
network stack 220, a streaming handler 230, a system information (SI) handler 240, a file handler 250, a multi-purpose internet main extensions (MIME) type handler 260, and an electronic service guide (ESG) handler 270, and an ESG decoder 280, and a storage unit 290.
[71] The MH physical adaptation processor 210 includes a primary RS frame handler 211, a secondary RS frame handler 212, an MH transport packet (TP) handler 213, a TPC
handler 214, an FTC handler 215, and a physical adpatation control signal handler 216.
[72] The TPC handler 214 receives and processes baseband information required by modules corresponding to the MH physical adaptation processor 210. The baseband in-formation is inputted in the form of TPC data. Herein, the TPC handler 214 uses this information to process the FTC data, which have been sent from the baseband processor 100.
[73] The TPC data are transmitted from the transmitting system to the receiving system via a predetermined region of a data group. The TPC data may include at least one of an MH ensemble ID, an MH sub-frame number, a total number of MH groups (TNoG), an RS frame continuity counter, a column size of RS frame (N), and an FTC
version number.
[74] Herein, the MH ensemble ID indicates an identification number of each MH
ensemble carried in the corresponding channel. The MH sub-frame number signifies a number identifying the MH sub-frame number in an MH frame, wherein each MH
group associated with the corresponding MH ensemble is transmitted. The TNoG
represents the total number of MH groups including all of the MH groups belonging to all MH parades included in an MH sub-frame.
[75] The RS frame continuity counter indicates a number that serves as a continuity counter of the RS frames carrying the corresponding MH ensemble. Herein, the value of the RS frame continuity counter shall be incrementedby 1 modulo 16 for each successive RS frame.
[76] N represents the column size of an RS frame belonging to the corresponding MH
ensemble. Herein, the value of N determines the size of each MH TP.
[77] Finally, the FTC version number signifies the version number of an FTC
body carried on the corresponding physical channel.
[78] As described above, diverse TPC data are inputted to the TPC handler 214 via the signaling decoedr 190 shown in FIG. 1. Then, the received TPC data are processed by the TPC handler 214. The received TPC data may also be used by the FTC handler in order to process the FTC data.
[79] The FTC handler 215 processes the FTC data by associating the FTC data received from the baseband processor 100 with the TPC data.
[80] The physical adaptation controlsignal handler 216 collects FTC data received through the FTC handler 215 and ST data received through RS frames. Then, the physical adaptation control signal handler 216 uses the collected FTC data and ST data to configure and process IP datagrams and access information of mobile broadcast services. Thereafter, the physical adaptation control signal handler 216 stores the processed IP datagrams and access information to the storage unit 290.
[81] The primary RS frame handler 211 identifies primary RS frames received from the primary RS frame decoder 170 of the baseband processor 100 for each row unit, so as to configure an MH TP. Thereafter, the primary RS frame handler 211 outputs the configured MH TP to the MH TP handler 213.
[82] The secondary RS frame handler 212 identifies secondary RS frames received from the secondary RS frame decoder 180 of the baseband processor 100 for each row unit, so as to configure an MH TP. Thereafter, the secondary RS frame handler 212 outputs the configured MH TP to the MH TP handler 213.
[83] The MH transport packet (TP) handler 213 extracts a header from each MH TP
received from the primary RS frame handler 211 and the secondary RS frame handler 212, thereby determining the data included in the corresponding MH TP. Then, when the determined data correspond to SI data (i.e., SI data that are not encapsulated to IP
datagrams), the corresponding data are outputted to the physical adaptation control signal handler 216. Alterantively, when the determined data correspond to an IP
datagram, the corresponding data are outputted to the IP network stack 220.
[84] The IP network stack 220 processes broadcast data that are being transmitted in the form of IP datagrams. More specifically, the IP network stack 220 processes data that are inputted via user datagram protocol (UDP), real-time transport protocol (RTP), real-time transport control protocol (RTCP), asynchronous layered coding/layered coding transport (ALC/LCT), file delivery over unidirectional transport (FLUTE), and so on. Herein, when the processed data correspond to streaming data, the corre-sponding data are outputted to the streaming handler 230. And, when the processed data correspond to data in a file format, the corresponding data are outputted to the file handler 250. Finally, when the processed data correspond to SI-associated data, the corresponding data are outputted to the SI handler 240.
[85] The SI handler 240 receives and processes SI data having the form of IP datagrams, which are inputted to the IP network stack 220. When the inputted data associated with SI correspond to MIME-type data, the inputted data are outputted to the MIME-type handler 260. The MIME-type handler 260 receives the MIME-type SI data outputted from the SI handler 240 and processes the received MIME-type SI data.
[86] The file handler 250 receives data from the IP network stack 220 in an object format in accordance with the ALC/LCT and FLUTE structures. The file handler 250 groups the received data to create a file format. Herein, when the correspondingfile includes ESG, the file is outputted to the ESG handler 270. On the other hand, when the corre-sponding file includes data for other file-based services, the file is outputted to the pre-sentation controller 330 of the presentation processor 300.
[87] The ESG handler 270 processes the ESG data received from the file handler 250 and stores the processed ESG data to the storage unit 290. Alternatively, the ESG
handler 270 may output the processed ESG data to the ESG decoder 280, thereby allowing the ESG data to be used by the ESG decoder 280.
[88] The storage unit 290 stores the system information (SI) received from the physical adaptation control signal handler 210 and the ESG handler 270 therein.
Thereafter, the storage unit 290 transmits the stored SI data to each block.
[89] The ESG decoder 280 either recovers the ESG data and SI data stored in the storage unit 290 or recovers the ESG data transmitted from the ESG handler 270. Then, the ESG decoder 280 outputs the recovered data to the presentation controller 330 in a format that can be outputted to the user.
[90] The streaming handler 230 receives data from the IP network stack 220, wherein the format of the received data are in accordance with RTP and/or RTCP structures.
The streaming handler 230extracts audio/video streams from the received data, which are then outputted to the audio/video (A/V) decoder 310 of the presentation processor 300.
The audio/video decoder 310 then decodes each of the audio stream and video stream received from the streaming handler 230.
[91] The display module 320 of the presentation processor 300 receives audio and video signals respectively decoded by the A/V decoder 310. Then, the display module provides the received audio and video signals to the user through a speaker and/or a screen.
[92] The presentation controller 330 corresponds to a controller managing modules that output data received by the receiving system to the user.
[93] The channel service manager 340 manages an interface with the user, whichenables the user to use channel-based broadcast services, such as channel map management, channel service connection, and so on.
[94] The application manager 350 manages an interface with a user using ESG
display or other application services that do not correspond to channel-based services.
[95] Meanwhile, The streaming handler 230 may include a buffer temporarily storing audio/video data. The digital broadcasting reception system periodicallysets reference time information to a system time clock, and then the stored audio/video data can be transferred to A/V decoder 310 at a constant bitrate. Accordingly, the audio/video data can be processed at a bitrate and audio/video service can be provided.
[96]
[97] Data Format Structure [98] Meanwhile, the data structure used in the mobile broadcasting technology according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a data group structure and an RS frame structure, which will now be described in detail.
[99] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary structureof a data group according to the present invention.
[100] FIG. 2 shows an example of dividing a data group according to the data structure of the present invention into 10 MH blo In this example, each MH block has the length of 16 segments. Referring to FIG. 2, only the RS parity data are allocated to portions of the first 5 segments of the MH block 1 (B1) and the last 5 segments of the MH
block (B10). The RS parity data are excluded in regions A to D of the data group.
[101] More specifically, when it is assumed that one data group is divided into regions A, B, C, and D,each MH block may be included in any one of region A to region D
depending upon the characteristic of each MH block within the data group.
[102] Herein, the data group is divided into a plurality of regions to be used for different purposes. More specifically, a region of the main service data having no interference or a very low interference level may be considered to have a more resistant (or stronger) receiving performance as compared to regions having higher interference levels. Addi-tionally, when using a system inserting and transmitting known data in the data group, wherein the known data are known based upon an agreement between the transmitting system and the receiving system, and when consecutively long known data are to be periodically inserted in the mobile service data, the known data having a prede-termined length may be periodically inserted in the region having no interference from the main service data (i.e., a region wherein the main service data are not mixed).
However, due to interference from the main service data, it is difficult to periodically insert known data and also to insert consecutively long known data to a region having interference from the main service data.
[103] Referring to FIG. 2, MH block 4 (B4) to MH block 7 (B7) correspond toregions without interference of the main service data. MH block 4 (B4) to MH block 7 (B7) within the data group shown in FIG. 2correspond to a region where no interference from the main service data occurs. In this example, a long known data sequence is inserted at both the beginning and end of each MH block. In the description of the present invention, the region including MH block 4 (B4) to MH block 7 (B7) will be referred to as "region A (=B4+B5+B6+B7)". As described above, when the data group includes region A having a long known data sequence inserted at both the beginning and end of each MH block, the receiving system is capable of performing equalization by using the channel information that can be obtained from the known data.
Therefore, the strongest equalizing performance may be yielded (or obtained) from one of region A to region D.
[104] In the example of the data group shown in FIG. 2, MH block 3 (B3) and MH block 8 (B8) correspond to a region having little interference from the main service data.

Herein, a long known data sequence is inserted in only one side of each MH
block B3 and B8. More specifically, due to the interference from the main service data, a long known data sequence is inserted at the end of MH block 3 (B3), and another long known data sequence is inserted at the beginning of MH block 8 (B8). In the present invention, the region including MH block 3 (B3) and MH block 8 (B8) will be referred to as "region B (=B3+B8)". As described above, when the data group includes region B having a long known data sequence inserted at only one side (beginning or end) of each MH block, the receiving system is capable of performing equalization by using the channel information that can be obtained from the known data. Therefore, a stronger equalizing performance as compared to region C/D may be yielded (or obtained).
[105] Referring to FIG. 2, MH block 2 (B2) and MH block 9 (B9) correspond to a region having more interference from the main service data as compared to region B. A
long known data sequence cannot be inserted in any side of MH block 2 (B2) and MH
block 9 (B9). Herein, the region including MH block 2 (B2) and MH block 9 (B9) will be referred to as "region C (=B2+B9)".
[106] Finally, in the example shown in FIG. 2, MH block 1 (B1) and MH block 10 (B10) correspond to a region having more interference from the main service data as compared to region C. Similarly, a long known data sequence cannot be inserted in any side of MH block 1 (B1) and MH block 10 (B10). Herein, the region including MH

block 1 (B1) and MH block 10 (B10) will be referred to as "region D
(=B1+B10)".
Since region C/D is spaced further apart from the known data sequence, when the channel environment undergoes frequent and abrupt changes, the receiving per-formance of region C/D may be deteriorated.
[107] Additionally, the data group includes a signaling information area wherein signaling information is assigned (or allocated).
[108] In the present invention, the signaling information area may start from the 1st segment of the 4th MH block (B4) to a portion of the 2nd segment.
[109] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the signaling information area for inserting signaling information may start from the 1st segment of the 4th MH block (B4) to a portion of the 2nd segment. More specifically, 276(=207+69) bytes of the 4thMH block (B4) in each data group are assigned as the signaling information area. In other words, the signaling information area consists of 207 bytes of the lstsegment and the first 69 bytes of the 2nd segment of the 4th MH block (B4). The 1st segment of the 4th MH block (B4) corresponds to the 17th or 173rd segment of a VSB field.
[110] Herein, the signaling information may be identified by two different types of signaling channels: a transmission parameter channel (TPC) and a fast information channel (FIC).

