Combining transponder bandwidths for source and forward error correction encoding efficiency

摘要

An apparatus and method for combining transponder bandwidths comprises a wide-band virtual transponder for transmitting a single data stream. The wide-band virtual transponder is comprised of a plurality of narrow-band physical transponders. A plurality of elementary streams are statistically multiplexed to create the single data stream, wherein the single data stream is forward error correction encoded and demultiplexed into a plurality of transponder streams for transmission by the plurality of physical transponders. The physical transponders each use a different portion of a signal spectrum, wherein the different portion may be guard bands or a combination of legacy bands and guard bands. Upon receipt, the transponder streams are multiplexed to recover the single data stream, wherein the recovered single data stream is forward error correction decoded and statistically demultiplexed to recover the plurality of elementary streams.