CA2220918C - Logical and composite channel mapping in an mpeg network - Google Patents
Logical and composite channel mapping in an mpeg network Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2220918C CA2220918C CA002220918A CA2220918A CA2220918C CA 2220918 C CA2220918 C CA 2220918C CA 002220918 A CA002220918 A CA 002220918A CA 2220918 A CA2220918 A CA 2220918A CA 2220918 C CA2220918 C CA 2220918C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- logical channel
- service
- program
- decoder
- channel
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
- H04N21/438—Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving MPEG packets from an IP network
- H04N21/4383—Accessing a communication channel
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
- H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
- H04N21/236—Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
- H04N21/2362—Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
- H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
- H04N21/434—Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
- H04N21/4345—Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/47—End-user applications
- H04N21/482—End-user interface for program selection
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N7/00—Television systems
- H04N7/08—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division
- H04N7/087—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only
- H04N7/088—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only the inserted signal being digital
- H04N7/0887—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only the inserted signal being digital for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N7/00—Television systems
- H04N7/10—Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N5/00—Details of television systems
- H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
- H04N5/50—Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
Abstract
The Logical Channel Table (LCT), utilizing simple conventional channels or Composite Channels, provides mapping between a Logical Channel Number (LCN) representing a service and the transport stream (TSID) / program number (PN) on which the service can be found. The LCT entry contains a Composite Channel Indicator (CCI), which when set to ' 1', indicates that the selected channel is a composite channel thereby indicating the home channel of the Composite Channel. The LCT provides the Composite Channel Table (CCT) to the decoder (10) so that the tuner (12) can be returned to the actual program designated in the CCT for current viewing. Each entry in the CCT associates a Composite Channel Number (CCN) with a LCN and represents the "present" definition for the composite channel. As time progresses, the CCN is used as a "pointer" to the LCN which is the currently active service for the composite channel. These tables work with conventional MPEG-2 service definitions to decode multi-service transport streams.
Description
hOGICAL AND COMPOSITE CH~.~NNEL MAPPING IN AN MPEG NETWORK
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION,' Field of the Invention The present application relates to a multi-service communications system in which a plurality of different services are transmitted to subscribers over one or more different frequency channels. More particularly, the present invention relate, to the transmission of a Logical Channel Table (LCT) which provides an abstraction between network parameters, such as transport stream ID and program number, and application :layer elements, such as program guides or numeric channel ;selections, and to the transmission of a Composite Channel Table (CCT) which supports a time-sequenced concatenation of services from possibly different multiplexes so that the concatenation of services appears as a single service requiring no intervention on the part,of the subscriber.
Description of the Prior Art In accordance with the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1), one or more programs are combined into a single transport stream for transmission. Data from each elementary stream are multiplexed together with information that allows synchronized presentation of the elementary streams within a program. Generally, a transport stream consists of one or more programs, and the audio and video elementary streams consist of access units. As known to those familiar with the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION,' Field of the Invention The present application relates to a multi-service communications system in which a plurality of different services are transmitted to subscribers over one or more different frequency channels. More particularly, the present invention relate, to the transmission of a Logical Channel Table (LCT) which provides an abstraction between network parameters, such as transport stream ID and program number, and application :layer elements, such as program guides or numeric channel ;selections, and to the transmission of a Composite Channel Table (CCT) which supports a time-sequenced concatenation of services from possibly different multiplexes so that the concatenation of services appears as a single service requiring no intervention on the part,of the subscriber.
Description of the Prior Art In accordance with the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1), one or more programs are combined into a single transport stream for transmission. Data from each elementary stream are multiplexed together with information that allows synchronized presentation of the elementary streams within a program. Generally, a transport stream consists of one or more programs, and the audio and video elementary streams consist of access units. As known to those familiar with the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC
- 2 -13818-1), a program is a collection of elementary streams with a common timebase. In other words, a program consists of all the elementary streams which refer to a common Program Clock Reference (PCR) clock. The elementary stream data is carried in Packetized Elementary Stream (PES) packets, where a PES packet consists of a PES packet header followed by packet data. The PES packets are inserted into transport stream packets for transmission. The PES packet header may contain decoding and presentation time stamps (DTS and PTS) as well as other optional fields. Transport stream packets, on the other hand, begin w~_th a 4 byte prefix containing the 13 bit packet ID (PID). The PID identifies, via four Program Specific Information (PSI) tables, the contents of the data contained in the transport stream packet payload.
In the context of the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) transport stream, acquiring programs requires information from each of the four Program Specif is Information (PSI) tables defined by the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IE;C 13818-1) specification. These tables are the Network Infc>rmation Table (NIT), the Program Association Table (PAT), the: Program Map Table (PMT) and the Conditional Access Table (CAT), and are typically segmented into sections and inserted in transport stream packets. Upon receipt at the decoder, theae tables are searched for the desired parameters and need not necessarily be stored locally since they are frequently retransmitted..
The NI'T specifies the mapping between transport stream IDs and network physical parameters such as tuning frequencies, transponder numbers, and the like. If an NIT is present, it must be encapsulated in an MPEG-2 private section. The PAT specifies the packet identifiers (PIDs) for the packets which carry Program Map Tables (PMTS) for the components of o:ne or more programs on a transport stream. In other words, the PAT associates a program number with the transport packets that carry the PMT for that program. The PAT is always sent in packets with PID=0. The PMT specifies the PIDs and therefore which elementary streams and WO 96137999 PGT/IJS96/0942~
In the context of the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) transport stream, acquiring programs requires information from each of the four Program Specif is Information (PSI) tables defined by the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IE;C 13818-1) specification. These tables are the Network Infc>rmation Table (NIT), the Program Association Table (PAT), the: Program Map Table (PMT) and the Conditional Access Table (CAT), and are typically segmented into sections and inserted in transport stream packets. Upon receipt at the decoder, theae tables are searched for the desired parameters and need not necessarily be stored locally since they are frequently retransmitted..