[111] Herein, the TPC data may include at least one of an MH ensemble ID, an MH sub-frame number, a total number of MH groups (TNoG), an RS frame continuity counter, a column size of RS frame (N), and an FTC version number.However, the TPC data (or information) presented herein are merely exemplary. And, since the adding or deleting of signaling information included in the TPC data may be easily adjusted and modified by one skilled in the art, the present invention will, therefore, not be limited to the examples set forth herein. Furthermore, the FTC is provided to enable a fast service ac-quisition of data receivers, and the FTC includes cross layer information between the physical layer and the upper layer(s). For example,when the data group includes 6 known data sequences, as shown in FIG. 2, the signaling information area is located between the first known data sequence and the second known data sequence. More specifically, the first known data sequence is inserted in the last 2 segments of the 3rd MH block (B3), and the second known data sequence in inserted in the 2nd and 3rdsegments of the 4th MH block (B4). Furthermore, the 3rd to 6thknown data sequences are respectively inserted in the last 2 segments of each of the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th MH blocks (B4, B5, B6, and B7). The lstand 3rd to 6th known data sequences are spaced apart by 16 segments.
[112]
[113] FIG. 3 illustrates an RS frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[114] The RS frame shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to a collection of one or more data groups. The RS frame is received for each MH frame in a condition where the receiving system receives the FTC and processes the received FTC and where the receiving system is switched to a time-slicing mode so that the receiving system can receive MH ensembles including ESG entry points. Each RS frame includes TP
streams of each service or ESG, and SMT section data may exist in all RS frames.
[115] The RS frame according to the embodiment of the present invention consists of at least one MH transport packet (TP). Herein, the MH TP includes an MH header and an MH payload.
[116] The MH payload may include mobile service data as wekk as signaling data. More specifically, an MH payload may include only mobile service data, or may include only signaling data, or may include both mobile service data and signaling data.
[117] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the MH header may identify (or distinguish) the data types included in the MH payload.More specifically, when the MH TP includes a first MH header, this indicates that the MH payload includes only the signaling data. Also, when the MH TP includes a second MH header, this indicates that the MH payload includes both the signaling data and the mobile service data.
Finally, when MH TP includes a third MH header, this indicates that the MH
payload includes only the mobile service data.

[118] In the example shown in FIG. 3, the RS frame is assigned with IP
datagrams (IP
datagram 1 and IP datagram 2) for two service types.
[119] The IP datagram in the MH-TP in the RS frame may include reference time in-formation (for example, network time stamp (NTP)), the detailed description for the reference time information will be disclosed by being referred to FIGs. 25 to 29.
[120]
[121] Data Transmission Structure [122] FIG. 4illustrates a structure of a MH frame for transmitting and receiving mobile service data according to the present invention.
[123] In the example shown in FIG. 4, one MH frame consists of 5 sub-frames, wherein each sub-frame includes 16 slots. In this case, the MH frame according to the present invention includes 5 sub-frames and 80 slots.
[124] Also, in a packet level, one slot is configured of 156 data packets (i.e., transport stream packets), and in a symbol level, one slot is configured of 156 data segments.
Herein, the size of one slot corresponds to one half (1/2) of a VSB field.
More specifically, since one 207-byte data packet has the same amount of data as a data segment, a data packet prior to being interleaved may also be used as a data segment.
At this point, two VSB fields are grouped to form a VSB frame.
[125]
[126] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary structure of a VSB frame, wherein one VSB frame consists of 2 VSB fields (i.e., an odd field and an even field). Herein, each VSB field includes a field synchronization segment and 312 data segments. The slot corresponds to a basic time unit for multiplexing the mobile service data and the main service data.
Herein, one slot may either include the mobile service data or be configured only of the main service data.
[127] If the first 118 data packets within the slot correspond to a data group, the remaining 38 data packets become the main service data packets. In another example, when no data group exists in a slot, the corresponding slot is configured of 156 main service data packets.
[128] Meanwhile, when the slots are assigned to a VSB frame, an off-set exists for each assigned position.
[129]
[130] FIG. 6 illustrates a mapping example of the positions to which the first 4 slots of a sub-frame are assigned with respect to a VSB frame in a spatial area. And, FIG. 7 il-lustrates a mapping example of the positions to which the first 4 slots of a sub-frame are assigned with respect to a VSB frame in a chronological (or time) area.
[131] Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a 38th data packet (TS packet #37) of a 1 stslot (Slot #0) is mapped to the 1st data packet of an odd VSB field. A 38th data packet (TS

packet #37) of a 2nd slot (Slot #1) is mapped to the 157th data packet of an odd VSB
field. Also, a 38th data packet (TS packet #37) of a 3rd slot (Slot #2) is mapped to the lstdata packet of an even VSB field. And, a 38th data packet (TS packet #37) of a 4thslot (Slot #3) is mapped to the 157th data packet of an even VSB field.
Similarly, the remaining 12 slots within the corresponding sub-frame are mapped in the subsequent VSB frames using the same method.
[132]
[133] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary assignement order of data groups being assigned to one of 5 sub-frames, wherein the 5 sub-frames configure an MH frame. For example, the method of assigning data groups may be identically applied to all MH
frames or differently applied to each MH frame. Furthermore, the method of assinging data groups may be identically applied to all sub-frames or differently applied to each sub-frame. At this point, when it is assumed that the data groups are assigned using the same method in all sub-frames of the corresponding MH frame, the total number of data groups being assigned to an MH frame is equal to a multiple of '5'.
[134] According to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of consecutive data groups is assigned to be spaced as far apart from one another as possible within the MH frame. Thus, the system can be capable of responding promptly and effectively to any burst error that may occur within a sub-frame.
[135] For example, when it is assumed that 3 data groups are assigned to a sub-frame, the data groups are assigned to a 1st slot (Slot #0), a 5th slot (Slot #4), and a 9th slot (Slot #8) in the sub-frame, respectively. FIG. 8 illustrates an example of assigning 16 data groups in one sub-frame using the above-described pattern (or rule). In other words, each data group is serially assigned to 16 slots corresponding to the following numbers: 0, 8,4, 12, 1,9, 5, 13,2, 10, 6, 14, 3, 11,7, and 15. Equation 1 below shows the above-described rule (or pattern) for assigning data groups in a sub-frame.
[136] [Equation 11 [137] j = (4i + 0) mod 16 [138] herein, 0= 0 if i <4, [139] 0 = 2 else if i < 8, [140] 0 = 1 else if i< 12, [141] 0 = 3 else.
[142] Herein, j indicates the slot number within a sub-frame. The value of j may range from 0 to 15 (i.e., 0 i 15 ). Also, variable i indicates the data group number. The value of i may range from 0 to 15 (i.e., U< <15 ).
[143] In the present invneiton, a collection of data groups included in a MH frame will be referred to as a "parade". Based upon the RS frame mode, the parade transmits data of at least one specific RS frame.
[144] The mobile service data within one RS frame may be assigned either to all of regions A/B/C/D within the corresponding data group, or to at least one of regions A/B/C/D. In the embodiment of the present invention, the mobile service data within one RS
frame may be assigned either to all of regions A/B/C/D, or to at least one of regions A/B and regions C/D. If the mobile service data are assigned to the latter case (i.e., one of regions A/B and regions C/D), the RS frame being assigned to regions A/B and the RS
frame being assigned to regions C/D within the corresponding data group are different from one another.
[145] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the RS frame being assigned to regions A/B within the corresponding data group will be referred to as a "primary RS frame", and the RS frame being assigned to regions C/D within the corresponding data group will be referred to as a "secondary RS frame", for simplicity.
Also, the primary RS frame and the secondary RS frame form (or configure) one parade.
More specifically, when the mobile service data within one RS frame are assigned either to all of regions A/B/C/D within the corresponding data group, one parade transmits one RS frame. Conversely, when the mobile service data within one RS frame are assigned either to at least one of regions A/B and regions C/D, one parade maytransmit up to 2 RS frames. More specifically, the RS frame mode indicates whether a parade transmits one RS frame, or whether the parade transmits two RS frames. Such RS frame mode is transmitted as the above-described TPC data. Table 1 below shows an example of the RS frame mode.
[146] Table 1 [Table 1]
[Table ]
RS frame mode Description 00 There is only a primary RS frame for all Group Regions 01 There are two separate RS frames- Primary RS frame for Group Region A and B- Secondary RS frame for Group Region C and D
Reserved 11 Reserved [147] Table 1 illustrates an example of allocating 2 bits in order to indicate the RS frame mode. For example, referring to Table 1, when the RS frame mode value is equal to '00', this indicates that one parade transmits one RS frame. And, when the RS
frame mode value is equal to '01', this indicates that one parade transmits two RS
frames, i.e., the primary RS frame and the secondary RS frame.
[148] More specifically, when the RS frame mode value is equal to '01', data of the primary RS frame for regions A/B are assigned and transmitted to regions A/B of the corre-sponding data group. Similarly, data of the secondary RS frame for regions C/D
are assigned and transmitted to regions C/D of the corresponding data group.
[149] As described in the assignment of data groups, the parades are also assigned to be spaced as far apart from one another as possible within the sub-frame. Thus, the system can be capable of responding promptly and effectively to any burst error that may occur within a sub-frame. Furthermore, the method of assigning parades may be identically applied to all MH frames or differently applied to each MH frame.
[150] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the parades may be assigned differently for each MH frame and identically for all sub-frames within an MH
frame.
More specifically, the MH frame structure may vary by MH frame units. Thus, an ensemble rate may be adjusted on a more frequent and flexible basis.
[151] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of multiple data groups of a single parade being assigned (or allocated) to an MH frame. More specifically, FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a plurality of data groups included in a single parade, wherein the number of data groups included in a sub-frame is equal to '3', being allocated to an MH frame.
[152] Referring to FIG. 9, 3 data groups are sequentially assigned to a sub-frame at a cycle period of 4 slots. Accordingly, when this process is equally performed in the 5 sub-frames included in the corresponding MH frame, 15data groups are assigned to a single MH frame. Herein, the 15 data groups correspond to data groups included in a parade.
Therefore, since one sub-frame is configured of 4 VSB frame, and since 3 data groups are included in a sub-frame, the data group of the corresponding parade is not assigned to one of the 4 VSB frames within asub-frame.
111531 For example,when it is assumed that one parade transmits one RS
frame, and that a RS frame encoder (not shown) included in the transmitting system performs RS-encoding on the corresponding RS frame, thereby adding 24 bytes of parity data to the corresponding RS frame and transmitting the processed RS frame, the parity data occupy approximately 11.37% (=24/(187+24)x100) of the total code word length.
Meanwhile, when one sub-frame includes 3 data groups, and when the data groups included in the parade are assigned, as shown in FIG. 9, a total of 15 data groups form an RS frame. Accordingly, even when an error occurs in an entire data group due to a burst noise within a channel, the percentile is merely 6.67% (=1/15x100).
Therefore, the receiving system may correct all errors by performing an erasure RS
decoding process. More specifically, when the erasure RS decoding is performed, a number of channel errors corresponding to the number of RS parity bytes may be corrected. By doing so, the receiving system may correct the error of at least one data group within one parade. Thus, the minimum burst noise length correctable by a RS frame is over 1 VSB frame.
111541 Meanwhile, when data groups of a parade are assigned as shown in FIG. 9, either main service data may be assigned between each data group, or data groups corre-sponding to different parades may be assigned between each data group. More specifically, data groups corresponding to multiple parades may be assigned to one MH frame.
111551 Basically, the method of assigning data groups corresponding to multiple paradesis very similar to the method of assigning data groups corresponding to a single parade.
In other words, data groups included in other parades that are to be assigned to an MH
frame are also respectively assigned according to a cycle period of 4 slots.
111561 At this point, data groups of a different parademay be sequentially assigned to the re-spective slots in a circular method. Herein, the data groups are assigned to slots starting from the ones to which data groups of the previous parade have not yet been assigned.
111571 For example, when it is assumed that data groups corresponding to a parade are assigned as shown in FIG. 9, data groups corresponding to the next parade may be assigned to a sub-frame starting either from the 12th slot of a sub-frame.However, this is merely exemplary. In another example, the data groups of the next parade may also be sequentially assigned to a different slot within a sub-frame at a cycle period of 4 slots starting from the 3rd slot.
111581 FIG. 10 illustrates an example of transmitting 3 parades (Parade #0, Parade #1, and Parade #2) to an MH frame. More specifically, FIG. 10 illustrates an example of transmitting parades included in one of 5 sub-frames, wherein the 5 sub-frames configure one MH frame.
[159] When the 1st parade (Parade #0) includes 3 data groups for each sub-frame, the positions of each data groups within the sub-frames may be obtained by substituting values '0' to '2' for iin Equation 1. More specifically, the data groups of the 1st parade (Parade #0) are sequentially assigned to the 1st, 5th, and 9thslots (Slot #0, Slot #4, and Slot #8) within the sub-frame.
[160] Also, when the 2nd parade includes 2 data groups for each sub-frame, the positions of each data groups within the sub-frames may be obtained by substituting values '3' and '4' for iin Equation 1. More specifically, the data groups of the 2nd parade (Parade #1) are sequentially assigned to the 2nd and 12thslots (Slot #3 and Slot #11) within the sub-frame.
[161] Finally, when the 3rd parade includes 2 data groups for each sub-frame, the positions of each data groups within the sub-frames may be obtained by substituting values '5' and '6' for iin Equation 1. More specifically, the data groups of the 3rd parade (Parade #2) are sequentially assigned to the 7th and 1 lthslots (Slot #6 and Slot #10) within the sub-frame.
[162] As described above, data groups of multiple parades may be assigned to a single MH
frame, and, in each sub-frame, the data groups are serially allocated to a group space having 4 slots from left to right.
[163] Therefore, a number of groups of one parade per sub-frame (NoG) may correspond to any one integer from '1' to '8'. Herein, since one MH frame includes 5 sub-frames, the total number of data groups within a paradethat can be allocated to an MH
frame may correspond to any one multiple of '5' ranging from '5' to '40'.
[164] FIG. 11 illustrates an example of expanding the assignment process of 3 parades, shown in FIG. 10, to 5 sub-frames within an MH frame.
[165] FIG. 12 illustrates a data transmission structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein signaling data are included in a data group so as to be transmitted.
[166] As described above, an MH frame is divided into 5 sub-frames. Data groups corre-sponding to a plurality of parades co-exist in each sub-frame. Herein, the data groups corresponding to each parade are grouped by MH fram units, thereby configuring a single parade. The data structure shown in FIG. 12 includes 3 parades, one ESG

