A synchronization server creates an augmented radio listener experience by providing additional information, especially visual information, over a concurrent, parallel data connection to a user device during the radio broadcast. The additional information is synchronized to the radio broadcast item then playing, based on an event message received by the synchronization server from the radio station equipment. The synchronization server can implement real-time interactions between connected radio listeners and a disk jockey dashboard of the radio station. The synchronization server optionally can personalize advertisement content for transmission to user devices based on user profile information and audience criteria provided by the advertiser.

Methods and apparatus for distributing content using a spectrum generation device. In one embodiment, digital content is received via a time-multiplexed network transport (such as Gigabit Ethernet), and converted to frequency channels suitable for transmission over a content distribution (e.g., Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC)) network. In one variant, the conversion is performed using digital domain processing performed by a full spectrum generation device. Additionally, methods and apparatus for selectively adding, removing, and/or changing digital content from the full spectrum device are also disclosed. Various aspects of the present invention enable physical (infrastructure) consolidation, and software-implemented remote management of content distribution.

Methods and apparatus for distributing content using a spectrum generation device. In one embodiment, digital content is received via a time-multiplexed network transport (such as Gigabit Ethernet), and converted to frequency channels suitable for transmission over a content distribution (e.g., Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC)) network. In one variant, the conversion is performed using digital domain processing performed by a full spectrum generation device. Additionally, methods and apparatus for selectively adding, removing, and/or changing digital content from the full spectrum device are also disclosed. Various aspects of the present invention enable physical (infrastructure) consolidation, and software-implemented remote management of content distribution.

A method for synchronizing a first data stream and a second data stream, at least one stream among the first stream and second stream being received by radiofrequency broadcasting and the other stream being received via an IP network, the first and second streams carrying the same service. The method involves receiving a value of the mean offset between the first stream and the second stream; storing the first stream in a first buffer and storing the second stream in a second buffer; extracting a first extract from the first buffer and a second extract from the second buffer, according to the mean offset value received; comparatively analyzing the first extract and the second extract in order to deduce a value of the actual offset between the first stream and the second stream; synchronizing the first stream and second stream according to the actual offset value obtained.

A method for synchronizing a first data stream and a second data stream, at least one stream among the first stream and second stream being received by radiofrequency broadcasting and the other stream being received via an IP network, the first and second streams carrying the same service. The method involves receiving a value of the mean offset between the first stream and the second stream; storing the first stream in a first buffer and storing the second stream in a second buffer; extracting a first extract from the first buffer and a second extract from the second buffer, according to the mean offset value received; comparatively analyzing the first extract and the second extract in order to deduce a value of the actual offset between the first stream and the second stream; synchronizing the first stream and second stream according to the actual offset value obtained.

The ATSC 3.0 physical layer broadcast standard is extended with new OFDM numerology, L1 signaling and frame structure aligned with 5G. This is done to enable improved broadcast mobility and convergence 5G release 16 as a Non-3GPP access network. The 5G core network and Broadcast core network interwork over defined interfaces to enable convergence layer 3. This enables improvements of broadcast physical layer for physics of broadcast. The 5G unicast physical layer is enhanced for physics of unicast, and then both are converged at layer 3. This is novel and has many benefits compared to the legacy LTE broadcast method (e.g., Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (eMBMS)), which combines both broadcast and unicast into a single shared LTE frame at layer 1. The eMBMS method is then improved for dominate unicast mode in shared L1 frame. The result is the broadcast performance and efficiency in eMBMS are less than optimal.

A synchronization device, for use in a system of synchronization devices, to synchronize a received data stream with data streams received at other synchronization devices, and including a synchronization buffer receiving a data stream; an event detector detecting an event in the received data stream and to broadcast event information including an event detection time; and a delay computation element receiving, from each synchronization device, event information including the event detection time, to determine a delay time of a most delayed data stream, and to calculate a delay time to be applied to the received data stream to synchronize the received data stream with the most delayed data stream.

A synchronization device, for use in a system of synchronization devices, to synchronize a received data stream with data streams received at other synchronization devices, and including a synchronization buffer receiving a data stream; an event detector detecting an event in the received data stream and to broadcast event information including an event detection time; and a delay computation element receiving, from each synchronization device, event information including the event detection time, to determine a delay time of a most delayed data stream, and to calculate a delay time to be applied to the received data stream to synchronize the received data stream with the most delayed data stream.

The present technology relates to a transmission device, a transmission method, a reception device, and a reception method that permit efficient transfer of time and other information.

The transmission device generates a physical layer frame having preambles and a payload that includes, in the preamble, time information representing time of a given position in a stream of physical layer frames and transmits the physical layer frame. The reception device receives the physical layer frame and performs processes using time information. The present technology is applicable, for example, to IP packet broadcasting.

The present technology relates to a transmission device, a transmission method, a reception device, and a reception method that permit efficient transfer of time and other information.

The transmission device generates a physical layer frame having preambles and a payload that includes, in the preamble, time information representing time of a given position in a stream of physical layer frames and transmits the physical layer frame. The reception device receives the physical layer frame and performs processes using time information. The present technology is applicable, for example, to IP packet broadcasting.