The NI'T specifies the mapping between transport stream IDs and network physical parameters such as tuning frequencies, transponder numbers, and the like. If an NIT is present, it must be encapsulated in an MPEG-2 private section. The PAT specifies the packet identifiers (PIDs) for the packets which carry Program Map Tables (PMTS) for the components of o:ne or more programs on a transport stream. In other words, the PAT associates a program number with the transport packets that carry the PMT for that program. The PAT is always sent in packets with PID=0. The PMT specifies the PIDs and therefore which elementary streams and WO 96137999 PGT/IJS96/0942~
- 3 -descriptors are associated to form each program. The PMT
also indicates the PID of the transport stream packets which carry the Program Clock Reference (PCR) for each program, where the PCR is a ~~anapshot" of the original 27 MHz system time clock of the program. The PMT further indicates stream types, elementary PIDs, program numbers of "virtual channels," conditional access entitlement control messages (ECMs), and the like of packets that make up a particular program. The CAT is used when scrambling is employed and specifies the PIDs of conditional access packets used by decoders to gain entitlements for programs on transport streams. The CAT associates one or more Entitlement Management Message (EMM) and 8ntitlement Control Message (ECM) streams and other conditional access data with a unique PID and uses a CA descriptor to specify CA linkages and private data. The CAT is always found in PID=1. Several other related structures have been defined by the Digital Video Broadcasters (DVB) group to provide descriptions and access methods for services. These structures and related information are known collectively as the DVB Service Information (SI) and are currently specified as BTSI prETS
300 468 (Draft - November 1994). Further information regarding the above-referenced tables may be found by referring to the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1).
In addition to these existing MPEG-2 Systems Standards (ISO/IEC 13818-1) and DVB structures, there are at least two other sources of information that might be used in the tuning process, namely, selections from Electronic Programming Guides (EPG) and direct "channel" selection by the subscriber. As known by those skilled in the art, the EPG ie an application that allows subscribers to discover and select their desired programs. The EPG provides the mapping from a human-readable program name, icon, and the like to a specific program as defined, for example, by the MPEG-2 Systetne Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1). The EPG typically needs the subscriber to select a service, which, in turn,
also indicates the PID of the transport stream packets which carry the Program Clock Reference (PCR) for each program, where the PCR is a ~~anapshot" of the original 27 MHz system time clock of the program. The PMT further indicates stream types, elementary PIDs, program numbers of "virtual channels," conditional access entitlement control messages (ECMs), and the like of packets that make up a particular program. The CAT is used when scrambling is employed and specifies the PIDs of conditional access packets used by decoders to gain entitlements for programs on transport streams. The CAT associates one or more Entitlement Management Message (EMM) and 8ntitlement Control Message (ECM) streams and other conditional access data with a unique PID and uses a CA descriptor to specify CA linkages and private data. The CAT is always found in PID=1. Several other related structures have been defined by the Digital Video Broadcasters (DVB) group to provide descriptions and access methods for services. These structures and related information are known collectively as the DVB Service Information (SI) and are currently specified as BTSI prETS
300 468 (Draft - November 1994). Further information regarding the above-referenced tables may be found by referring to the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1).
In addition to these existing MPEG-2 Systems Standards (ISO/IEC 13818-1) and DVB structures, there are at least two other sources of information that might be used in the tuning process, namely, selections from Electronic Programming Guides (EPG) and direct "channel" selection by the subscriber. As known by those skilled in the art, the EPG ie an application that allows subscribers to discover and select their desired programs. The EPG provides the mapping from a human-readable program name, icon, and the like to a specific program as defined, for example, by the MPEG-2 Systetne Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1). The EPG typically needs the subscriber to select a service, which, in turn,
- 4 -identifies the program number and transport stream ID of the selected program. The format and content of typical EPGs are known to those skilled in the art. For example, a description of an EPG assigned to the same assignee as the present invention is given by Hamilton et al. in U.S. Patent
5,579,055, and entitled "Electronic Program Guide and Text Channel Data Controller." However, in simpler applications, program selections may be accomplished through direct selection of the "channel" number by the subscriber. This could be achieved, for example, via a numeric. keypad remote control where the subscriber selects a number which represents a "channel" (or service) and enters that number directly into the set top unit (STU).
To support "channel hopping" by the subscriber, a list of "contiguous" channels must be available. That is, there must exist a way to associate individual channels together as an ordered list so that "up/down", "+/-" or "increment/decrement" keys will cause the set top unit to tune to the "next" channel in the program listing.
In addition to the access modes described above, it is desirable to support services which are "composites" of other services. That is, a subscriber may subscribe to a service which is composed of, for example, all football games on the network, even though those games are sourced from different individual services such as off-air channels, satellite-distributed sports networks, or digital storage media (for "classic" games, for example). This composite service should be "transparent" so that no intervention for re-tuning is required of the subscriber in order to receive all such programming. A system of this type is described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,359,601 and 5,418,782, both also assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
However, in order to adapt the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) to accommodate.the subscriber selections from an EPG and program selections including composite services, additional structures to those mentioned _ CA 02220918 1997-11-12 above for use in MPEG-2 systems are required. This is so because the serva.ce provider desires the flexibility of moving programs around to different transport streams and different frequencies without having to update the EPG
service provider of each and every change. The present invention has been developed to provide such structures so that the desired functionality can be provided in a manner that is "transparent" to the subscriber as well as to the EPG
service provider"
SZJI~iARY OF THE INVENTION
A system which provides the above-mentioned functionality is described which includes two additional structures for addition to the Digital Video Broadcasters (DVB) Program Spescific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI): the Logical Channel Table (LCT) and the Composite Channe:L Table (CC'.T). As described herein, the LCT
provides the mapping between a Logical Channel Number (LCN) representing a service and the transport stream/program number on which 'the service can be found. LCT entries may designate either simple conventional channels or Composite Channels as described herein. Preferably, the LCT contains a Composite Channel Indicator (CCI), which when set to '1', indicates that the selected channel is a composite channel.
In this case, the LCT entry gives the home channel of the Composite Channel. Genera:Lly, the home channel is a channel for the basic service provided by the Composite Channel. In accordance with the invention, the home channel provides the CCT to the decoder so that the tuner can be retuned to the actual program designated :Ln the CCT for current viewing. In other words, the Composite Channels provide a time-sequenced variable mapping from the LCN to the transport stream ID and program number o~n that transport stream which contains the current program for the Composite Channel.
The Composite Channels are defined in the Composite Channel Table (C'CT). Each entry in the CCT associates a Composite Channel Number (CGT1) with a LCN. Each CCT entry WO 96/37999 PGTlUS96/07421 ~- 6 -represents the "present" definition for the composite channel, and will contain a simple LCN. The simple LCN is used as a key to the LCT to determine the transport stream ID
and program number for the service components in the usual way. As time progresses, the entry for a specific CCN will change. That is, a new (simple) LCN will become associated with it. This approach uses the CCN as a "pointer" to the LCN which is the currently active service for the composite channel. Thus, at: any one point in time, a specific composite channel may "point" to one, and only one, simple logical channel, which is called the "present logical channel." Thus, a "Composite Channel" as described herein is essentially a dynamic virtual service which is a collection of programs from different conventional (logical) channels.