dedicated channel (EDC) parade (i.e., parade with NoG=1), and 2 service parades (i.e., parade with NoG=4 and parade with NoG=3). Also, a predetermined portion of each data group (i.e., 37 bytes/data group) is used for delivering (or sending) FIC
in-formation associated with mobile service data, wherein the FIC information is separately encoded from the RS-encoding process. The FIC region assigned to eachdata group consists of one FIC segments. Herein, each segment is interleaved by MH sub-frame units, thereby configuring an FTC body, which corresponds to a completed FTC transmission structure. However, whenever required, each segment may be interleaved by MH frame units and not by MH sub-frame units, thereby being completed in MH frame units.
[167] Meanwhile, the concept of an MH ensemble is applied in the embodiment of the present invention, thereby defining a collection (or group) of services. Each MH
ensemble carries the same QoS and is coded with the same FEC code. Also, each MH
ensemble has the same unique identifier (i.e., ensemble ID) and corresponds to con-secutiveRS frames.
[168] As shown in FIG. 12, the FTC segment corresponding to each data group described service information of an MH ensemble to which the corresponding data group belongs. When FTC segments within a sub-frame are grouped and deinterleved, all service information of a physical channel through which the corresponding FICs are transmitted may be obtained. Therefore, the receiving system may be able to acquire the channel information of the corresponding physical channel, after being processed with physical channel tuning, during a sub-frame period.
[169] Furthermore, FIG. 12 illustrates a structure further including a separate EDC parade apart from the service parade and wherein electronic service guide (ESG) data are transmitted in the 1st slot of each sub-frame.
[170] If the digital broadcasting reception system recognizes a frame start point or a frame end point of the MH frame (or the MH subframe), then the digital broadcasting reception system can set the reference time information to the system time clock at the frame start point or the frame end point. The reference time information can be the network time protocol (NTP) timestamp. The detailed description for the reference time information will be disclosed by being referred to FIGs. 25 to 29.
[171]
[172] Hierarchical Signaling Structure [173] FIG. 13 illustrates a hierarchical signaling structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 13, the mobile broadcasting techonology according to the embodiment of the present invention adopts a signaling method using FTC and SMT. In the description of the present invention, the signaling structure will be referred to as a hierarchical signaling structure.
[174] Hereinafter, a detailed description on how the receiving system accesses a virtual channel via FTC and SMT will now be given with reference to FIG. 13.
[175] The FTC body defined in an MH transport (M1) identifies the physical location of each the data stream for each virtual channel and provides very high level descriptions of each virtual channel.
[176] Being MH ensemble level signaling information, the service map table (SMT) provides MH ensemble level signaling information. The SMT provides the IP
access information of each virtual channel belonging to the respective MH ensemble within which the SMT is carried. The SMT also provides all IP stream component level in-formation required for the virtual channel service acquisition.
[177] Referring to FIG. 13, each MH ensemble (i.e., Ensemble 0, Ensemble 1, ..., Ensemble K) includes a stream information on each associated (or corresponding) virtual channel (e.g., virtual channel 0 IP stream, virtual channel 1 IP
stream, and virtual channel 2 IP stream). For example, Ensemble 0 includes virtual channel stream and virtual channel 1 IP stream. And, each MH ensemble includes diverse in-formation on the associated virtual channel (i.e., Virtual Channel 0 Table Entry, Virtual Channel 0 Access Info, Virtual Channel 1 Table Entry, Virtual Channel Access Info, Virtual Channel 2 Table Entry, Virtual Channel 2 Access Info, Virtual Channel N Table Entry, Virtual Channel N Access Info, and so on).
[178] The FIC body payload includes information on MH ensembles (e.g., ensemble id field, and referred to as "ensemble location" in FIG. 13) and information on a virtual channel associated with the corresponding MH ensemble (e.g., when such information correspondsto a major channel num field and a minor channel num field, the in-formation is expressed as Virtual Channel 0, Virtual Channel 1, ..., Virtual Channel N
in FIG. 13).
[179] The application of the signaling structurein the receiving system will now be described in detail.
[180]
[181] When a user selects a channel he or she wishes to view (hereinafter, the user-selected channel will be referred to as "channel 0"for simplicity), the receiving system first parses the received FIC. Then, the receiving system acquires information on an MH
ensemble (i.e., ensemble location), which is associated with the virtual channel corre-sponding to channel 0 (hereinafter, the corresponding MH ensemble will be referred to as "MH ensemble 0" for simplicity). By acquiring slots only correspondingto the MH
ensemble 0 using the time-slicing method, the receiving system configures ensemble O. The ensemble 0 configured as described above, includes an SMT on the associated virtual channels (including channel 0) and IP streams on the corresponding virtual channels. Therefore, the receiving system uses the SMT included in the MH
ensemble 0 in order to acquire various information on channel 0 (e.g., Virtual Channel 0 Table Entry) and stream access information on channel 0 (e.g., Virtual Channel 0 Access Info). The receiving system uses the stream access information on channel 0 to receive only the associated IP streams, thereby providing channel 0 services to the user.
[182]
[183] Fast Information Channel (FIC) [184] The digital broadcast receiving system according to the present invention adopts the fast information channel (FTC) for a faster access to a service that is currently being broadcasted.
[185] More specifically, the FTC handler215 of FIG. 1 parses the FTC body, which cor-responds to an FTC transmission structure, and outputs the parsed result to the physical adaptation control signal handler 216.
[186] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary FTC body format according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the FTC
format consists of an FTC body header and an FTC body payload.
[187] Meanwhile, according to the embodiment of the present invention, data are transmitted through the FTC body header and the FTC body payload in FTC
segment units. Each FTC segment has the size of 37 bytes, and each FTC segment consists of a 2-byte FTC segment header and a 35-byte FTC segment payload. More specifically, an FTC body configured of an FTC body header and an FTC body payload, is segmented in units of 35 data bytes, which are then carried in at least one FTC segment within the FTC segment payload, so as to be transmitted.
[188] In the description of the present invention, an example of inserting one FTC segment in one data group, which is then transmitted, will be given. In this case, the receiving system receives a slot corresponding to each data group by using a time-slicing method.
[189] The signaling decoder 190 includedin the receiving system shown in FIG. 1 collects each FTC segment inserted in each data group. Then, the signaling decoder 190 uses the collected FTC segments to created a single FTC body. Thereafter, the signaling decoder 190 performs a decoding process on the FTC body payload of the created FTC
body, so that the decoded FTC body payload correspondsto an encoded result of a signaling encoder (not shown) included in the transmitting system.
Subsequently, the decoded FTC body payload is outputted to theFIC handler 215. The FTC handler parses the FTC data included in the FTC body payload, and then outputs the parsed FTC
data to the physical adaptation control signal handler 216. The physical adaptation control signal handler 216 uses the inputted FTC data to perform processes associated with MH ensembles, virtual channels, SMTs, and so on.
[190] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when an FTC body is segmented, and when the size of the last segmented portion is smaller than 35 data bytes, it is assumed that the lacking number of data bytes in the FTC segment payload is completed with by adding the same number of stuffing bytes therein, so that the size of the last FTC segment can be equal to 35 data bytes.
[191] However, it is apparent that the above-described data byte values (i.e., 37 bytes for the FTC segment, 2 bytes for the FTC segment header, and 35 bytes for the FTC
segment payload) are merely exemplary, and will, therefore, not limit the scope of the present invention.
[192]
[193] FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure with respect to an FIC
segment according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[194] Herein, the FIC segment signifies a unit used for transmitting the FIC data. The FIC
segment consists of an FIC segment header and an FIC segment payload.
Referring to FIG. 15, the FIC segment payload corresponds to the portion starting from the 'for'loop statement. Meanwhile, the FIC segment header may include a FIC type field, an error indicator field, an FIC seg number field, and an FIC last seg numberfield. A
detailed description of each field will now be given.
[195] The FIC type field is a 2-bit field indicating the type of the corresponding FIC.
[196] The error indicator field is a 1-bit field, which indicates whether or not an error has occurred within the FIC segment during data transmission. If an error has occurred, the value of the error indicator field is set to '1'. More specifically, when an error that has failed to be recovered still remains during the configuration process of the FIC
segment, the error indicator field value is set to '1'. The error indicator field enables the receiving system to recognize the presence of an error within the FIC
data.
[197] The FIC seg number field is a 4-bit field. Herein, when a single FIC
body is divided into a plurality of FIC segments and transmitted, the FIC seg number field indicates the number of the corresponding FIC segment.
[198] Finally, the FIC last seg numberfield is also a 4-bit field. The FIC last seg number field indicates the number of the last FIC segment within the corresponding FIC body.
[199] FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure with respect to a payload of an FIC segment according to the present invention, when an FIC type field value is equal to '0'.
[200] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the payload of the FIC
segment is divided into 3 different regions. A first region of the FIC segment payload exists only when the FIC seg number field value is equal to '0'. Herein, the first region may include a current next indicator field, an ESG version field, and a transport stream id field. However, depending upon the embodiment of the present invention, it may be assumed that each of the 3 fields exists regardless of the FIC seg number field.
[201] The current next indicator field is a 1-bit field. The current next indicator field acts as an indicator identifying whether the corresponding FIC data carry MH
ensemble configuration information of an MH frame including the current FIC segment, or whether the corresponding FIC data carry MH ensemble configuration information of a next MH frame.
[202] The ESG version field is a 5-bit field indicating ESG version information. Herein, by providing version information on the service guide providing channel of the corre-sponding ESG, the ESG version field enables the receiving system to notify whether or not the corresponding ESG has been updated.
[203] Finally, the transport stream id field is a 16-bit field acting as a unique identifier of a broadcast stream through which the corresponding FTC segment is being transmitted.
[204] A second region of the FTC segment payload corresponds to an ensemble loop region, which includes an ensemble id field, an ST _version field, and a num channel field.
[205] More specifically, the ensemble id field is an 8-bit field indicating identifiers of an MH ensemble through which MH services are transmitted. The MH services will be described in more detail in a later process. Herein, the ensemble id field binds the MH
services and the MH ensemble.
[206] The ST _version field is a 4-bit field indicating version information of ST data included in the corresponding ensemble, which is being transmitted within the RS
frame.
[207] Finally, the num channel field is an 8-bit field indicating the number of virtual channel being transmitted via the corresponding ensemble.
[208] A third region of the FTC segment payload a channel loop region, which includes a channel type field, a channel activity field, a CA indicator field, a stand alone service indicator field, a major channel num field, and a minor channel num field.
[209] The channel type field is a 5-bit field indicating a service type of the corresponding virtual channel. For example, the channel type field may indicates an audio/video channel, an audio/video and data channel, an audio-only channel, a data-only channel, a file download channel, an ESG delivery channel, a notification channel, and so on.
[210] The channel activity field is a 2-bit field indicating activity information of the corre-sponding virtual channel. More specifically, the channel activity field may indicate whether the current virtual channel is providing the current service.
[211] The CA indicator field is a 1-bit field indicating whether or not a conditional access (CA) is applied to the current virtual channel.
[212] The stand alone service indicator field is also a 1-bit field, which indicates whether the service of the corresponding virtual channel corresponds to a stand alone service.
[213] The major channel num field is an 8-bit field indicating a major channel number of the corresponding virtual channel.
[214] Finally, the minor channel num field is also an 8-bit field indicating a minor channel number of the corresponding virtual channel.

