A first prototype of this interactive/multimedia mobile datacasting system has been developed. In May 1998, access to Internet services was demonstrated while driving the demonstration vehicle around. A number of industry partners have accepted to participate in this project by contributing their hardware and software products. Although most of the system components and a good portion of the software are items commercially available, not all the components could be found and some software had to be created to complete the integration of the system. This development is ongoing but at the time of writing, the experimental system has the following characteristics:
– Downlink: Up to 320 kbit/s of stream data using Eureka-147 DAB standard;
– Uplink: Up to 4.8 kbit/s using a packet data wireless communication system;
– Audio: Up to 5 CD-quality stereophonic programmes per DAB channel (trade off with data capacity);
– User interface: Easy to use software in a menu-driven web browser environment that integrates a touch screen, voice synthesis, keyboard and mouse.
– A number of additional functions will be added later in the course of the project, including:
– Voice recognition for hands-free control;
– Addressability and conditional access;
– A GPS receiver to provide route guidance and geo-coding capabilities.
Figure 3.2 shows a simplified block diagram of the complete transmission system. The Datacasting Server and the DAB transmission facilities used for this experiment are part of the Experimental DRB System in Ottawa (see the corresponding web site: http://www.drb.crc.ca/ottawa) and the CRC DRB Testbed.
FIGURE 3.2 [2025-032]
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