For example, a "composite channel" may be the "Western Channel" which is actually any of a number of actual channels at any given time which contains a program identified as a "western."
As used herein, the logical channels and composite channels apply to only one network. Thus, each network may have its own collection of logical and composite channels.
Moreover, it should be noted. that the CCT does not provide the same functionality as the Event Information Table (EIT) in the DVB Service Information. The EIT specifies a collection of events which are a time-sequence of the same service. That is, the EIT divides a single service into individual entities called events. On the other hand, the CCT associates portions of c'iifferent services into a time sequence that appears as a single service from the subscriber's viewpoint. Such distinctions will become apparent to those skilled iii the art from the following detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAtiJINGS
The above: and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from t:he following detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of an MPEG-2 decoder modified to include a Logical Channel Table and a Composite Channel Table in accordance with the invention.
FIGURE 2 illustrates direct logical channel tuning in accordance with the invention.
FIGURE 3 illustrates composite channel tuning in accordance with the invention.
FIGURE 4 illustrates the transition of a composite channel from one program to another in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPT:CON OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1-4. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the description given herein with respect to those figures is for exemplary purposes only and is not intended in any way to limit the scope o:E.the invention. All questions regarding the scope of the :invention may be resolved by referring to the appended claims.
FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of an MPEG-2 decoder 10 relating a Logical Channel Table (LCT) and a Composite Channel Table (CC'r) with each other and with other MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) physical service information structures. The decoder 10 of FIGURE 1 receives via a cable, satellite feed, optical fiber link, and the like, a data stream such as an MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) transport stream of the type described above. In accordance with the invention, the data stream encodes the LCT a:nd CCT onto predetermined PIDs of the wo ~~ rcrnrs9wo~4=~
_8_ transport stream, although the PID for the CCT may be determined using a conventional MPSG-2 demultiplexing procedure. The LCT and CCT are then transmitted as part of the transport stream in the conventional manner using a conventional transmission system of the type illustrated in the afore-mentioned U.S. Patent Nos. 5,359,601 and 5,418,782.
In FIGURE 1, a tuner 12 is tuned by decoder 10 to the frequency carrying the desired service (program).
Optionally, the frequency is determined from a Network Information Table (NIT) 36 (described below) which is stored at the set top unit (STU). The transport stream carried at the selected frequency is provided to system data processor 14, which selects from the transport stream those data packets having PIDs known to contain certain control data.
For example, certain PIDs in each transport stream contain the NIT 36, the Program Association Table (PAT) 38, the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 and the Conditional Access Table (CAT) 42. In accordance With the invention, other PIDs in each transport stream may further contain a Logical Channel Table (LCT) 32 and a Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34.
Arrows from system data processor 14 to each table in Figure 1 are intended to illustrate this relationship.
Service component damultiplexer 16 receives the transport stream from system data processor 14 as well as the information from PAT 38, PMT 40, and CAT 42 needed to demultiplex the service components of the selected program from the transport stream. The demultiplexing technique itself is well known to those skilled in the art, while the technique for generating the table parameters in accordance With the invention will be described in more detail below.
Upon removal from the transport stream, the video (V) and closed captibned (CC) components are processed by a video processor 18 and presented to video teraninal 20 in a conventional manner. Similarly, the audio (A) component is processed by audio processor 22 and presented to speakers) 24.
_ g _ As~noted above, the present invention is designed to accommodate Ele:etronic Programming Guide (EPG) service providers by providing a mechanism that allows service providers to freely move programs around to different frequencies and transport streams without having to constantly update the EPG service providers of such changes.
In accordance with the invention, this is accomplished by introducing two additional structures for addition to the DVB
Service Information (SI): the Logical Channel Table (LCT) 32 and the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34. The LCT 32 provides the mapp_~ng between the Logical Channel Number (LCN) representing a se~_vice and the transport stream/program number on which the service can be found. LCT 32 entries may designate either aimple conventional channels or Composite Channels. Preferably, the hCT 32 contains a Composite Channel Indicator (CCI), which when set to '1', indicates that the selected channel is a composite channel. In this case, the LCT 32 entry gives the home channel of the Composite Channel. Generally, the home channel-is a logical channel that is guaranteed to carry the CCT 34 for the basic service provided by the Composite Channel. In accordance with the invention, the home channel provides the CCT 34 to the decoder 10 so that the tuner 12 can be retuned to the actual program designated in the CCT 34 for current viewing.
In other words, the Composite Channels provide a time-sequenced variable mapping from the LCN to the transport stream ID and program number on that transport stream which contains the current program for the Composite Channel.
The Composite Channels are defined in the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34. Each entry in the CCT 34 associates a Composite Channel Number (CCN) with a LCN. Each CCT 34 entry represents the "present" definition for the composite channel, and will contain a simple LCN. The simple LCN is used as a key to the LCT 32 to determine the transport stream ID and program number for the service components in the usual way. As time progresses, the entry for a specific CCN will change. That is, a new (simple) LCN will become associated with it. This approach uses the CCN as a "pointer" to the LCN which is the currently active service for the composite channel. Thus, at any one point in time, a specific composite channel may "point" to one, and only one, simple logical channel, which is called the "present logical channel." Thus, a "Composite Channel" as described herein is essentially a dynamic virtual service which is a collection of programs from different conventional channels. For example, a "composite channel" may be the "Western Channel"
which is actually any of a number of actual channels at any given time which c:ontains a :program identified as a "western."
As used Izerein, the logical channels and composite channels apply to only one network. Thus, each network may have its own colle=ction of logical and composite channels.
Moreover, it shou7.d be noted that the CCT 34 does not provide the same functionality as the Event Information Table (EIT) in the DVB Service: Information. The EIT specifies a collection of events which are a time-sequence of the same service. That is,, the EIT divides a single service into individual entitiea called events. On the other hand, the CCT 34 associates portions of different services into a time sequence that appe=ars as a single service from the subscriber's viewpoint.
