Robust system for transmitting and receiving map data

A data receiving method comprising:

• receiving frames having frame sync segments and data segments, wherein each of the frame sync segments contains map and count information, wherein the map information designates locations of first and second data segments containing respective first and second data in the frames, and wherein the count information indicates a subsequent frame in which the map information changes, and wherein the map and count information is encoded;
• decoding the map and count information;
• storing the decoded map and count information in a memory;
• and,
• locating the first and second data segments in received frames according to the decoded map information.

A data transmitting method comprising:

• inserting map and count information into field sync segments of fields also containing data segments, wherein the map information designates locations of first and second data segments containing respective first and second data in the fields, and wherein the count information indicates a subsequent field in which the map information changes;
• inserting the first and second data in the respective first and second data segments as designated by the map information;
• and,
• transmitting the fields.

A data receiving method comprising:

• receiving current and next maps in respective successive fields of an ATSC compliant signal, wherein the current map indicates location of data in a current field and the next map indicates location of data in a subsequent field;
• inverting only one of the current and next maps;
• combining the inverted one of the current and next maps and the non-inverted other of the current and next maps;
• and,
• determining map information from the combined maps.

A data transmitting method comprising:

• inverting only one of a current map and a next map, wherein the current map indicates location of data in a current field and the next map indicates location of data in subsequent field;
• inserting the non-inverted one of the current map and the next map and the inverted one of the current map and the next map into corresponding fields;
• and,
• transmitting the fields.

A data receiving method comprising:

• receiving frames each comprising an odd field and an even field, wherein each of the fields has a field sync segment and a plurality of data segments, wherein the field sync segments contain map and count information, wherein the map and count information comprises a current map, a next map, and a frame count, wherein the current map is used to locate data segments that are contained in current frames and that are coded at different rates, wherein the next map is used to locate data segments that are contained in future frames and that are coded at different rates, wherein the count information indicates a subsequent frame in which the map information changes, wherein the current map is contained in a frame that leads the first frame to which it is to be applied by n frames, and wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to one;
• processing the map information to produce map outputs;
• and,
• locating the data segments according to the map outputs.

A data transmitting method comprising:

• inserting map and count information into field sync segments of odd and even fields of frames, wherein the map and count information comprises a current map, a next map, and a frame count, wherein the current map identifies data segments that are contained in current frames and that are coded at different rates, wherein the next map identifies data segments that are contained in future frames and that are coded at different rates, wherein the count information indicates a subsequent frame in which the map information changes, wherein the current map is contained in a frame that leads the first frame to which it is to be applied by n frames, and wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to one;
• inserting the data segments into the odd and even fields of the frames;
• and,
• transmitting the odd and even fields of the frames.