Channel Bonding For Ultra-High Definition Video Background

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for communication ultra-high definition (UHD) video. At the transmitter-side, a single packet stream that includes packets corresponding to a plurality of encoded content streams may be generated, and the single packet stream may be split into a plurality of sub-streams. The splitting may include grouping packets corresponding to the single packet stream into a plurality of chunks, each associated with a respective one of the sub-streams; adding handling related information to each of the chunks; and incorporating into at least one packet in a first one of the sub-streams at least some of handling related information associated with a second one of the sub-steams. The sub-streams may then be processed for transmission over a particular physical medium. At the receiver-side, the signals may be received and processed, and the sub-streams may be reconstructed based on processing of the plurality signals.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a combiner circuit that generates a single packet stream comprising packets corresponding to a plurality of encoded content streams;   a segmenting circuit that splits the single packet stream into a plurality of sub-streams, wherein the splitting comprises:
 grouping packets corresponding to the single packet stream into a plurality of chunks, each associated with respective one of the plurality of sub-streams; 
 adding to each of the plurality of chunks, corresponding handling related information; and 
 incorporating into at least one packet in a first one of the plurality of sub-streams at least some of handling related information associated with a second one of the plurality of sub-steams; and 
   one or more processing circuits that process each of the plurality of sub-streams for transmission over a particular physical medium; and   a plurality of transmit circuits that generate, based on the processing of the plurality of sub-streams, a plurality of signals for transmission over the physical medium.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , comprising a plurality of encoding circuits that generate the plurality of encoded content streams. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of transmit circuits concurrently transmit each of the plurality of signals, via a respective communication channel in the physical medium. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the combiner circuit generates the single packet stream such that it has a constant bit rate. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the combiner circuit inserts into the single packet stream one or more null packets, based on one or more insertion conditions. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , comprising a control circuit, wherein the control circuit:
 monitors performance during transmission of the content; and   configures or adjusts, based on the monitoring, one or more of the generating of the single packet stream, the generating of the plurality of sub-streams, the processing of the plurality of sub-streams, and the generating of the plurality of signals.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the segmenting circuit appends to each of the plurality of chunks a corresponding chunk header that comprises the handling related information. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the segmenting circuit configures the handling related information to enable reconstructing the packet stream at receiver-side. 
     
     
         29 . A method comprising:
 generating a single packet stream comprising packets corresponding to a plurality of encoded content streams;   splitting the single packet stream into a plurality of sub-streams, wherein the splitting comprises:
 grouping packets corresponding to the single packet stream into a plurality of chunks, each associated with a respective one of the plurality of sub-streams; 
 adding to each of the plurality of chunks, corresponding handling related information; and 
 incorporating into at least one packet in a first one of the plurality of sub-streams at least some of handling related information associated with a second one of the plurality of sub-steams; and 
   processing the plurality of sub-streams for transmission over a particular physical medium; and   generating based on the processing, a plurality of signals for transmission over the physical medium.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising generating the plurality of encoded content streams. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising concurrently transmitting each of the plurality of signals, via a respective communication channel in the physical medium. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising generating the single packet stream such that it has a constant bit rate. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising inserting into the single packet stream one or more null packets, based on one or more insertion conditions. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising:
 monitoring performance during transmission of the content; and   configuring or adjusting, based on the monitoring, one or more of the generating of the single packet stream, the generating of the plurality of sub-streams, the processing of the plurality of sub-streams, and the generating of the plurality of signals.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the splitting comprises appending to each of the plurality of chunks a corresponding chunk header that comprises the handling related information. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising configuring the handling related information to enable reconstructing the packet stream at receiver-side. 
     
     
         37 . A system comprising:
 one or more communication circuits that receive signals communicated over one or more channels in a physical medium; and   one or more processing circuits that:
 process the received signals; 
 reconstruct, based on processing of the received signals, a plurality of sub-streams, comprising a plurality of packets and corresponding to an encoded content; 
 combine the plurality of sub-streams into a single packet stream; and 
 extract from the single packet steams, a plurality of encoded content streams. 
   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the one or more processing circuits obtain handling related information, for use in the reconstructing of the plurality of sub-streams, from one or more of the received signals, the plurality of sub-streams, and the single packet stream. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the one or more processing circuits control and/or adjust, based on the handling related information, one or more of reconstructing of the plurality of sub-streams, combining of the plurality of sub-stream into the single packet stream, and handling of the single packet stream. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the one or more processing circuits:
 obtain from at least one packet corresponding to a first one of the plurality of sub-streams, based on processing of the received signal, handling related information; and   reconstruct based on the handling related information, a second one of the plurality of sub-streams.