During o=peration, a subscriber either selects a channel directly using his or her remote control unit 26 or selects a program (movie) from EPG 28. In either case, a Logical Channel Number (LCN) defining a service by its transport stream :ID (TSID) a.nd program number (PN) is provided to a service selection switch 30. Service selection switch 30 may comprise an infrared transceiver for receiving the LCN from the :remote control unit 26 and/or a display device which displays the channel selection to the user on an LED display on the set top unit (STU) containing the decoder 10, on a computer screen, or on the television display itself. Service .selection switch 30 provides the LCN to the LCT 32 in accorda=nce with the invention. The LCT 32 is transmitted on a predetermined PID of the transport stream and has the following LCT s~lntax definition in the syntax of the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1):
Logical Channel Table Syntax Definition Syntax No. of Bits Mnemonic logical channel section(){
table id 8 uimsbf .l. 1 bslbf private indicator 1 bslbf reserved 2 bslbf private section length 12 uimsbf table id exte~asioa 16 uimsbf reserved 2 bslbf version number 5 uimsbf currant next indicator 1 bslbf section number 8 uimsbf last section number 8 uimsbf logical channel number 32 uimsbf composite channel indicator 1 bslbf reserved 7 bslbf if(composite_channel indicator=='0'{
transport stream id 16 uimsbf program number 16 uimsbf else {
home channel 32 uimsbf CRC 32 32 rpchof L
WO 96!37999 PCT/U596/07421 The fields in the LCT 32 have similar definitions to those used for 'the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1). In particular, the following are standard MPEG-2 Systems Standards fields. The table id is an 8-bit field, the value of which identifies the Private Table this section belongs to. The private_i:ndicator is a 1 bit user definable flag, while the private section length is a 12-bit field which specifies the number of remaining bytes in the private section immediately following the private section length field. The table id extension is a 16-bit field defined by the user, while the version number is a 5-bit field containing the version number of the private section. The version number is incremented by 1 when a change in the information carried within the private_section occurs. Upon reaching value 31, it wraps around to 0. When the current next indicator is set to "0", then the version number is that of the next applicable private section with the same table id and section number. The current next indicator is a 1-bit field, which when set t:o "1" indicates that the private section sent is currently applicable. When the current next indicator is set to "1", then the version number is that of the currently applicable private section. When the bit is set to "0", it indicates that the private section sent is not yet applicable and will be the next private section with the same section number and table-id to become valid. The section number is an 8-bit field which gives the number o~f the private section. The section number of the first section in a private table is 0x00. The section number is incremented by 1 with each additional section in this private table. The last section number is an 8-bit field which specifies s:.he number of the last section (that is, the section with the highest section number) of the private table of which this ;section is a part. The CRC 32 is a 32-bit field that contains the CRC value that gives a zero output of the registers in tine decoder after processing the entire private secaion.
wo 96r37sss PGT/I1S96/07421 -~ 13 -In accordance with the invention, additional fields are added to implement the logical channel and composite channel functions of the invention. In particular, the logical channel_number is a 32-bit field which specifies the number of the logical channel, while the composite channel _indicator is a 1~-bit field, which when set'to "1" indicates that the section actually refers to a composite channel.
When the composite channel-indicator is set to "1", the logical channel definition contains a home channel field.
However, when the composite_channel indicator is set to "0", the section describes a logical channel and contains the logical. channel's transport stream ID and program number.
The transport stream_id (TS1:D) is a 16-bit field which defines the number of the transport stream carrying the logical channel. The TSID is used as a key to the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 to determine the frequency carrying the desired logica7_ channel. The program number (PN) is a 16-bit field which specifies the program (service) that carries the components of the desired logical channel.
The PN is used as a key to t:he Program Associate Table (PAT) 38 to retrieve the PID on the specified transport stream that carries the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 defining the desired logical channel. Finally, l.he home channel is a 32-bit field which defines. the logical channel that is guaranteed to carry the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34 associated with the specified composite channel.
Before accessing a service, a set top unit (STU) cannot determine whether the service is simple or composite.
In either case, the STU first reads the LCT 32. If a composite channel. has been selected, the corresponding entry in the LCT 32 gives the "home channel" for the composite service. In accordance with the invention, the home channel i.s just a simple logical channel which carries the Composite Channel Table (CC'.T) 34 associated with the specified composite channel. The CCT 34 is then also carried in every transport stream in which one of the components of the composite channel are found. Thus, the STU can automatically monitor the CCT 34,. As will be described below with respect to FIGURES 3 and 4, when the definition of the selected composite channel =~n the CCT 34 changes, the decoder 10 can automatically re-tune to the new, "current logical channel", ' thus acquiring the new service, without any action being taken by the user.
Preferably, the CCT 34 is transmitted as a simple logical channel buts may also be transmitted on a predetermined PID of the transport stream of the home channel. In accordance with the invention, CCT 34 has the following CCT syntax definition in the syntax of the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (:ISO/IEC 13818-1):
.ItE ChaI7IIE1 1'dl~lE .Syl2L:ax LerWl~ZOn gynt~ No. of Bite Mnemonic composite channel section ( ) {
table_id 8 uimsbf .l. ' 1 bslbf private indicator 1 bslbf reserved 2 bslbf private sectionlength 12 uimsbf table id extenF~ion 16 uimsbf reserved 2 bslbf version cumber 5 uimsbf current next indicator 1 bslbf section number 8 uimsbf last section number 8 uimsbf composite channel cumber 32 uimsbf logical channel cumber ~ 32 uimsbf CRC 32 32 rpchof The fields in the CCT have the same definitions as those used above to define the LCT. However, composite channel_number (CCN) and logical channel number (LCN) fields are added. The CCN is a 32-bit field which specifies the number of the composite channel. The decoder will use the LC'N field in sections of LCT 32 with the composite channel_indicator hit set to "1". The LCN, on the - l5 -other hand, is a 3~:-bit field which specifies the number of the logical channel. associated with the indicated composite channel.
Hence, once the subscriber selects the logical channel, the logical channel number is used as a key to LCT
32. If the logica7_ channel is not a composite channel, the TSID is used as a l~:ey to NIT 36 to determine the frequency to which decoder 10 tunes tuner 12. The PAT is extracted from the transport stream at that frequency for PID=0 packets.
The PN is used as a key to PAT 38 to extract the PID of the PMT 38. The designated PIDs at the determined frequency are then gathered to obtain the PMT 40. The PN is used as an input to PMT 40 to extract the elementary PIDs of the desired program as well as the PID of the Program Clock Reference (PCR). Finally, if encryption is used, a Conditional Access descriptor is also extracted from the PMT 40.
However, if the selected logical channel is a composite channel, additional steps are necessary. The logical channel number is used to access the LCT 32 as before. This time, the composite channel-indicator is set to "1." Therefore, tlhe home channel for that LCN is tuned by tuner 12 in order to extract the CCT 34 from predetermined PIDs of the home channel. The LCN is then used as the CCN to the CCT 34. The current LCN is then read from the CCT and used to access the LCT 32. 'fhe process then proceeds as before. The channel number a.n the composite channel is easily transitioned by changing the LCNs in the CCT 34 for the respective CCNs. This may be done without notifying the EPG service provider since the EPG 28 displays only the home LCN for the composite channel, which does not change.
