TM SYNCHRONIZATION AND CHANNEL CODING —SUMMARY OF CONCEPT AND RATIONALE
The TM Transfer Frame is a fixed length unit which was chosen to improve the ability to
synchronize the frame with weak signals such as those found on space-ground links, and for
compatibility with certain block oriented channel coding schemes. The (primary) header
contains frame identification, channel frame count information and frame data field status
information. An attached synchronization marker (ASM) signals the start of the TM Transfer
Frame.
The transfer frame data field may be followed by an optional trailer containing an operational
control field and/or a frame error control field. The first of these fields provides a standard
mechanism for incorporating a small number of real-time functions (e.g., telecommand
verification or spacecraft clock calibration). The error control field provides the capability for
detecting errors which may have been introduced into the frame during the data handling
process.
The delivery of transfer frames requires the services provided by the lower layers (e.g.,
carrier, modulation/detection, and coding/decoding) to accomplish its role.
2.2.4 CHANNEL CODING LAYER
TM Synchronization and Channel Coding is used to protect the transfer frames against
telemetry channel noise-induced errors. Reference [3] describes the CCSDS Recommended
Standard for TM Synchronization and Channel Coding, including specification of a
convolutional code, a Reed-Solomon block-oriented code, a concatenated coding system
consisting of a convolutional inner code and a Reed-Solomon outer code, and of turbo codes.
The basic data units of the CCSDS TM Synchronization and Channel Coding which interface
with the physical layer below are the Channel Symbols output by the channel encoder.
The RF channel physically modulates the channel symbols into RF signal patterns. Within
the error detecting and correcting capability of the channel code chosen, errors which occur
as a result of the physical transmission process may be detected and corrected by the
receiving entity.
Full advantage of all CCSDS Telemetry System services could be realized if a Project
complied with all CCSDS Recommended Standards. Alternatively, Projects can interface
with any layer of the Telemetry System as long as they meet the interface requirements as
specified in the Recommended Standards (references [2], [3], and [5]).
Figure 2-2 illustrates how the various telemetry data structures map into one another. There
is presently no attempt to define the data structures of the top two layers of the telemetry
system; i.e., the Application Process layer and the System Management layer. The Source
Packets are placed into the data field of the Transfer Frame. An attached synchronization
marker is always used, as shown in figure 2-2.
CCSDS 130.1-G-1 Page 2-4 June 2006