A method includes receiving, by a processor, metrics relating to a plurality of program channels. The plurality of program channels are distributed via at least one multicast stream. The method also includes modifying, by the processor, the at least one multicast stream. The modifying is based at least on the received metrics, and the modifying changes which programs are distributed via the at least one multicast stream. The method also includes transmitting at least one program channel via the modified at least one multicast stream.

A method includes receiving, by a processor, metrics relating to a plurality of program channels. The plurality of program channels are distributed via at least one multicast stream. The method also includes modifying, by the processor, the at least one multicast stream. The modifying is based at least on the received metrics, and the modifying changes which programs are distributed via the at least one multicast stream. The method also includes transmitting at least one program channel via the modified at least one multicast stream.

Methods and systems are provided for increasing bandwidth efficiency in satellite communications. In some embodiments, a satellite communications method is provided that comprises receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of source signals, wherein each of the source signals are modulated according to at least one source modulation method, and further receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of information signals corresponding to the plurality of source signals. The method further includes combining, at the satellite, the plurality of source signals into a combined source signal with an overlapping bandwidth, wherein each of the source signals are further modulated according to at least one predetermined modulation method before they are combined, and transmitting, by a downlink transmission from the satellite to a gateway ground station, the combined source signal.

Systems and methods for one-way time transfer using physical layer signaling are disclosed herein. According to some examples, a method includes generating timing information based on a clock of a transmitting device, where the timing information comprises a timestamp and metadata. The method further includes generating a preamble of a frame, where the preamble includes the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information. The method also includes forming a frame, where the frame comprises a bootstrap, the preamble, and a payload, and transmitting the frame to a receiver device. The one-way time transfer systems and methods of this disclosure can serve mobile devices that entail quick and reliable establishment of a clock.

A broadcast signal transmission apparatus and method using layered division multiplexing are disclosed. A broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a combiner configured to generate a multiplexed signal by combining a core layer signal and an enhanced layer signal at different power levels; a power normalizer configured to reduce the power of the multiplexed signal to a power level corresponding to the core layer signal; a time interleaver configured to generate a time-interleaved signal by performing interleaving that is applied to both the core layer signal and the enhanced layer signal; a frame builder configured to generate a broadcast signal frame using the time-interleaved signal; and an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmitter configured to generate a pilot signal that is shared by a core layer corresponding to the core layer signal and an enhanced layer corresponding to the enhanced layer signal.

A reception apparatus including a tuner and circuitry is provided. The tuner is configured to receive a transmission frame including a bootstrap portion, a preamble portion, and a payload portion. The circuitry is configured to extract first signaling information from the bootstrap portion to decode the preamble portion, and extract second signaling information from the preamble portion to decode the payload portion. The bootstrap portion includes at least one of a first symbol used for synchronization, a second symbol that signals emergency alert information, or a third symbol that signals the first signaling information.

An approach for opportunistic caching of streaming media data is provided to facilitate efficient use of forward transmission resources of a broadband communications system. The approach includes receiving, by a second communications terminal, a first content response transmitted by a first content server, via a broadcast/multicast communications medium, in response to a first content request of a first client device associated with a first communications terminal, wherein the first content response includes first data content requested by the first client device via the first communications terminal. The approach further comprises determining, by a cache controller of a cache storage device of the second communications terminal, to store at least the first data content of the first content response in the local cache storage device associated with the second communications terminal, wherein the determination to store is based on one or more criteria associated with the first content response.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for channel bonding in an adaptive coding and modulation mode. In some implementations, a system receives packets of a data stream for transmission in a satellite communications system. The system determines a modulation and coding arrangement for the received packets. The system generates code blocks that include data from the packets of the data stream. The system assigns the generated code blocks for transmission on different carriers. One or more of the different carriers is operated in an adaptive coding and modulation mode to support multiple modulation and coding arrangements within a single carrier. The system transmits the code blocks on the different carriers using the determined one or more modulation and coding arrangements.

A broadcast/broadband convergence system that delivers content from content sources to user equipment devices. The system provides: significantly enhanced mobile capability to the broadcast industry; an additional revenue source for the broadcast industry by dynamically selling available spectral resources for use by wireless broadband networks and/or broadcast content off-loaded from wireless broadband networks; additional spectrum for the broadband industry through the dynamic purchase of available spectrum; and an enriched user experience. A spectrum server may facilitate the dynamic allocation of radio spectrum made available by the broadcast networks. The broadcast networks may broadcast with enhanced waveform parameters to support mobile devices as well as fixed devices.

A new television broadcast model called a Broadcast Market Exchange (BMX) eliminates the inefficiency in spectrum usage, providing maximum flexibility in delivering content through either VHF (for fixed location receiving devices) or UHF (optimized for mobile receiving devices) transmission/propagation. In conjunction with the BMX, a wireless communications system architecture is provided to enable a broadcast augmentation channel. The augmentation channel provides supplementation of the Quality of Service (QoS) of a one way User Datagram Protocol (UDP) delivery environment. The augmentation channel may be comprised of one or more physical delivery mechanisms (wired or wireless), but can be effectively unified for increasing QoS and or scalable levels of service (additional essence) to improve the user experience.