WiB a new system concept for digital terrestrial television (DTT)

Abstract

[EN] A new system concept for DTT, called WiB , is presented, where potentially all frequencies within the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band are used on all transmitter (TX) sites (i.e. reuse-1). The interference, especially from neighbouring transmitters operating on the same frequency while transmitting different information, is handled by a combination of a robust transmission mode, directional discrimination of the receiving antenna and interference cancellation methods. With this approach, DTT may be transmitted as a single wideband signal, covering potentially the entire UHF band, from a single wideband transmitter via the TX site. Thanks to a higher spectrum, utilisation, the approach allows for a dramatic reduction in fundamental power/cost and approximately a 37-60% capacity increase for the same coverage as with current DTT. High speed mobile reception as well as fine granularity local services would also be supported, without any loss of capacity. The paper also outlines further possible developments of WiB, e.g. doubling the capacity via cross-polar Multiple In Multiple Out (MIMO), backward-compatible with existing receiving antennas, and adding a second, WiB-mobile, Layer Division Multiplexing (LDM) layer within the same spectrum, either as a mobile broadcast or as a mobile broadband.