Overview of CRC projects in digital radio software projects. Discussion of potential future projects. Presented in Gatineau to students and professors of Computer Science and Engineering Department of UQO

1. Open Software Platforms
for
Mobile Digital Broadcasting
François Lefebvre
Communications Research Centre, Canada
UQO, 4 février 2010
1

2. Context for Mobile Broadcasting
The DAB/DMB System
CRC Projects
Future?
2

3. Replacement technologies for
Terrestrial Radio + TV
Spectrum efficiency / digital dividend
Digital enhancements
Convergence of services and devices
3

4. Mobile Convergence
4

5. Device
Convergence
5

6. The Long Tail
Size
of Specialized Infrastructure
Audience Efficiency: Spectrum, $/bit
Head of the Long Tail
Very large audiences
Live
Content ranked by popularity
6

7. Mobile Digital Broadcasting Standards
7

8. DAB System Features
High speed mobility
Capacity: 1.5 Mbps / channel ( 16 Gb / day )
High bitrate AV & Data:
Typical video to mobile screen: 384-512 kbps
Spectrum:
Band III : 174 to 240MHz
L-Band : 1452 to 1492MHz
Modulation: COFDM
Single Frequency Networks
8

9. DAB/DMB Applications
Dynamic label segment (text for radio)
Slideshow
Broadcast Website
Electronic Program Guide
Traffic information
DMB
...
9

10. DAB System
Transmitter
Audio
Codec 1
M
U
Audio L
Codec 2 One DAB
T Ensemble High
Power
I Modulator Amplifier
Audio P
Codec 3
L
E
.
. X
. E
Audio R
Codec N
10

11. DAB/DMB Applications
Video
DAB
Data Pipeline Audio
1
1.5 Mbps 2 Programs
3
4
5
Subscription Datacasting
Services
Navigation, Traffic, Weather, Maps, etc.
11

12. CRC Projects:
DAB Transmission
12

13. Architecture
13

14. Trend: Software on Generic HW

17. Software Defined Radio
USRP: Ettus research

18. Software Building Blocks

19. CRC DAB Software Stack
19

20. Ubuntu Base System

21. Ubuntu Minimized

22. Ubuntu with CRC Tools

23. mmbTools live CD

24. “One Click” Transmitter

25. mmbTools Web Appliances

26. CRC DAB Projects:
Reception

27. Colliding Business Models
?
Broadcaster MNO
FTA-TV Pay-TV

28. Open Handhelds (2007)

29. No Broadcasting Stack!

30. Openmokast Stack

31. Openmokast Architecture
Receiver control
Demultiplexing
Application
decoding
Presentation

32. Adapt Openmoko Device

33. 100$ 3D Print

34. Adapt Openmoko Device

35. Openmokast Prototype

36. Screenshots

37. Android

38. Android
Openmokast Player Openmokast Player on
on T-Mobile G1 Android Market (MAS)

39. DAB Personal LAB

40. Licensing Design

41. Adopt Royalty-Free Tech
• In broadcasting: most standards require non-RF tech
• Must pay royalties for most CODECS
• - Can't distribute free software implementations at large
• Foster adoption of RF tech in standards
• CRC mmbTools now includes CELT wideband audio
CODEC for DAB

42. mmbTools Community

www.opendigitalradio.org

Tweak USRP for appropriate bands

Build power amplifier

8 streaming internet radio into CRC mmbTools

FM modulator with USRP + Gnu Radio Companion

Receiver manufacturers

Pre-market field trials

43. Future Projects?

44. New Software Receiver Platforms

IGEPv2

Beagleboard

Zoom

...
SDR?
Multi-standard?
Mobile Hotspot – Wifi

45. FM + RDS in mobile devices
GSM
Phones
© HTC
45

46. Other Potential Projects
• Live CD:
• Support more standards: FM/RDS, ATSC/MH, …
• Update tu recent Ubuntu releases (LTS)
• Openmokast: Bcast chipsets into open phones
• Openmokast: Port to Android
• New broadcast apps
• Royalty-free codecs: audio, video (CELT, Theora)
• OpenBTS as return link
• Broadcast apps in “App Stores”
• Micro-broadcasting: events,…
• Field trial: 3G radio reception
• …?

47. Internet Radio Apps for iPhone
© Apple, iTunes Store
47

48. Internet Radio Standardisation
- Central listings of radio stations
- Detailed stations info + more...
- CE devices and others
- Managed vs unmanaged
- Free vs licensed
FM Radio
Unique internet link
Internet radio
unmanaged, free
Internet radio + DAB
+ FM + ...
Managed, licensed
48

49. Conclusions
Broadcasting = One-to-many Telecom
Business models for broadcasting still evolving
Open & RF & Software and Generic HW
= democratisation
= rapid innovation cycles, adoption, QoL
Other platforms coming: Internet, 3G, LTE, Wimax,...
Identified potential R&D projects
49

50. Merci !
PROJECTS
openmokast.org
mmbtools.crc.ca
www.crc.ca/mmb
http://www.youtube.com/crcmmb
http://www.slideshare.net/tag/crcmmb
BLOG
Broadcasting20.org, Twitter: @fralef
francois.lefebvre@crc.ca