Architecture for Efficient Local Content Insertion in ATSC 3.0 SFNs

This paper presents a novel approach for seamless and efficient local content insertion in Single Frequency Network (SFN) networks. In practical deployments, the proposed architecture supports content replacement with services of varying bitrates, as long as they conform to the Physical Layer Pipes (PLP’s) configured capacity. This work proposes the introduction of a new entity, Stream Processor, close to the transmitter facilities, which supports dynamic local content management without altering the ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway or central headend configuration. Moreover, this method ensures that synchronization, a key aspect of SFN networks, is maintained without duplicating or modifying signaling data. Finally, the presented technique has been tested with commercial ATSC 3.0 hardware and software components, demonstrating reliable reception, compatibility with standard receivers, and resilience under Studio-to-Transmitter Link Transport Protocol (STLTP) network stress conditions.