Those skilled in then art will appreciate that it is possible for a single logica7_ channel to be a component of more than one composite channel simultaneously. For example, a single football game could be part of the "All Football Channel" and also part of the "Football Weekend" service. In this case, the composite channels may have the same home channel as well.
-~ 16 -Operation of the invention will now be explained with respect to F7:GURES 2-4 through examples illustrating the cooperation of the: respective tables, including LCT 32 and CCT 34. In each of the following examples, previous entitlement/authox-ization to the selected service is assumed.
FIGURE 2 illustrates an example in which the logical channel number (LCN) is provided directly by the subscriber using t:he remote control unit 26 or provided by the Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) 28 in response to subscriber selection of the desired movie using the remote control unit 26.
As illusi=rated in FIGURE 2, the EPG 28 or remote control unit 26 provides the decoder 10 with the logical channel number (LC:N) of the selected movie (program). In this case, the movie is Heidi, and the LCN is 182. Since logical channel i:~ not a composite channel (CCI=0), the decoder uses Lf'N 7_82 as a key for the LCT 32 and retrieves the MPEG Transport: Stream ID (TSID) and the program number (PN) for the selecaed movie. As indicated in LCT 32 in FIGURE 2, Heidi i.~ being delivered on transport stream 50, with a PN of 372.
The decoder 10 then. uses TSID 50 as a key to look up the frequency of the transport stream in Network Information Table (NIT) 36 which (in, for example, the cable case) is the 6/7/8 MHz slice of bandwidth carrying Heidi. As illustrated in NI'.C 36 in FIGURE 2, TSID 50 is being carried at 584 MHz. The decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to 584 MHz. The decoder 10 then reads PID 0 packets to acquire the Program Association Table (PAT) 38 for transport stream 50. Using PN 372 as a key, the decoder 10 retrieves from PAT 38 the P:CD on which the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 for the program is transmitted. As shown in FIGURE 2, PMT 40 is delivered on P:CD 71 of transport stream 50.
The decoder 10 then acquires PMT 40 for Heidi by reading packets with PID 71. The decoder 10 then retrieves from the PMT 40 a list of stream types and PIDs for Heidi, the Program Clock Reference (PCR) PID for Heidi, and the WO 96!37999 PCT/US96l074Z1 ._ 17 _ Conditional Access (CA) descriptor for each elementary stream in the program. From the CA descriptor, the decoder 10 finds the PIDs of Entit7_ement Control Messages (ECMs) for use in decoding the transport stream. The decoder l0 now has all the information it. requires to demultiplex and descramble the elementary components of Heidi at service component demultiplexer 16.
FIGURE 3 illustrates an example in which the subscriber selects Heidi Weekend from the EPG 28 using remote control unit 26. Heidi Weekend is a composite service and has been designated in the LCT 32 as a composite channel by setting CCI=1. In accordance with the invention, it is also defined in CCT 34..
As illusi~rated in FIGURE 3, the EPG 28 provides the decoder 10 with the logical channel number (LCN) of the selected program. In this case, the program is Heidi Weekend, and the LCN is 182. The decoder 10 uses LCN 182 as a key for the LCT 32. Because the Composite Channel Indicator (CCI) i:> set to "1" for this entry, the decoder 10 determines that He~idi Weekend (LCN 182) is a composite channel. The decoder 10 then tunes to the home channel (HC=178) specified for LCN 182. Because the home channel is itself a logical channel, this is a multi-step operation. As shown in FIGURE 3, the home channel for Heidi Weekend has an LCN=178, which is used as a key for LCT 32 for obtaining the transport stream 7.D. As shown in FIGURE 3, LCN 178 has a TSID=48, which is used as a key to the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 to determine that the home channel has a frequency of 572 MHz. Decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to the honne channel at 572 MHz.
Once it lzas acquired the home channel, the decoder reads the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34 sent on a predetermined PID of the transport stream transmitted at 572 MHz. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the decoder 10 uses LCN 182 as a key for the CCT 34 to determine the present logical channel mapping for Heidi Weekend, in this case, LCN=294. As noted above, the 7_ogical channel mapping of a composite WO 96!37999 PCT/US96/07421 _ 18 _ channel varies oven time and appears to the subscriber as a single channel even though the contents of numerous actual channels are provided. The status of the CCT 34 is checked by checking the version number of CCT 34. The decoder l0 then uses LCN 294 as a key for the LCT 32, to retrieve the MPEG Transport Stream ID (TSID) and the program number (PN) for the current movie. The current component in Heidi Weekend is "Heidi Goes To School," which, as shown in FIGURE
3, is being delivered on transport stream 50, with a PN of 372.
The decode°r 10 uses TSID 50 as a key to look up in the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 the frequency of the transport stream which (for example, in the cable case) is the 6/7/8 MHz slice: of bandwidth carrying "Heidi Goes To School." In this ease, TSID 50 is being carried on frequency 584 MHz. The decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to 584 MHz. As shown in FIGURE 3, the decoder 10 then reads PID 0 packets to acquire the transport stream's Program Association Table (PAT) 38. Using PN 372 as a key, the decoder ZO retrievea from the PAT 38 the PID on which the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 for the program is transmitted.
In this case, PMT 40 is delivered on PID 71 of transport stream 50 at 584 MHz.
As shown :in FIGURE 3, the decoder 10 then acquires the PMT 40 for "Heidi Goes To School" by reading packets with PID 71. The decoder 10 then retrieves from the PMT 40 a list of stream types and PIDs for the program, the Program Clock Reference (PCR) PII) for the program, and the Conditional Access (CA) descriptor for each elementary stream in the program. From the CA descriptor, the decoder 10 finds the PIDs of Entitlement. Control Messages (ECMs) for use in decoding the transport stream. The decoder 10 now has all the information it requires to demultiplex and descramble the elementary components of "Heidi Goes To School" at service component demultiplexer 16.
At the end of "Heidi Goes To School," the decoder must then tune t:o the next program in the Heidi Weekend WO 96/37999 PCT/L1S96/0'7421 g _ composite channel.. Decoder 10 transitions to the next program in a manner invisible to the subscriber by identifying when t:he version number of the CCT 34 changes and repeating the following steps of the tuning process.
