System And Method For Effectively Transferring Electronic Information

Abstract

A system and method for effectively transferring electronic information includes a transmitter with an encoder that performs a parity encoding procedure. The encoder creates parity blocks for embedding in transmission packets. The parity blocks may be based upon data segments from one or more of the transmission packets. The system also includes a receiver with a decoder that utilizes the parity blocks for performing a packet validation procedure to identify corrupted packets from among the transmission packets. The decoder also performs a packet reconstruction procedure with selected ones of the data segments and the parity blocks to produce reconstructed data segments for the corrupted packets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for transferring electronic information, comprising:
 a transmitter that includes an encoder that performs a parity encoding procedure to create parity blocks based upon data segments from one or more transmission packets, said encoder embedding said parity blocks in said transmission packets; and   a receiver that includes a decoder that utilizes said parity blocks for performing a packet validation procedure to identify corrupted packets, said decoder performing a packet reconstruction procedure to produce reconstructed data segments for said corrupted packets.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said transmission packets each include a packet header, one of said data segments, and one of said parity blocks. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said transmitter and said receiver are in a data transmission network in which said transmitter communicates with said receiver over a unidirectional communication link from said transmitter to said receiver, said parity blocks enabling said receiver to reconstruct said corrupted packets without communicating back to said transmitter. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said data transmission network is implemented as a wireless television broadcast network. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said corrupted packets have said data segments that are damaged or missing. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said encoder performs said parity encoding procedure by utilizing a transmit buffer to store a plurality of said transmission packets for accessing said data segments. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said encoder performs said parity encoding procedure with said data segments from a current packet and an immediately preceding packet. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said encoder performs said parity encoding procedure by applying an exclusive OR operation to corresponding bits of said data segments from said current packet and said immediately preceding packet to produce a corresponding one of said parity blocks. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said decoder performs said packet validation procedure by recalculating a current parity block with said data segments from a current packet and an immediately preceding packet. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said decoder performs said packet validation procedure by applying an exclusive OR operation to corresponding bits of said data segments from said current packet and said immediately preceding packet to recalculate said corresponding one of said parity blocks. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said decoder performs said packet reconstruction procedure by recalculating a current data segment by utilizing a succeeding data segment and a corresponding succeeding parity block from an immediately succeeding transmission packet. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said decoder performs said packet reconstruction procedure by applying an exclusive OR operation to corresponding bits of said succeeding data segment and said corresponding succeeding parity block from said immediately succeeding transmission packet. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said decoder performs said packet reconstruction procedure by utilizing a multi-packet technique that utilizes information from multiple adjacent ones of said transmission packets. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said multi-packet technique utilizes information from three adjacent ones of said transmission packets. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said decoder performs said packet validation procedure and said packet reconstruction procedure by utilizing a receiver buffer to store a plurality of said transmission packets for accessing said data segments and said parity blocks. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said transmitter accesses said transmission packets from a source device, said encoder analyzing said data segments from said transmission packets, said encoder responsively generating said parity blocks based upon said data segments. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said encoder embeds said parity blocks in corresponding ones of said transmission packets, said transmitter then modulating and sending said transmission packets to said receiver. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said receiver receives and demodulates said transmission packets, said receiver storing said transmission packets in a receiver buffer for accessing said data segments and said parity blocks. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said decoder validates said transmission packets to identify said corrupted packets, said encoder reconstructing said corrupted packets with said parity blocks, said receiver then outputting said transmission packets to a destination device. 
     
     
         20 . A method for transferring electronic information, comprising:
 utilizing an encoder of a transmitter to perform a parity encoding procedure to create parity blocks based upon data segments from one or more transmission packets, said parity blocks being embedding in said transmission packets; and   providing a decoder of a receiver for using said parity blocks to perform a packet validation procedure to identify corrupted packets, said decoder performing a packet reconstruction procedure with selected ones of said data segments and said parity blocks to produce reconstructed data segments for said corrupted packets.