Patent ID: 7327818

Claim:
A sync pattern detection apparatus comprising: a sync pattern detection unit configured to detect a sync pattern from an input signal; a first sync pattern protection units configured to protect the sync pattern detected by the sync pattern detection unit; a second sync pattern protection unit configured to protect the sync pattern detected by the sync pattern detection unit; a reliability evaluation unit configured to evaluate reliabilities of a first and a second sync pattern protection situations by the first and second sync pattern protection units; and a selection unit configured to select a sync pattern protected by one of the first and the second sync pattern protection unit, on the basis of reliability evaluation of the first and the second sync pattern protection situations by the reliability evaluation unit, wherein the first sync pattern protection unit is synchronized by a sync pattern detected on the basis of a window signal generated at a first timing, the second sync pattern protection unit is synchronized by a sync pattern detected on the basis of a window signal generated at a second timing that is different from the first timing, and the second sync pattern protection unit always detects regions corresponding to the window signal generated at the second timing except regions corresponding to the window signal generated at the first timing of the first sync pattern protection unit.