As shown in FIGURE 4, a change in the version number of the CCT 34 from "1" to "2" causes the decoder 10 to determine that the mapping (which was LCN 294) has changed to LCN 194. The decoder 10 now uses LCN 194 as a key for the LCT 3:? to retrieve the MPEG Transport Stream ID
(TSID) and the program number (PN) for the selected movie.
As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the next installment in Heidi Weekend is "Heidi Goes On Holiday," which is being delivered on transport stream 75, with a PN of 14. The decoder 10 then uses TSID 75 as a key to look up in the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 the: frequency of the transport stream with TSID 75. As illustrated in FIGURE 4, TSID 75 is being carried at 376 MHa. The decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to 376 MHz. The decoder 10 then reads PID 0 packets to acquire the transport stream's Program Association Table (PAT) 38. iJsing PN 14 as a key, the decoder 10 retrieves from the, PAT 38 the PID on which the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 for "Heidi Goes On Holiday" is transmitted.
In this case, the PMT 40 is delivered on PID 71.
The decoder 10 then acquires the PMT 40 for "Heidi Goes On Holiday" by reading packets with PID 71. The decoder retrieves from the PMT 40 a list of stream types and PIDs for the program, 1=he PCR PID for the program, and the Conditional Acces:~ (CA) descriptor for each elementary stream in the program. L~'rom the CA. descriptor, the decoder 10 finds the PIDs of Entit:Lement Control Messages (ECMs) for use in decoding the tran:~port stream. The decoder 10 now has all the information ii. requires to demultiplex and descramble the elementary components of "Heidi Goes On Holiday" at service component demultiplexer 16.
Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications to the invention are possible within the scope of the :invention. For example, the techniques WO 96/37999 PCT/LTS96/0?421 - i:0 -described herein are: not limited to the provision of video services information or to the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1). Other types of digital information services such as CD--ROM libraries, digital audio, interactive video games (user to user), long distance learning and the like, may be accesse=d using the packet based digital networking techniques available under the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) or some other multiplexed data transmission standa~-~d in which different services with different program IDs (PIDs) are sent via different channels to different users connected to a digital network adapted to carry compressed video packets, ATM information, and the like. The acquired data may be displayed on a television, broadcast over a stesreo system, displayed on a CRT, or presented to the requester in some other known manner.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited by the prefesrred embodiment described above but only by the appended claims.
To support "channel hopping" by the subscriber, a list of "contiguous" channels must be available. That is, there must exist a way to associate individual channels together as an ordered list so that "up/down", "+/-" or "increment/decrement" keys will cause the set top unit to tune to the "next" channel in the program listing.
In addition to the access modes described above, it is desirable to support services which are "composites" of other services. That is, a subscriber may subscribe to a service which is composed of, for example, all football games on the network, even though those games are sourced from different individual services such as off-air channels, satellite-distributed sports networks, or digital storage media (for "classic" games, for example). This composite service should be "transparent" so that no intervention for re-tuning is required of the subscriber in order to receive all such programming. A system of this type is described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,359,601 and 5,418,782, both also assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
However, in order to adapt the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) to accommodate.the subscriber selections from an EPG and program selections including composite services, additional structures to those mentioned _ CA 02220918 1997-11-12 above for use in MPEG-2 systems are required. This is so because the serva.ce provider desires the flexibility of moving programs around to different transport streams and different frequencies without having to update the EPG
service provider of each and every change. The present invention has been developed to provide such structures so that the desired functionality can be provided in a manner that is "transparent" to the subscriber as well as to the EPG
service provider"
SZJI~iARY OF THE INVENTION
A system which provides the above-mentioned functionality is described which includes two additional structures for addition to the Digital Video Broadcasters (DVB) Program Spescific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI): the Logical Channel Table (LCT) and the Composite Channe:L Table (CC'.T). As described herein, the LCT
provides the mapping between a Logical Channel Number (LCN) representing a service and the transport stream/program number on which 'the service can be found. LCT entries may designate either simple conventional channels or Composite Channels as described herein. Preferably, the LCT contains a Composite Channel Indicator (CCI), which when set to '1', indicates that the selected channel is a composite channel.
In this case, the LCT entry gives the home channel of the Composite Channel. Genera:Lly, the home channel is a channel for the basic service provided by the Composite Channel. In accordance with the invention, the home channel provides the CCT to the decoder so that the tuner can be retuned to the actual program designated :Ln the CCT for current viewing. In other words, the Composite Channels provide a time-sequenced variable mapping from the LCN to the transport stream ID and program number o~n that transport stream which contains the current program for the Composite Channel.
The Composite Channels are defined in the Composite Channel Table (C'CT). Each entry in the CCT associates a Composite Channel Number (CGT1) with a LCN. Each CCT entry WO 96/37999 PGTlUS96/07421 ~- 6 -represents the "present" definition for the composite channel, and will contain a simple LCN. The simple LCN is used as a key to the LCT to determine the transport stream ID
and program number for the service components in the usual way. As time progresses, the entry for a specific CCN will change. That is, a new (simple) LCN will become associated with it. This approach uses the CCN as a "pointer" to the LCN which is the currently active service for the composite channel. Thus, at: any one point in time, a specific composite channel may "point" to one, and only one, simple logical channel, which is called the "present logical channel." Thus, a "Composite Channel" as described herein is essentially a dynamic virtual service which is a collection of programs from different conventional (logical) channels.
For example, a "composite channel" may be the "Western Channel" which is actually any of a number of actual channels at any given time which contains a program identified as a "western."
As used herein, the logical channels and composite channels apply to only one network. Thus, each network may have its own collection of logical and composite channels.
Moreover, it should be noted. that the CCT does not provide the same functionality as the Event Information Table (EIT) in the DVB Service Information. The EIT specifies a collection of events which are a time-sequence of the same service. That is, the EIT divides a single service into individual entities called events. On the other hand, the CCT associates portions of c'iifferent services into a time sequence that appears as a single service from the subscriber's viewpoint. Such distinctions will become apparent to those skilled iii the art from the following detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAtiJINGS
The above: and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from t:he following detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of an MPEG-2 decoder modified to include a Logical Channel Table and a Composite Channel Table in accordance with the invention.
FIGURE 2 illustrates direct logical channel tuning in accordance with the invention.
FIGURE 3 illustrates composite channel tuning in accordance with the invention.
FIGURE 4 illustrates the transition of a composite channel from one program to another in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPT:CON OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1-4. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the description given herein with respect to those figures is for exemplary purposes only and is not intended in any way to limit the scope o:E.the invention. All questions regarding the scope of the :invention may be resolved by referring to the appended claims.
FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of an MPEG-2 decoder 10 relating a Logical Channel Table (LCT) and a Composite Channel Table (CC'r) with each other and with other MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) physical service information structures. The decoder 10 of FIGURE 1 receives via a cable, satellite feed, optical fiber link, and the like, a data stream such as an MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) transport stream of the type described above. In accordance with the invention, the data stream encodes the LCT a:nd CCT onto predetermined PIDs of the wo ~~ rcrnrs9wo~4=~
_8_ transport stream, although the PID for the CCT may be determined using a conventional MPSG-2 demultiplexing procedure. The LCT and CCT are then transmitted as part of the transport stream in the conventional manner using a conventional transmission system of the type illustrated in the afore-mentioned U.S. Patent Nos. 5,359,601 and 5,418,782.
In FIGURE 1, a tuner 12 is tuned by decoder 10 to the frequency carrying the desired service (program).
Optionally, the frequency is determined from a Network Information Table (NIT) 36 (described below) which is stored at the set top unit (STU). The transport stream carried at the selected frequency is provided to system data processor 14, which selects from the transport stream those data packets having PIDs known to contain certain control data.
For example, certain PIDs in each transport stream contain the NIT 36, the Program Association Table (PAT) 38, the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 and the Conditional Access Table (CAT) 42. In accordance With the invention, other PIDs in each transport stream may further contain a Logical Channel Table (LCT) 32 and a Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34.
Arrows from system data processor 14 to each table in Figure 1 are intended to illustrate this relationship.
Service component damultiplexer 16 receives the transport stream from system data processor 14 as well as the information from PAT 38, PMT 40, and CAT 42 needed to demultiplex the service components of the selected program from the transport stream. The demultiplexing technique itself is well known to those skilled in the art, while the technique for generating the table parameters in accordance With the invention will be described in more detail below.
Upon removal from the transport stream, the video (V) and closed captibned (CC) components are processed by a video processor 18 and presented to video teraninal 20 in a conventional manner. Similarly, the audio (A) component is processed by audio processor 22 and presented to speakers) 24.
_ g _ As~noted above, the present invention is designed to accommodate Ele:etronic Programming Guide (EPG) service providers by providing a mechanism that allows service providers to freely move programs around to different frequencies and transport streams without having to constantly update the EPG service providers of such changes.
In accordance with the invention, this is accomplished by introducing two additional structures for addition to the DVB
Service Information (SI): the Logical Channel Table (LCT) 32 and the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34. The LCT 32 provides the mapp_~ng between the Logical Channel Number (LCN) representing a se~_vice and the transport stream/program number on which the service can be found. LCT 32 entries may designate either aimple conventional channels or Composite Channels. Preferably, the hCT 32 contains a Composite Channel Indicator (CCI), which when set to '1', indicates that the selected channel is a composite channel. In this case, the LCT 32 entry gives the home channel of the Composite Channel. Generally, the home channel-is a logical channel that is guaranteed to carry the CCT 34 for the basic service provided by the Composite Channel. In accordance with the invention, the home channel provides the CCT 34 to the decoder 10 so that the tuner 12 can be retuned to the actual program designated in the CCT 34 for current viewing.
In other words, the Composite Channels provide a time-sequenced variable mapping from the LCN to the transport stream ID and program number on that transport stream which contains the current program for the Composite Channel.
The Composite Channels are defined in the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34. Each entry in the CCT 34 associates a Composite Channel Number (CCN) with a LCN. Each CCT 34 entry represents the "present" definition for the composite channel, and will contain a simple LCN. The simple LCN is used as a key to the LCT 32 to determine the transport stream ID and program number for the service components in the usual way. As time progresses, the entry for a specific CCN will change. That is, a new (simple) LCN will become associated with it. This approach uses the CCN as a "pointer" to the LCN which is the currently active service for the composite channel. Thus, at any one point in time, a specific composite channel may "point" to one, and only one, simple logical channel, which is called the "present logical channel." Thus, a "Composite Channel" as described herein is essentially a dynamic virtual service which is a collection of programs from different conventional channels. For example, a "composite channel" may be the "Western Channel"
which is actually any of a number of actual channels at any given time which c:ontains a :program identified as a "western."
As used Izerein, the logical channels and composite channels apply to only one network. Thus, each network may have its own colle=ction of logical and composite channels.
Moreover, it shou7.d be noted that the CCT 34 does not provide the same functionality as the Event Information Table (EIT) in the DVB Service: Information. The EIT specifies a collection of events which are a time-sequence of the same service. That is,, the EIT divides a single service into individual entitiea called events. On the other hand, the CCT 34 associates portions of different services into a time sequence that appe=ars as a single service from the subscriber's viewpoint.
During o=peration, a subscriber either selects a channel directly using his or her remote control unit 26 or selects a program (movie) from EPG 28. In either case, a Logical Channel Number (LCN) defining a service by its transport stream :ID (TSID) a.nd program number (PN) is provided to a service selection switch 30. Service selection switch 30 may comprise an infrared transceiver for receiving the LCN from the :remote control unit 26 and/or a display device which displays the channel selection to the user on an LED display on the set top unit (STU) containing the decoder 10, on a computer screen, or on the television display itself. Service .selection switch 30 provides the LCN to the LCT 32 in accorda=nce with the invention. The LCT 32 is transmitted on a predetermined PID of the transport stream and has the following LCT s~lntax definition in the syntax of the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1):
Logical Channel Table Syntax Definition Syntax No. of Bits Mnemonic logical channel section(){
table id 8 uimsbf .l. 1 bslbf private indicator 1 bslbf reserved 2 bslbf private section length 12 uimsbf table id exte~asioa 16 uimsbf reserved 2 bslbf version number 5 uimsbf currant next indicator 1 bslbf section number 8 uimsbf last section number 8 uimsbf logical channel number 32 uimsbf composite channel indicator 1 bslbf reserved 7 bslbf if(composite_channel indicator=='0'{
transport stream id 16 uimsbf program number 16 uimsbf else {
home channel 32 uimsbf CRC 32 32 rpchof L
WO 96!37999 PCT/U596/07421 The fields in the LCT 32 have similar definitions to those used for 'the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1). In particular, the following are standard MPEG-2 Systems Standards fields. The table id is an 8-bit field, the value of which identifies the Private Table this section belongs to. The private_i:ndicator is a 1 bit user definable flag, while the private section length is a 12-bit field which specifies the number of remaining bytes in the private section immediately following the private section length field. The table id extension is a 16-bit field defined by the user, while the version number is a 5-bit field containing the version number of the private section. The version number is incremented by 1 when a change in the information carried within the private_section occurs. Upon reaching value 31, it wraps around to 0. When the current next indicator is set to "0", then the version number is that of the next applicable private section with the same table id and section number. The current next indicator is a 1-bit field, which when set t:o "1" indicates that the private section sent is currently applicable. When the current next indicator is set to "1", then the version number is that of the currently applicable private section. When the bit is set to "0", it indicates that the private section sent is not yet applicable and will be the next private section with the same section number and table-id to become valid. The section number is an 8-bit field which gives the number o~f the private section. The section number of the first section in a private table is 0x00. The section number is incremented by 1 with each additional section in this private table. The last section number is an 8-bit field which specifies s:.he number of the last section (that is, the section with the highest section number) of the private table of which this ;section is a part. The CRC 32 is a 32-bit field that contains the CRC value that gives a zero output of the registers in tine decoder after processing the entire private secaion.