[215]
[216] Service Table Map [2171 FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of a service map table (hereinafter referred to as "SMT") according to the present invention.
[218] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the SMT is configured in an MPEG-2 private section format. However, this will not limit the scope of the present invention. The SMT according to the embodiment of the present invention includes desription information for each virtual channel within a single MH
ensemble.
And, additional information may further be included in each descriptor area.
[219] Herein, the SMT according to the embodiment of the present invention includes at least one field and is transmitted from the transmitting system to the receiving system.
[220] As described in FIG. 3, the SMT section may be transmitted by being included in the MH TP within the RS frame. In this case, each of the RS frame decoders 170 and 180, shown in FIG. 1, decodes the inputted RS frame, respectively. Then, each of the decoded RS frames is outputted to the respective RS frame handler 211 and 212.

Thereafter, each RS frame handler 211 and 212 identifies the inputted RS frame by row units, so as to create an MH TP, thereby outputting the created MH TP to the MH
TP handler 213. When it is determined that the corresponding MH TP includes an SMT section based upon the header in each of the inputted MH TP, the MH TP
handler 213 parses the corresponding SMT section, so as to output the SI data within the parsed SMT section to the physical adaptation control signal handler 216.
However, this is limited to when the SMT is not encapsulated to IF datagrams.
[221] Meanwhile, when the SMT is not encapsulated to IP datagrams, and when it is de-termined that the corresponding MH TP includes an SMT section based upon the header in each of the inputted MH TP, theMH TP handler 213 outputs the SMT
section to the IP network stack 220. Accordingly, the IP network stack 220 performs IP
and UDP processes on the inputted SMT section and, then, outputs the processed SMT

section to the SI handler 240. The SI handler 240 parses the inputted SMT
section and controls the system so that the parsed SI data can be stroed in the storage unit 290.
[222] The following corresponds to exampleof the fields that may be transmitted through the SMT.
[223] The table_id field corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer number, which indicates the type of table section. The table :id field allows the corresponding table to be defined as the service map table (SMT).
[224] The ensemble_id field is an 8-bit unsigned integer field, which corresponds to an ID
value associated to the corresponding MH ensemble. Herein, the ensemble_id field may be assigned with a value ranging from range '0x00' to '0x3F'. It is preferable that the value of the ensemble_id field is derived from the parade_id of the TPC
data, which is carried from the baseband processor of MH physical layer subsystem.
When the corresponding MH ensemble is transmitted through (or carried over) the primary RS frame, a value of '0' may be used for the most significant bit (MSB), and the remaining 7 bits are used as the parade id value of the associated MH parade (i.e., for the least significant 7 bits). Alternatively, when the corresponding MH
ensemble is transmitted through (or carried over) the secondary RS frame, a value of '1' may be used for the most significant bit (MSB).
[225] The num channels field is an 8-bit field, which specifies the number of virtual channels in the corresponding SMT section.
[226] Meanwhile, the SMT according to the embodimentof the present invention provides information on a plurality of virtual channels using the 'for' loop statement.
[227] The major channel num field corresponds to an 8-bit field, which represents the major channel number associated with the corresponding virtual channel.
Herein, the major channel num field may be assigned with a value ranging from '0x00' to 'OxFF'.
[228] The minor channel num field corresponds to an 8-bit field, which represents the minor channel number associated with the corresponding virtual channel.
Herein, the minor channel num field may beassigned with a value ranging from '0x00' to 'OxFF'.
[229] The short channel name field indicates the short name of the virtual channel.
[230] The service id field is a 16-bit unsigned integer number (or value), which identifies the virtual channel service.
[231] The service type field is a 6-bit enumerated type field, which designates the type of service carried in the corresponding virtual channel as defined in Table 2 below.
[232] Table 2 [Table 2]
[Table ]
Ox00 [Reserved]
Ox01 MH digital television - The virtual channel carries television programming (audio, video and optional associated data) conforming to ATSC standards.
0x02 MH audio - The virtual channel carries audio programming (audio service and optional associated data) conforming to ATSC standards.
0x03 MH data only service - The virtual channel carries a data service conforming to ATSC standards, but no video or audio component.
0x04- OxFF [Reserved for future ATSC use]

