VSB communication system

A VSB reception system for receiving a data field comprising multiplexed MPEG data and supplemental data, comprising:

• a VSB receiver for receiving the data field through an antenna;
• a multiplexing information detector for detecting multiplexing information from the data field, wherein the multiplexing information contains at least information for determining a demultiplexing rule to segregate MPEG data segments from supplemental data segments in the data field;
• a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the data field in response to the demultiplexing rule to produce the MPEG data and a coded supplemental data;
• and
• a supplemental data decoder for decoding the coded supplemental data from the demultiplexer to obtain the supplemental data.

A VSB signal segment format for used in a VSB transmission system with a supplemental data coder and a VSB reception system with a supplemental data decoder, the VSB transmission system transmitting at least one data field containing MPEG and supplemental data segments, the signal segment format comprising:

• a segment synchronizing symbol area;
• at least one PN sequence symbol area;
• a VSB mode symbol area;
• a precode symbol area;
• and
• a reserved area having multiplexing information for deciphering the position of the supplemental data segments in the data field.

A VSB signal segment format for used in a VSB transmission system with a supplemental data coder and a VSB reception system with a supplemental data decoder, the VSB transmission system transmitting at least one data field containing MPEG and supplemental data segments, the signal segment format comprising:

• a first area for storing a current ‘P’ value, wherein P represents a number of supplemental data packets in the current field;
• a second area for storing a count down value before changing the current ‘P’ value;
• and
• a third area for storing a next P value to be changed.

A method for processing MPEG and coded supplemental data packets in a VSB reception system having a supplemental data decoder to generate the supplemental data packets from the coded supplemental data packets, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) detecting multiplexing information from a data field received by the VSB reception system, the multiplexing information indicating a number of the supplemental data packets which is used to determine a demultiplexing rule required for separating supplemental data packets and the MPEG data packets from the data field;
• (b) demultiplexing the data field into the MPEG data packets and the coded supplemental data packet by using the determined demultiplexing rule;
• and
• (c) using the supplemental data decoder, decoding the coded supplemental data packets to obtain the supplemental data packets.