Communication system

Abstract

At the transmitter side, carrier waves are modulated according to an input signal for producing relevant signal points in a signal space diagram. The input signal is divided into, two, first and second, data streams. The signal points are divided into signal point groups to which data of the first data stream are assigned. Also, data of the second data stream are assigned to the signal points of each signal point group. A difference in the transmission error rate between first and second data streams is developed by shifting the signal points to other positions in the space diagram expressed at least in the polar coordinate system. At the receiver side, the first and/or second data streams can be reconstructed from a received signal. In TV broadcast service, a TV signal is divided by a transmitter into, low and high, frequency band components which are designated as a first and a second data streams respectively. Upon receiving the TV signal, a receiver can reproduce only the low frequency band component or both the low and high frequency band components, depending on its capability. Furthermore, a communication system based on an OFDM system is utilized for data transmission of a plurality of subchannels, wherein the subchannels are differentiated by changing the length of a guard time slot or a carrier wave interval of a symbol transmission time slot, or changing the transmission electric power of the carrier.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A digital TV receiver comprising: 
       a receiving section for receiving a PSK (Phase Shift Key) modulation signal comprising a plurality of signal points disposed on specific phases of a given constellation in a signal space diagram;  
       a demodulator for demodulating the received signal from said receiving section into a digital, signal;  
       an error correcting section for error correcting a demodulation signal from said demodulator; and  
       an image expander far expanding an error-corrected signal from said error correcting section to a video signal, thereby outputting a video signal,  
       wherein said demodulator demodulates the received signal as first and second PSK signals, said first PSK signal representing a first data stream to be reproduced, said first PSK signal comprising n-value signal points, said second PSK signal representing both said first data stream and a second data steam to be reproduced, said second PSK signal comprising m-value signal points, where m is an integer larger than n,  
       wherein the value signal points of said second PSK signal are divisible into a groups of signal points which are distinguishable from one another in the signal space, and said demodulator distinguishes said n groups of signal points from one another as the n-value signal points of sold first PSK signal by demodulating the received signal as said first PSK signal, and wherein  
       high priority information is demodulated at least in said first data stream.   
     
     
       2. The digital TV receiver in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said demodulator demodulates information relating to a low-resolution component of the video signal from said first data stream and demodulates information relating to a high-resolution component of the video signal from said second data stream. 
     
     
       3. The digital TV receiver in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising means for stopping output of said second data stream when an error rate of the received signal is high. 
     
     
       4. The digital TV receiver in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said demodulator comprises first means for demodulating the received signal as a QPSK signal to reproduce the first data stream and second means for demodulating the received signal as a SPSK signal to reproduce both of the first data stream and the second data stream. 
     
     
       5. A digital TV receiver comprising: 
       a receiving section for receiving a PSK (Phase Shift Key) modulation signal comprising m-value signal points disposed on specific phases of a given constellation in a signal space diagram and representing a first data stream and a second data stream to be reproduced;  
       a demodulator for demodulating said PSK modulation signal from said receiving section into a digital signal;  
       an error correcting section for error correcting a demodulation signal from said demodulator; and  
       an image expander for expanding an error-corrected signal from said error correcting section to a video signal,  
       wherein said demodulator includes means for demodulating said PSK signal comprising m-value signal points as another PSK signal,  
       said another PSK signal comprising n-value signal points and representing only said first data stream, where n is an integer smaller than m, and wherein  
       high priority information is demodulated at least in said first: data stream.   
     
     
       6. A signal transmission system comprising a transmission apparatus and a receiving apparatus, 
       said transmission apparatus comprising: 
       a trellis encoder operable to encode a source signal to produce an encoded signal; 
       a modulator operable to modulate the encoded signal to produce an  8 -level VSB modulated signal; and 
       a transmitter operable to transmit the  8 -level VSB modulated signal in a  6  MHz bandwidth; 
       said receiving apparatus comprising: 
       a receiver operable to receive the transmitted  8 -level VSB modulated signal; 
       a demodulator operable to demodulate the  8 -level VSB modulated signal, received by said receiver, to produce a demodulated signal; and 
       a trellis decoder operable to decode the demodulated signal to produce the source signal, 
       wherein a code rate of said trellis encoder is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )} and a code rate of said trellis decoder is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )}. 
     
     
       7. A signal transmission apparatus comprising: 
       a trellis encoder operable to encode a source signal to produce an encoded signal; 
       a modulator operable to modulate the encoded signal to produce an  8 -level VSB modulated signal; and 
       a transmitter operable to transmit the  8 -level VSB modulated signal in a  6  MHz bandwidth, 
       wherein a code rate of said trellis encoder is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )}. 
     
     
       8. A signal receiving apparatus comprising: 
       a receiver operable to receive an  8 -level VSB modulated signal, having information of a source signal, transmitted in a  6  MHz bandwidth; 
       a demodulator operable to demodulate the  8 -level VSB modulated signal, received by said receiver, to produce a demodulated signal; and 
       a trellis decoder operable to decode the demodulated signal to produce the source signal, 
       wherein a code rate of said trellis decoder is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )}. 
     
     
       9. A signal transmission and receiving method comprising: 
       trellis encoding a source signal to produce an encoded signal; 
       modulating the encoded signal to produce an  8 -level VSB modulated signal; 
       transmitting, the  8 -level VSB modulated signal in a  6  MHz bandwidth; 
       receiving the transmitted  8 -level VSB modulated signal; 
       demodulating the  8 -level VSB modulated signal, received in said receiving, to produce a demodulated signal; and 
       trellis decoding the demodulated signal to produce the source signal, 
       wherein a code rate of said trellis encoding is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )} and a code rate of said trellis decoding is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )}. 
     
     
       10. A signal transmission method comprising: 
       trellis encoding, a source signal to produce an encoded signal; 
       modulating the encoded signal to produce an  8 -level VSB modulated signal; and 
       transmitting the  8 -level VSB modulated signal in a  6  MHz bandwidth, 
       wherein a code rate of said trellis encoding is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )}. 
     
     
       11. A signal receiving method comprising: 
       receiving an  8 -level VSB modulated signal, having information of a source signal, transmitted in a  6  MHz bandwidth; 
       demodulating the  8 -level VSB modulated signal, received in said receiving, to produce a demodulated signal; and 
       trellis decoding the demodulated signal to produce the source signal, 
       wherein a code rate of said trellis decoding is {fraction ( 2 / 3 )}.