[233] The virtual channel activity field is a 2-bit enumerated field identifying the activity status of the corresponding virtual channel. When the most significant bit (MSB) of the virtual channel activity field is '1', the virtual channel is active, and when the most significant bit (MSB) of the virtual channel activity field is '0', the virtual channel is inactive. Also, when the least significant bit (LSB) of the virtual channel activity field is '1', the virtual channel is hidden (when set to 1), and when the least significant bit (LSB) of the virtual channel activity field is '0', the virtual channel is not hidden.
[234] The num components field is a 5-bit field, which specifies the number of IP stream components in the corresponding virtual channel.
[235] The IP version flag field corresponds to a 1-bit indicator. More specifically, when the value of the IP version flag field is set to '1', this indicates that a source IP address field, a virtual channel target IP address field, and a component target IP address field are IPv6 addresses. Alternatively, when the value of the IP version flag field is set to '0', this indicates that the source IP
address field, the virtual channel target IP address field, and the component target IP
address field are IPv4.
[236] The source IP address flag field is a 1-bit Boolean flag, which indicates, when set, that a source IP address of the corresponding virtual channel exist for a specific multicast source.
[237] The virtual channel target IP address flag field is a 1-bit Boolean flag, which indicates, when set, that the corresponding IP stream component is delivered through IP datagrams with target IP addresses different from the virtual channel target IP address. Therefore, when the flag is set, the receiving system (or receiver) uses the component target IP address as the target IP
address in order to access the corresponding IP stream component. Accordingly, the receiving system (or receiver) may ignore the virtual channel target IP address field included in the num channels loop.
[238] The source IP address field corresponds to a 32-bit or 128-bit field.
Herein,the source IP address field will be significant (or present), when the value of the source IP address flag field is set to '1'. However, when the value of the source IP address flag field is set to '0', the source IP address field will become in-significant (or absent). More specifically, when the source IP address flag field value is set to '1', and when the IP version flag field value is set to '0', the source IP address field indicates a 32-bit IPv4 address, which shows the source of the corresponding virtual channel. Alternatively, when the IP version flag field value is set to '1', the source IP address field indicates a 128-bit IPv6 address, which shows the source of the corresponding virtual channel.
[239] The virtual channel target IP address field also corresponds to a 32-bit or 128-bit field. Herein, the virtual channel target IP address field will be significant (or present), when the value of the virtual channel target IP address flag field is set to '1'. However, when the value of the virtual channel target IP address flag field is set to '0', the virtual channel target IP address field will become insignificant (or absent). More specifically, when the virtual channel target IP address flag field value is set to '1', and when the IP version flag field value is set to '0', the virtual channel target IP address field indicates a 32-bit target IPv4 address as-sociated to the corresponding virtual channel. Alternatively, when the virtual channel target IP address flag field value is set to '1', and when the IP version flag field value is set to '1', the virtual channel target IP
address field indicates a 64-bit target IPv6 address associated to the correspondingvirtual channel. If the virtual channel target IP address field is insignificant (or absent), the component target IP address field within the num channels loop should become sig-nificant (or present). And, in order to enable the receiving system to access the IP
stream component, the component target IP address field should be used.
[240] Meanwhile, the SMT according to the embodiment of the present invention uses a 'for'loop statement in order to provide information on a plurality of components.
[241] Herein, the RTP payload type field, which is assigned with 7 bits, identifies the encoding format of the component based upon Table 3 shown below. When the IP
stream component is not encapsulated to RTP, the RTP payload type field shall be ignored (or deprecated).
[242] Table 3 below shows an example of an RTP payload type.
[243] Table 3 [Table 3]
[Table ]
RTP payload type Meaning 35 AVC video 36 MH audio 37 - 72 [Reserved for future ATSC use]
[244]
[245] The component target IP address flag field is a 1-bit Boolean flag, which indicates, when set, that the corresponding IP stream component is delivered through IP
datagrams with target IP addresses different from the virtual channel target IP address. Furthermore, when the component target IP address flag is set, the receivingsystem (or receiver) uses the component target IP address field as the target IP address for accessind the cone-sponding IP stream component. Accordingly, the receiving system (or receiver) will ignore the virtual channel target IP address field included in the num channels loop.
[246] The component target IP address field corresponds to a 32-bit or 128-bit field.
Herein, when the value of the IP version flag field is set to '0', the component target IP address field indicates a 32-bit target IPv4 address associated to the corresponding IP stream component. And, when the value of the IP version flag field is set to '1', the component target IP address field indicates a 128-bit target IPv6 address associated to the correspondingIP stream component.
[247] The port num count field is a 6-bit field, which indicates the number of UDP ports associated with the corresponding IP stream component. A target UDP port number value starts from the target UDP port num field value and increases (or is in-cremented) by 1. For the RTP stream, the target UDP port number should start from the target UDP port num field value and shall increase (or be incremented) by 2. This is to incorporate RTCP streams associated with the RTP streams.
[248] The target UDP port num field is a 16-bit unsigned integer field, which represents the target UDP port number for the corresponding IP stream component. When used for RTP streams, the value of the target UDP port num field shall correspond to an even number. And, the next higher value shall represent the target UDP port number of the associated RTCP stream.
[249] The component level descriptor() represents zero or more descriptors providing ad-ditional information on the corresponding IP stream component.
[250] The virtual channel level descriptor() represents zero or more descriptors providing additional information for the corresponding virtual channel.
[251] Theensemble level descriptor() represents zero or more descriptors providing ad-ditional information for the MH ensemble, which is described by the corresponding SMT.
[252]
[253] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH
audio de-scriptor according to the present invention. When at least one audio service is present as a component of the current event, the MH audio descriptor() shall be used as a component level descriptor of the SMT. The MH audio descriptor() may be capable of informing the system of the audio languagetype and stereo mode status. If there is no audio service associated with the current event, then it is preferable that the MH audio descriptor() is considered to be insignificant (or absent) for the current event. Each field shown in the bit stream syntax of FIG. 18 will now be described in detail.
[254] The descriptor tag field is an 8-bit unsigned integer having a TBD
value, which indicates that the corresponding descriptor is the MH audio descriptor(). The de-scriptor length field is also an 8-bit unsigned integer, which indicates the length (in bytes) of the portion immediately following the descriptor length field up to the end of the MH audio descriptor(). The channel configuration field corresponds to an 8-bit field indicating the number and configuration of audio channels. The values ranging from '1' to '6' respectively indicate the the number and configuration of audio channels as given for "Default bit stream index number" in Table 42 of ISO/IEC 13818-7:2006.
All other values indicate that the number and configuration of audio channels are undefined.
[255] The sample rate code field is a 3-bit field, which indicates the sample rate of the encoded audio data. Herein, the indication may correspondto one specific sample rate, or may correspond to a set of values that include the sample rate of the encoded audio data as defined in Table A3.3 of ATSC A/52B. The bit rate code field corresponds to a 6-bit field. Herein, among the 6 bits, the lower 5 bits indicate a nominal bit rate.
More specifically, when the most significant bit (MSB) is '0', the corresponding bit rate is exact. On the other hand, when the most significant bit (MSB) is '0', the bit rate cor-responds to an upper limitas defined in Table A3.4 of ATSC A/53B. The ISO 639 language code field is a 24-bit (i.e., 3-byte) field indicating the language used for the audio stream component, in conformance with ISO 639.2/B [x]. When a specific language is not present in the corresponding audio stream component, the value of each byte will be set to '0x00'.
[256] FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH
RTP payload type descriptor according to the present invention.
[257] The MH RTP payload type descriptor() specifies the RTP payload type.
Yet, the MH RTP payload type descriptor() exists only when the dynamic value of the RTP payload type field within the num components loop of the SMT is in the range of '96' to '127'. The MH RTP payload type descriptor() is used as a component level descriptor of the SMT.
[258] The MH RTP payload type descriptor translates (or matches) a dynamic RTP payload type field value into (or with) a MIME type. Accordingly, the receiving system (or receiver) may collect (or gather) the encoding format of the IP
stream component, which is encapsulated in RTP.
[259] The fields included in the MH RTP payload type descriptor() will now be described in detail.
[260] The descriptor tag field corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer having the value TBD, which identifies the current descriptor as the MH RTP payload type descriptor().
[261] The descriptor length field also corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer, which indicates the length (in bytes) of the portion immediately following the de-scriptor length field up to the end of the MH RTP payload type descriptor().
[262] The RTP payload type field corresponds to a 7-bit field, whichidentifies the encoding format of the IP stream component. Herein, the dynamic value of the RTP payload type field is in the range of '96' to '127'.
[263] The MIME type length field specifies the length (in bytes) of the MIME type field.
[264] The MIME type field indicates the MIME type corresponding to the encoding format of the IP stream component, which is described by the MH RTP payload type descriptor().
[265] FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH
current event descriptor according to the present invention.
[266] The MH current event descriptor() shall be used as the virtual channel level descriptor() within the SMT. Herein, the MH current event descriptor() provides basic information on the current event (e.g., the start time, duration, and title of the current event, etc.), which is transmitted via the respective virtual channel.
[267] The fields included in the MH current event descriptor() will now be described in detail.
[268] The descriptor tag field corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer having the value TBD, which identifies the current descriptor as the MH current event descriptor().
[269] The descriptor length field also corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer, which indicates the length (in bytes) of the portion immediately following the de-scriptor length field up to the end of the MH current event descriptor().
[270] The current event start time field corresponds to a 32-bit unsigned integer quantity.
The current event start time field represents the start time of the current event and, more specifically, as the number of GPS seconds since 00:00:00UTC, January 6, 1980.
[271] The current event duration field corresponds to a 24-bit field.
Herein, the current event duration field indicates the duration of the current event in hours, minutes, and seconds (wherein the format is in 6 digits, 4-bit BCD = 24 bits).
[272] The title length field specifies the length (in bytes) of the title text field. Herein, the value '0' indicates that there are no titles existing for the corresponding event.
[273] The title text field indicates the title of the corresponding event in event title in the format of a multiple string structure as defined in ATSC A/65C [x].
[274]
[275] FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH
next event de-scriptor according to the present invention.
[276] The optional MH next event descriptor() shall be used as the virtual channel level descriptor() within the SMT. Herein, the MH next event descriptor() provides basic information on the next event (e.g., the start time, duration, and title of the next event, etc.), which is transmitted via the re-spective virtual channel. The fields included in the [277] MH next event descriptor() will now be described in detail.
[278] The descriptor tag field corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer having the value TBD, which identifies the current descriptor as the MH next event descriptor().
[279] The descriptor length field also corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer, which indicates the length (in bytes) of the portion immediately following the de-scriptor length field up to the end of the MH next event descriptor().
[280] The next event start time field corresponds to a 32-bit unsigned integer quantity.
The next event start time field represents the start time of the next event and, more specifically, as the number of GPS seconds since 00:00:00 UTC, January 6, 1980.
[281] The next event duration field corresponds to a 24-bit field. Herein, the next event duration field indicates the duration of the next event in hours, minutes, and seconds (wherein the format is in 6 digits, 4-bit BCD = 24 bits).
[282] The title length field specifies the length (in bytes) of the title text field. Herein, the value '0' indicates that there are no titles existing for the corresponding event.
[283] The title text field indicates the title of the corresponding event in event title in the format of a multiple string structure as defined in ATSC A/65C [x].
[284]
[285] FIG. 22 illustrates an exemplary bit stream syntax structure of an MH
system time descriptor according to the present invention.
[286] The MH system time descriptor() shall be used as the ensemble level descriptor() within the SMT. Herein, the MH system time descriptor() provides information on current time and date.
[287] The MH system time descriptor() also provides information on the time zone in which the transmitting system (or transmitter) transmitting the corresponding broadcast stream is located, while taking into consideration the mobile/portable characterstics of the MH service data. The fields included in the MH system time descriptor() will now be described in detail.
[288] The descriptor tag field corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer having the value TBD, which identifies the current descriptor as the MH system time descriptor().
[289] The descriptor length field also corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer, which indicates the length (in bytes) of the portion immediately following the de-scriptor length field up to the end of the MH system time descriptor().
[290] The system time field corresponds to a 32-bit unsigned integer quantity. The system time field represents the current system time and, more specifically, as the number of GPS seconds since 00:00:00UTC, January 6, 1980.
[291] The GPS UTC offset field corresponds to an 8-bit unsigned integer, which defines the current offset in whole seconds between GPS and UTC time standards. In order to convert GPS time to UTC time, the GPS UTC offset is subtracted from GPS time.
Whenever the International Bureau of Weights and Measures decides that the current offset is too far in error, an additional leap second may be added (or subtracted). Ac-cordingly, the GPS UTC offset field value will reflect the change.
[292] The time zone offset polarity field is a 1-bit field, which indicates whether the time of the time zone, in which the broadcast station is located, exceeds (or leads or is faster) or falls behind (or lags or is slower) than the UTC time. When the value of the time zone offset polarity field is equal to '0', this indicates that the time on the current time zone exceeds the UTC time. Therefore, the time zone offset polarity field value is added to the UTC time value. Conversely, when the value of the time zone offset polarity field is equal to '1', this indicates thatthe time on the current time zone falls behind the UTC time. Therefore, the time zone offset polarity field value is subtracted from the UTC time value.
[293] The time zone offset field is a 31-bit unsigned integer quantity.
More specifically, the time zone offset field represents, in GPS seconds, the time offset of the time zone in whichthe broadcast station is located, when compared to the UTC time.
[294] The daylight savings field corresponds to a 16-bit field providing information on the Summer Time (i.e., the Daylight Savings Time). The time zone field corresponds to a (5x8)-bit field indicating the time zone, in which the transmitting system (or transmitter) transmitting the corresponding broadcast stream is located.
[295] FIG. 23 illustrates segmentation and encapsulationprocesses of a service map table (SMT) according to the present invention.
[296] According to the present invention, the SMT is encapsulated to UDP, while including a target IP address and a target UDP port number within the IP datagram.
[297] More specifically, the SMT is first segmented into a predetermined number of sections, then encapsulated to a UDP header, and finally encapsulated to an IP
header.
In addition, the SMT section provides signaling informationon all virtual channel included in the MH ensemble including the corresponding SMT section. At least one SMT section describing the MH ensemble is included in each RS frame included in the corresponding MH ensemble. Finally, each SMT section is identified by an ensemble id included in each section. According to the embodiment of the present invention, by informing the receiving system of the target IP address and target UDP
port number, the corresponding data (i.e., target IP address and target UDP
port number) may be parsed without having the receiving system to request for other ad-ditional information.
[298]
[299] FIG. 24 illustrates a flow chart for accessing a virtual channel using FIC and SMT

