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.

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 for expanding an error-corrected signal from said error correcting section to a video signal, thereby outputting a video signal,    wherein said demodulator demodulates the receiving 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 steam and a second data stream to be reproduced, said second PSK signal comprising m-value signal points, where m is an integer larger than n,    wherein the m-value signal points of said second PSK signal are divisible into n 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 said 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 8PSK signal to reproduce both of the first data stream and the second data stream. 
     
     
       5. A signal 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 the 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 apparatus comprising:
   a modulator operable to assign and interleave a data stream of a layer A and a data stream of a layer B to a respective constellation in a signal space to produce a modulated signal of the layer A and a modulated signal of the layer B;        an inverse fast Fourier transformer operable to convert the modulated signal of the layer A into a transmission signal on a time axis in the layer A and to convert the modulated signal of the layer B into a transmission signal on a time axis in the layer B, wherein each transmission signal comprises an effective symbol signal and a guard interval signal, and a period of the guard interval signal in the layer A is larger than the period of the guard interval signal in the layer B; and        a transmitter operable to transmit the transmission signals.      
     
     
       7. A signal receiving apparatus for use in receiving a modulation signal in a layer A and a modulation signal in a layer B, wherein the modulation signals each include a guard interval signal, said apparatus comprising:
   a fast - Fourier transformer operable to convert the modulation signal in the layer A into a converted signal on a frequency axis in the layer A and to convert the modulation signal in the layer B into a converted signal on a frequency axis in the layer B; and        a demodulator operable to de - interleave the converted signals, demodulate the converted signal in the layer A into a data stream of the layer A and to demodulate the converted signal in the layer B into a data stream of the layer B;        wherein a period of the guard interval signal in the layer A is larger than a period of the guard interval signal in the layer B.      
     
     
       8. A signal transmission system comprising:
   a signal transmission apparatus including      a modulator operable to assign and interleave a data stream of a layer A and a data stream of a layer B to a respective constellation in a signal space to produce a modulated signal of the layer A and a modulated signal of the layer B,        an inverse fast Fourier transformer operable to convert the modulated signal of the layer A into a transmission signal on a time axis in the layer A and to convert the modulated signal of the layer B into a transmission signal on a time axis in the layer B, wherein each transmission signal comprises an effective symbol signal and a guard interval signal, and a period of the guard interval signal in the layer A is larger than a period of the guard interval signal in the layer B, and        a transmitter operable to transmit the transmission signals; and          a signal receiving apparatus including      a receiver operable to receive the transmission signal in the layer A and the transmission signal in the layer B,        a fast - Fourier transformer operable to convert the transmission signal in the layer A into a converted signal on a frequency axis in the layer A and to convert the transmission signal in the layer B into a converted signal on a frequency axis in the layer B, and        a demodulator operable to de - interleave the transmission signals, demodulate the converted signal in the layer A into a data stream of the layer A and to demodulate the converted signal in the layer B into a data stream of the layer B.        
     
     
       9. A signal transmission method comprising:
   assigning and interleaving a data stream of a layer A and a data stream of a layer B to a respective constellation in a signal space to produce a modulated signal of the layer A and a modulated signal of the layer B;        inverse fast Fourier transforming the modulated signal of the layer A into a transmission signal on a time axis in the layer A and inverse fast Fourier transforming the modulated signal of the layer B into a transmission signal on a time axis in the layer B, wherein each transmission signal comprises an effective symbol signal and a guard interval signal, and a period of the guard interval signal in the layer A is larger than a period of the guard interval signal in the layer B; and        transmitting the transmission signals.      
     
     
       10. A signal receiving method for use in receiving a modulation signal in a layer A and a modulation signal in a layer B, wherein the modulation signals each include a guard interval signal, and a period of the guard interval signal in the layer A is larger than a period of the guard interval signal in the layer B, said method comprising:
   fast - Fourier transforming the modulation signal in the layer A into a converted signal on a frequency axis in the layer A and fast - Fourier transforming the modulation signal in the layer B into a converted signal on a frequency axis in the layer B; and        de - interleaving the modulation signals, demodulating the converted signal in the layer A into a data stream of the layer A and demodulating the converted signal in the layer B into a data stream of the layer B.