according to the present invention.
[300] More specifically, a physical channel is tuned (S501). And, when itis determined that an MH signal exists in the tuned physical channel (S502), the corresponding MH

signal is demodulated (S503). Additionally, FTC segments are grouped from the de-modulated MH signal in sub-frame units (S504 and S505).
[301] According to the embodiment of the present invention, an FTC segment is inserted in a data group, so as to be transmitted. More specifically, the FTC segment corresponding to each data group described service information on the MH ensemble to which the corresponding data group belongs. When the FTC segments are grouped in sub-frame units and, then, deinterleaved, all service information on the physical channel through which the corresponding FTC segment is transmitted may be acquired. Therefore, after the tuning process, the receiving system may acquire channel information on the corre-sponding physical channel during a sub-frame period. Once the FTC segments are grouped, in S504 and S505, a broadcast stream through which the corresponding FTC
segment is being transmitted is identified (S506). For example, the broadcast stream may be identified by parsing the transport stream id field of the FTC body, which is configured by grouping the FTC segments.
[302] Furthermore, an ensemble identifier, a major channel number, a minor channel number, channel type information, and so on, are extracted from the FTC body (S507).
And, by using the extracted ensemble information, only the slots corresponding to the designated ensemble are acquired by using the time-slicing method, so as to configure an ensemble (S508).
[303] Subsequently, the RS frame corresponding to the designated ensemble is decoded (S509), and an IP socket is opened for SMT reception (S510).
[304] According to the example given in the embodiment of the present invention, the SMT is encapsulated to UDP, while including a target IP address and a target UDP
port number within the IP datagram. More specifically, the SMT is first segmented into a predetermined number of sections, then encapsulated to a UDP header, and finally encapsulated to an IP header. According to the embodiment of the present invention, by informing the receiving system of the target IP address and target UDP port number, the receiving system parses the SMT sections and the descriptors of each SMT section without requesting for other additional information (S511).
[305] The SMT section provides signaling information on all virtual channel included in the MH ensemble including the corresponding SMT section. At least one SMT
section describing the MH ensemble is included in each RS frame included in the corre-sponding MH ensemble. Also, each SMT section is identified by an ensemble id included in each section.
[306] Furthermore each SMT provides IP access information on each virtual channel sub-ordinate to the corresponding MHensemble including each SMT. Finally, the SMT
provides IP stream component level information required for the servicing of the corre-sponding virtual channel.
[307] Therefore, by using the information parsed from the SMT, the IP
stream component belonging to the virtual channel requested for reception may be accessed (S513). Ac-cordingly, the service associated with the corresponding virtual channel is provided to the user (S514).
[308]
[309] The relation of fast information channel data and other data [310] As illustrated above, the MH broadcast signal, in which the main service data and the mobile service data are multiplexed, is transmitted. The transmission parameter channel signaling information is allocated in the TPC data, the fast information channel signaling information is allocated in the FTC data.
[311] The TPC data and the FTC data are multiplexed and the multiplexed TPC
data and the FTC data are randomized. And the randomized data are error-correction-encoded by a 1/4 Parallel Concatenated Convolutional Code (PCCC) encoding scheme and the encoded data transmitted in a data group.
[312] Meanwhile, the mobile service data in an ensemble is error-correction-encoded by a Serial Concatenated Convolutional Code (SCCC) outer encoding scheme and the encoded data transmitted in the data group.
[313] The mobile service data includes content data for providing a service and service table information describing the service. The service table information includes channel information of an ensemble, which means a group of at least one channel, and service description information with respect to the channel information.
[314] Hereinafter, for convenience of description, when data units in the same data group are processed by different modulation/demodulation schemes, it is described that the respective data units are transmitted by way of different data channels, For example, both the TPC data and the FTC data are transmitted by way of a first channel different from a second channel in which the content data and the service description in-formation in an ensemble are transmitted. Because the TPC data and the FTC
data are processed by different modulation/demodulation schemes from those of the content data and the service description information.
[315] Under this assumption, a process by which the MH broadcast signal is received is described. First, the mobile service data and the main service data are received in a broadcast signal. A version of the FTC data is obtained from the TPC datain the mobile service data, and the binding information of an ensemble and a virtual channel of the ensemble is obtained from the FTC data. Accordingly, it is known that which ensemble has the channel a user selects.

[316] And the ensemble transferring the corresponding channel is received though a parade of the broadcast signal. The data group can be obtained from the parade received by the receiver, a RS frame including the ensemble is obtainedafter gathering data groups from one MH frame. Then the RS frame is decoded and service table information in the decoded RS frame is parsed. The information describing the virtual channel the user wants to watch is obtained from the parsed service table information and then a service is provided from the virtual channel.
[317] The FTC data from a first data channel represents binding information of anensemble and a virtual channel, which are transmitted from a second data channel. Using the binding information, the service is provided more quickly by parsing the service table information.
[318] If the main service data and the multiplexed mobile service data are received, an em-bodiment for processing mobile service data at a constant bitrate and another em-bodiment will hereinafter be described. In this another embodiment, digital broadcast reception systems synchronize mobile services contained in the broadcast signal are synchronized and displayed, and components contained in the mobile service contents are synchronized and displayed.
[319] FIG. 25 shows a timing model. If video components and audio components are transmitted, an example for synchronizing two components is as follows.
[320] Each of the video component and the audio component is encoded, such that the encoded components can be stored in buffers of the data processing system and the transmission system.
[321] Audio/video components stored in buffers of the data processing system or the transmission system are encoded and multiplexed, such that the multiplexed signals may be stored or transmitted.
[322] A playback system or a reception system may decode or demultiplex multiplexed video/audio signals stored in the buffers. The demultiplexed video component or the demultiplexed audio component is stored in the buffer of the playback system or the reception system, such that the resulting video and audio components are decoded by individual decoders.
[323] The video and audio components to be synchronized in the above-mentioned signal processing flow undergo different time delays. For example, it is assumed that this timing model has a first constant time delay generated when data is stored in or transmitted to the storage apparatus. This time delay is represented by "ConstantDelay 1" in FIG. 25 [324] A specific time, during which data is temporarily stored in the buffer of a data processing system, a transmission system, a playback system, or a reception system, may be differently decided according to system types, such that the video/audio components are time-delayed in different ways. This time delay is represented by "Variable Delay" in FIG. 25 [325] However, in order to synchronize the video/audio components and output the syn-chronized components, it is assumed that another time delay is constant until the video and audio components enter the timing model and are then outputted from the timing model. This time delay is represented by "Constant Delay 2" in FIG. 25.
[326] Since the above-mentioned timing model is not operated, the video/audio components are not synchronized with each other, such that the user may feel uncom-fortable if he or she receives content data including video/audio components.
In order to solve this problem, the MPEG-2 TS system defines a system time clock as the value of 27MHz, and the video/audio components are synchronized with each other.
[327] In accordance with contents prescribed in the MPEG-2 TS system, a transmission system, performs PCR(Program Clock Reference)-coding on a system time clock frequency, and transmits the coded result to the reception system. This PCR
value indicates a transmission system time as the value of 27MHz in a field 'program clock reference base field' of the MPEG-2 TS.
[328] The reception system sets a reception time of the last bit of the field 'program clock reference base field' to a system time clock (STC). If the STC
value corrected by the PCR is equal to a decoding time stamp (DTP) and a presentation time stamp (PTS) contained in a packetized elementary stream (PES), a correspondin-gelementary stream is decoded, and the decoded elementary stream is output to an external part.
[329] It is assumed that a system time clock error range of 27MHz in the system is set to +/- 810MHz, and successive PCR values are transmitted within 0.1 second.
[330] In the digital broadcast receptionsystem, input signals of the MPEG-2 system decoder are used as output signal of a tuner or a channel decoder. In order to maintain a constant bitrate of a broadcast stream during the processing time of broadcast signals, all the constituent components of the digital broadcast receptionsystem are operated. If mobile service data such as MH broadcast signals is discontinuously received on a time axis, a digital broadcast reception system is able to reduce an amount of power consumption using the time slicing scheme.
[331] FIG. 26 shows time-variant bitrates provided when signals are transmitted and received by the time slicing scheme. For example, if a first service event (service 1) and a second service event (service 2) are received by a parade of MH
broadcast signals (i.e., if the first and second service events are received in the order of Parade Index 1, Parade Index 2, and Parade Index 3), the amount of transmitted broad-castsignals is not constant with time. It is assumed that the same data quantity as that of the above case in which the digital broadcast receptionsystem receives mobile service data using the time slicing scheme is received at an average bitrate.
It is assumed that a bandwidth of the mobile service data received by the time slicing scheme is larger than a bandwidth of the other case capable of receiving data at the average bitrate by N times. If data is received according to the two schemes, it is assumed that an amount of data for use in one scheme is equal to that of the other scheme.
[332] Thus, although an amount of data for use in one case in which the digital broadcast reception system receives broadcast signals using the time slicing scheme is equal to that of the other case in which the digital broadcast receptionsystem continuously receives broadcast signals, an amount of power consumption of the one case is less than that of the other case by 1/N + a.
[333] However, if broadcast signals are received in the form of a parade according to the time slicing scheme, the digital broadcast reception system is unable to receive the broadcast signals at a constant bitrate. So, if the broadcastsignals are continuously received, decoded and outputted, the digital broadcast receptionsystem may have difficulty in managing its own buffer. For example, if the time reference value is encoded at times ti and t2 (denoted by X) and data is transmitted by the MPEG-scheme, the encoded time reference field value may be different from an actual system time reference. For example, a time referencevalue encoded at the t2 time may correspond to a time reference value obtained at a t3 time on the condition that broadcast signals are received at an average bitrate. If the time reference value are transmitted and received by the above scheme, an additional buffer may be installed in the digital broadcast reception system, broadcastsignals received in the form of a parade may be stored in this additional buffer, and the resulting broadcast signals may be outputted at an average bitrate.
[334] However, this scheme is very complicated, and serves as a recursive process which may continuously accumulate unexpectederrors in a process capable of recovering an original time reference time at an average bitrate, such that the broadcast recep-tionsystem becomes unstable.
[335] Although the time reference value may be recovered by the above scheme, the recovered time reference value may be changed with time at which a decoder of the digital broadcast reception system decodes broadcast signals. So, although the same digital broadcast receptionsystem is used, the recovered time reference value may be unexpectedly changed to another.For example, if the digital broadcast reception system may be powered on, or if a current channel is changed to anotherchannel, an un-expected time difference may occur in a playback time of contents.
[336] FIG. 27 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an embodiment for processing a reception signal at a constant data processing rate. In FIG. 27, a horizontal axis is a time axis, and each unit marked on the time axis is a unit for transmitting/receiving the MH broadcast signal.
[337] A time unit at the MH frame corresponding to 20 VSB frames is 0.968ms. The time of 0.968ms is a time unit where a baseband processor of the digital broadcast reception system processes broadcast signals.
[338] As shown in FIG. 27, if the K-th MH frame (i.e., MH frame (H)) is received, the system can acquire the K-th RS frame (i.e., RS frame (K)) transmitted to the MH frame after thelapse of the time 0.968ms. The digital broadcast reception system stores the RS frame in a storage unit, and displays mobile service data provided as the broadcast signals.
[339] A baseband processor of the digital broadcast reception can recognizethe beginning part and the end part of each MH frame. The end part of any one of the MH
frames is equal to the beginning part of the next MH frame following the above MH frame.
The baseband processor of the digital broadcast reception system is synchronized with a modulator of a digital broadcast transmission system, such that a modulator of the digital broadcast transmission system modulates each MH frame at intervals of the time 0.968ms and outputs the resulting MH frame. Therefore, the digital broadcast reception system and the digital broadcast transmission system processes broadcast signals at intervals of a constant time, the buffer of the digital broadcast reception system can process data at a constant data rate without any overflow or underflow. In order to allow each of the digital broadcast reception system and the digital broadcast transmission system to process data at the constant data processing rate, the digital broadcast transmission system can transmit referencetime information used as a data processing reference to the digital broadcast reception system. The digital broadcast re-ceptionsystem(s) can receive reference time information contained in broadcast signals, and can process the received broadcast signals according to the reference time information. Accordingly, the digital broadcast reception system can process data at the same data processing rate as that of the digital broadcast transmission system, and a plurality of digital broadcast reception systems can simultaneouslydisplay the same contents. For the convenience of description and better understanding of the present invention, the reference time information at which the digital broadcast reception system is driven is called reference time information.
[340] Arrows marked at a lower part of FIG. 27 indicate time at which reference time in-formation is established at each MH frame. For example, the digital broadcast recep-tionsystem may set reference time information, which has been contained in a frame (e.g., RS frame) of the mobile service data on the basis of the MH frame, to a system time clock of the digital broadcastreception system. The digital broadcast reception system may set reference time informationcontained in a frame of mobile service data acquired at intervals of the MH frame to the system time clock at intervals of the MH
frame.
[341] The above-mentioned description shows the RS frame used as the mobile service dataframe. In case of the MH broadcast signal, the digital broadcast reception system receives one RS frame at intervals of 968msec, such that the reference time in-formation may be established at intervals of 968msec. Therefore, if the recep-tionsystem receives the (K+1)-th MH frame, it acquires the (K+1)-th RS frame and sets the reference time information in an IP datagram contained in the RS frame to a system time clock. If the reception system receives the (K+2)-th MH frame, it acquires the (K+2)-th RS frame and sets the reference time information in an IP datagram contained in the RS frame to a system time clock. The digital broadcast reception system peri-odically establishes this system time clock. In the example of FIG. 27, after the RS
frame is received and reference time information contained in the received RS
frame is acquired, the acquired reference time information is set to the system time clock.
[342] For example, the reference time information acquired from an IP
datagram contained in the K-th RS frame may be set to the system time clock at the beginning time of the (K+2)-th MH frame.
[343] For example, the digital broadcast reception system may establish the referencetime information at the beginning or end time of a specific MH subframe from among MH
frames.
[344] For another example, in case of the MH broadcast system, the digital broadcast reception system may establish the system time clock at intervals of the MH
subframe.
In accordance with the exemplary MH broadcast signal frame, 5 MH subframes are contained in the MH broadcast signal frame. If 5 MH reference times are contained in the RS frame, individual referencetimes may be sequentially set to the system time clock at the beginning time (or the end time) of the MH subframe.
[345] Reference time information contained in the mobile service data frame can be peri-odically established in association with the MH signal frame, and need not be always set to the beginning or end time of the MH frame or the MH subframe.
[346] The reference time information may indicate an absolute time such as a network time protocol (NTP) timestamp. If the service is transmitted and received using the Internet protocol shown in FIG. 3, service constituent components indicating audio/video data are configured in the form of real time transport protocol (RTP) packets, and are transmitted and received. The RTP packet header may be a timestamp used as a time unit at which an access unit (AU) such as a video frame is processed. As reference time informationof the timestamp, a network time protocol (NTP) timestamp, which is an absolute time in a sender report(SR) according to RTP control protocol (RTCP),and a timestamp value of a reference clock of a system corresponding to the NTP
timestamp can be simultaneously transmitted.
[347] The digital broadcast reception system is able to set the NTP
timestamp in an IP
datagram contained in the mobile service data frame to the system time clock at a specific time of the frame. Herein, the NTP timestamp may be in the mobile service data frame, and it is not necessary that the NTP timestamp should be contained in the SR according to the RTCP
[348] The digital broadcast reception system may establish synchronizationof audio/video data received as the reference time information contained in the mobile service data frame. A plurality of receptionsystems establish the system time clock using the same reference time information, such that they are synchronized with each other and display contents transmitted as broadcast signals.
[349] For example, if the digital broadcast reception system receives the MH broadcast signal, a specific time for the MH signal processing (e.g., the beginning time of the MH signal frame or the beginning time of any one of MH signal frames) may be used as a time for establishing the reference time. In this example, the MH frame start time of the MH signal frame may be used as the reference time setup time. If the start time of the MH signal frame is used as the referencetime setup time and the Doppler effect is ignored, the digital broadcast reception system receiving the MH broadcast signals may establish the reference time at the same time as the above reference time setup time. Also, the actual referencetime value transmitted to the MH signal frame may be set to a system time clock at the same time as the above reference time setup time.
[350] The digital broadcast reception system uses the NTP timestamp value as refer-encetime information, such that this reference time information can be used as a common wall clock which can be referred at a playback or decoding time of the service. Also, this reference time information may be interoperable with the other NTP
timestamp transmitted as sender report (SR) packets of the RTCP on the IP
layer.
[351]
[352] FIG. 28 is a block diagram illustrating a digital broadcast reception system according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[353] Referring to FIG. 28, a tuner 410 receives a broadcast signal(s). The broadcast signal may be a signal in which mobile service dataand main service data are multiplexed.
Exemplary broadcast signals are shown in FIGS. 2 to 12.
[354] A demodulator 420 demodulates a reception signal(s). If the reception signal is the MH signal frame, the demodulator 420 can output the beginningtime (i.e., MH
frame start) of the MH signal frame or the beginning time of each subframe of the MH
signal frame. That is, the demodulator420 can output a demodulation time of a specific position of the received signal. The demodulator 420 extracts TPC or FIC data from the MH signal frame, and outputs the extracted TPC or FTC data, and outputs the RS
frame including ensemblesof mobile service data.
[355] The RS frame decoder 430 decodes the RS frame of FIG. 3, and outputs MH
transport packets contained in the decoded RS frame to the transport packet (TP) handler 440. The TP contained in the MH broadcastsignal may have an TP
datagram, which includes service table information of FIG. 17, mobile service data acting as content data, and referencetime information. In the above-mentioned example, the NTP timestamp is shown as reference time information. The TP handler 440 can output each of mobile service data, service table information, and referencetime in-formation contained in the TP datagram.
[356] The outputted mobile service data is temporarily stored in a buffer 445, and the service table information is outputted to the ST handler 450. The reference time in-formation is outputted to the system clock manager 475 contained in the manager 470.
[357] The ST handler 450 decodes service table information generated from the TP hanlder 440. In the above-mentioned example, the SMT is shown as service table information.
The decoded service table information is stored in the service table information storage unit 460.
[358] For example, the manager 470 receives demodulation time information of the output signal frame of the demodulator. At this demodulation time according to the de-modulation time information, the manager 470 determines reference time information to be a system time clock of the digital broadcast reception system. The manager 470 can control the ST handler 450, the data handler 480, and the A/V decoder 490, such that data contained in the buffer 445 can be processed according to the determined system time clock at a constant bitrate.
[359] A channel manager 477 of the manager 470 can generate a channel map using service table information stored in the service table information storage unit 460. The channel manager 477 forms the channel map according to binding information in-dicating the relationshipbetween an ensemble for transmitting a user-selected service and a virtual channel contained in this ensemble. The channel manager 477 selects a broadcastchannel to quickly output the virtual channel including the user-selected service, such that broadcast service of the selected channel is displayed.
[360] The data handler 480 processes data broadcast download data contained in the buffer 445 according to a periodically-established system time clock. A middleware engine 485 processes the output data of the data handler 480 according to a periodically-recovered system time clock, and provides a data broadcastapplication with the resulting data. For example, the data broadcast data passes through the A/V
post-processor 495 by On-Screen-Display (OSD), and the resulting broadcast data is outputted to a user.

[361] The A/V decoder 490 decodes mobile service data contained in the buffer 445 according to the periodically-established system time clock, and outputs the decoded mobile service data. The A/V decoder 490 outputs the decoded video/audio data to the A/V post-processor 495. The interface unit 465 receives various control signals (e.g., a channel shifting signal, an application driving signal) for managing/establishing the digital broadcast system from the user, and outputs the received control signals to the manager 440 or the A/V post-processor 495.
[362] The A/Vpost-processor 495 allows the A/V data to be received in the A/V decoder 490, and allows the received A/V data to be displayed. The AN post-processor may output the A/V data to the interface unit 465 according to a control signal. The A/
V data generated from the A/V post-processor 495 is provideto the user via the display (not shown). The display can provide the user with the audio/video data according to a system time clock recovered by the reference time decided by the above-mentioned scheme. The manager 470 controls the A/V post-processor 495 to synchronize audio/
video data according to the NTP timestamp established at a specific position of the received signal frame. Upon receiving a control signal from the manager 470, the display outputs the synchronized audio/video data to the user. Thus, the embodiment of FIG. 28 may correspond to the embodiment of FIG. 1. The reference time used as the NTP timestamp value may be periodically restored and used as a system time clock at a specific time of the MH signal frame.
[363]
[364] FIG. 29 is a flow chart illustrating a data processing method.
[365] Referring to FIG. 29, the broadcast system receives a signal in which main service data and mobile service dataare multiplexed at step S801. As an example of the mul-tiplexed resultant signal, the MH broadcast signal can be used as an example of the multiplexed resultant signal. The mobile service data may be discontinuously received with time.
[366] The system demodulates the received broadcast signal, obtains demodulation time in-formationof a specific position, and obtains reference time information contained in the mobile service data frame at step S803. For example, demodulation time information of a specific position of the frame may be the beginning time of the MH signal frame or the beginning time of each subframe of the MH signal frame. The demodulation time information can be periodically repeated.
[367] The system determines the obtained reference time information to be a system clock at the above demodulation time at step S805.
[368] The system decodes the mobile service data according to the determined system clock at step S807.
[369] Thus, the received broadcast signal may be decoded or displayed according to the reference time decided at a specific time. As a result, although mobile service data is discontinuously received, data can be processed at a constant bitrate.
[370] As apparent from the above description, the digital broadcast system and the data processing method according to the present invention have strong resistance to any errors encountered when mobile service data is transmitted over the channel, and can be easily compatible with the conventional receiver. The digital broadcast system according to the present invention can normally receive mobile service data without any errors over a poor channel which has lots of ghosts and noises. The digital broadcast system according to.the present invention inserts known data at a specific location of a data zone, and performs signal transmission, thereby increasing the Rx performance under a high-variation channel environment.
[371] Also, the present invention can process service data, which is discontinuously received with time, at a constant bitrate.
[372] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments described above.
Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Mode for the Invention [373] The embodiments of the invention are described in the best mode of the invention.
Industrial Applicability [374] The digital broadcasting system and the data processing method according to the present invention can be used in broadcast and communication fields.

Claims (18)

1. A method of transmitting a broadcast signal in a transmitter, the method comprising:
multiplexing mobile data and main data; and transmitting a transmission frame including the multiplexed mobile data and main data, wherein a plurality of parades of data groups are transmitted during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing the mobile data and the main data, wherein the data groups of one of the plurality of parades are assigned to be spaced apart from one another within the transmission frame, wherein each of the data groups includes the mobile data, signaling information and known data sequences, wherein the signaling information includes fast information channel (FIC) data, wherein the FIC data is divided into a plurality of FIC segments, and each of the plurality of FIC segments includes an FIC segment header and is transmitted in each of the data groups, wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service, and wherein the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RC-CRC (Reed Solomon -cyclic redundancy check) encoded through a 2-dimensional Reed-Solomon (RS) frame, each row of a payload of the RS frame including a transport packet of the mobile data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signaling table includes a service map table (SMT) which provides IP address information and IP component level information for the service and wherein the transport packet includes an Internet protocol (IP) datagram having a network time protocol (NTP) timebase stream.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the SMT includes a flag indicating whether or not the IP address information is an IPv4 address.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the flag is set to 0 (zero) when the IP
address information is an IPv4 address; and the flag is set to 1 when the IP address information is an IPv6 address.

5. A method of receiving a broadcast signal in a receiver, the method comprising:
receiving the broadcast signal including a transmission frame, wherein a plurality of parades of data groups in the broadcast signal is received during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing mobile data and main data, wherein the data groups of one of the plurality of parades are spaced apart from one another within the transmission frame, and wherein each of the data groups includes the mobile data, signaling information and known data sequences;
demodulating the broadcast signal and obtaining, from the signaling information, fast information channel (FIC) data including binding information between a service of the mobile data and an ensemble and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data indicating a version of the FIC data, wherein the FIC data is divided into a plurality of FIC
segments, and wherein each of the plurality of FIC segments includes an FIC
segment header and is received in each of the data groups, and wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service;
building a Reed-Solomon (RS) frame corresponding to the ensemble by collecting a plurality of data portions which are mapped to the data groups;
and decoding the RS frame, wherein the RS frame is a 2-dimensional data frame through which the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RS-CRC (Reed Solomon - cyclic redundancy check) encoded, each row of a payload of the RS frame including a transport packet of the mobile data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transport packet includes an Internet protocol (IP) datagram having a network time protocol (NTP) timebase stream.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the signaling table includes a service map table (SMT) which provides IP address information and IP component level information for the service.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the SMT includes a flag indicating whether or not the IP address information is an IPv4 address.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein: the flag is set to 0 (zero) when the IP
address information is an IPv4 address; and the flag is set to 1 when the IP address information is an IPv6 address.

10. An apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal, the apparatus comprising:
a multiplexer configured to multiplex mobile data and main data; and a transmission unit configured to transmit a transmission frame including the multiplexed mobile data and main data, wherein a plurality of parades of data groups are transmitted during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing the mobile data and the main data, wherein the data groups of one of the plurality of parades are assigned to be spaced apart from one another within the transmission frame, wherein each data group includes the mobile data, signaling information and known data sequences, wherein the signaling information includes fast information channel (FIC) data including binding information between a service of the mobile data and an ensemble and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data indicating a version of the FIC data, wherein the FIC data is divided to a plurality of FIC segments, and each of the plurality of FIC segments includes an FIC segment header and is received in each of the data groups, wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service, and wherein the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RS-CRC (Reed Solomon -cyclic redundancy check) encoded through a 2-dimensional Reed-Solomon (RS) frame, each row of a payload of the RS frame including a transport packet of the mobile data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signaling table includes a service map table (SMT) which provides IP address information and IP component level information for the service.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the SMT includes a flag indicating whether or not the IP address information is an IPv4 address.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the flag is set to 0 (zero) when the IP
address information is an IPv4 address; and the flag is set to 1 when the IP
address information is an IPv6 address.

14. An apparatus for receiving a broadcast signal, the apparatus comprising:
a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal including a transmission frame, wherein a parade of data groups is received during slots within the transmission frame, the slots being basic time periods for multiplexing of mobile data and main data, and wherein each of the data groups includes the mobile data, signaling information and known data sequences, a demodulator configured to demodulate the received broadcast signal and obtain, from the signaling information, fast information channel (FIC) data including binding information between a service of the mobile data and an ensemble and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data indicating a version of the FIC data, wherein the FIC data is divided to a plurality of FIC segments, and each of the FIC segments includes an FIC
segment header and is received in each of the data groups, and wherein the ensemble includes the service and a signaling table describing the service; and an RS frame decoder configured to build a Reed-Solomon (RS) frame corresponding to the ensemble by collecting a plurality of data portions which are mapped to the data groups, and decode the RS frame, wherein the RS frame is a 2-dimensional data frame through which the mobile data belonging to the ensemble is RS-CRC (Reed Solomon -cyclic redundancy check) encoded, and each row of a payload of the RS frame includes a transport packet of the mobile data.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transport packet includes an Internet protocol (IP) datagram having a network time protocol (NTP) timebase stream, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller configured to synchronize presentation of audio and video of the mobile data based on an NTP timestamp in the NTP timebase stream.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the signaling table includes a service map table (SMT) which provides IP address information and IP component level information for the service.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the SMT includes a flag indicating whether or not the IP address information is an IPv4 address.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: the flag is set to 0 (zero) when the IP
address information is an IPv4 address; and the flag is set to 1 when the IP
address information is an IPv6 address.