wo 96r37sss PGT/I1S96/07421 -~ 13 -In accordance with the invention, additional fields are added to implement the logical channel and composite channel functions of the invention. In particular, the logical channel_number is a 32-bit field which specifies the number of the logical channel, while the composite channel _indicator is a 1~-bit field, which when set'to "1" indicates that the section actually refers to a composite channel.
When the composite channel-indicator is set to "1", the logical channel definition contains a home channel field.
However, when the composite_channel indicator is set to "0", the section describes a logical channel and contains the logical. channel's transport stream ID and program number.
The transport stream_id (TS1:D) is a 16-bit field which defines the number of the transport stream carrying the logical channel. The TSID is used as a key to the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 to determine the frequency carrying the desired logica7_ channel. The program number (PN) is a 16-bit field which specifies the program (service) that carries the components of the desired logical channel.
The PN is used as a key to t:he Program Associate Table (PAT) 38 to retrieve the PID on the specified transport stream that carries the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 defining the desired logical channel. Finally, l.he home channel is a 32-bit field which defines. the logical channel that is guaranteed to carry the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34 associated with the specified composite channel.
Before accessing a service, a set top unit (STU) cannot determine whether the service is simple or composite.
In either case, the STU first reads the LCT 32. If a composite channel. has been selected, the corresponding entry in the LCT 32 gives the "home channel" for the composite service. In accordance with the invention, the home channel i.s just a simple logical channel which carries the Composite Channel Table (CC'.T) 34 associated with the specified composite channel. The CCT 34 is then also carried in every transport stream in which one of the components of the composite channel are found. Thus, the STU can automatically monitor the CCT 34,. As will be described below with respect to FIGURES 3 and 4, when the definition of the selected composite channel =~n the CCT 34 changes, the decoder 10 can automatically re-tune to the new, "current logical channel", ' thus acquiring the new service, without any action being taken by the user.
Preferably, the CCT 34 is transmitted as a simple logical channel buts may also be transmitted on a predetermined PID of the transport stream of the home channel. In accordance with the invention, CCT 34 has the following CCT syntax definition in the syntax of the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (:ISO/IEC 13818-1):
.ItE ChaI7IIE1 1'dl~lE .Syl2L:ax LerWl~ZOn gynt~ No. of Bite Mnemonic composite channel section ( ) {
table_id 8 uimsbf .l. ' 1 bslbf private indicator 1 bslbf reserved 2 bslbf private sectionlength 12 uimsbf table id extenF~ion 16 uimsbf reserved 2 bslbf version cumber 5 uimsbf current next indicator 1 bslbf section number 8 uimsbf last section number 8 uimsbf composite channel cumber 32 uimsbf logical channel cumber ~ 32 uimsbf CRC 32 32 rpchof The fields in the CCT have the same definitions as those used above to define the LCT. However, composite channel_number (CCN) and logical channel number (LCN) fields are added. The CCN is a 32-bit field which specifies the number of the composite channel. The decoder will use the LC'N field in sections of LCT 32 with the composite channel_indicator hit set to "1". The LCN, on the - l5 -other hand, is a 3~:-bit field which specifies the number of the logical channel. associated with the indicated composite channel.
Hence, once the subscriber selects the logical channel, the logical channel number is used as a key to LCT
32. If the logica7_ channel is not a composite channel, the TSID is used as a l~:ey to NIT 36 to determine the frequency to which decoder 10 tunes tuner 12. The PAT is extracted from the transport stream at that frequency for PID=0 packets.
The PN is used as a key to PAT 38 to extract the PID of the PMT 38. The designated PIDs at the determined frequency are then gathered to obtain the PMT 40. The PN is used as an input to PMT 40 to extract the elementary PIDs of the desired program as well as the PID of the Program Clock Reference (PCR). Finally, if encryption is used, a Conditional Access descriptor is also extracted from the PMT 40.
However, if the selected logical channel is a composite channel, additional steps are necessary. The logical channel number is used to access the LCT 32 as before. This time, the composite channel-indicator is set to "1." Therefore, tlhe home channel for that LCN is tuned by tuner 12 in order to extract the CCT 34 from predetermined PIDs of the home channel. The LCN is then used as the CCN to the CCT 34. The current LCN is then read from the CCT and used to access the LCT 32. 'fhe process then proceeds as before. The channel number a.n the composite channel is easily transitioned by changing the LCNs in the CCT 34 for the respective CCNs. This may be done without notifying the EPG service provider since the EPG 28 displays only the home LCN for the composite channel, which does not change.
Those skilled in then art will appreciate that it is possible for a single logica7_ channel to be a component of more than one composite channel simultaneously. For example, a single football game could be part of the "All Football Channel" and also part of the "Football Weekend" service. In this case, the composite channels may have the same home channel as well.
-~ 16 -Operation of the invention will now be explained with respect to F7:GURES 2-4 through examples illustrating the cooperation of the: respective tables, including LCT 32 and CCT 34. In each of the following examples, previous entitlement/authox-ization to the selected service is assumed.
FIGURE 2 illustrates an example in which the logical channel number (LCN) is provided directly by the subscriber using t:he remote control unit 26 or provided by the Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) 28 in response to subscriber selection of the desired movie using the remote control unit 26.
As illusi=rated in FIGURE 2, the EPG 28 or remote control unit 26 provides the decoder 10 with the logical channel number (LC:N) of the selected movie (program). In this case, the movie is Heidi, and the LCN is 182. Since logical channel i:~ not a composite channel (CCI=0), the decoder uses Lf'N 7_82 as a key for the LCT 32 and retrieves the MPEG Transport: Stream ID (TSID) and the program number (PN) for the selecaed movie. As indicated in LCT 32 in FIGURE 2, Heidi i.~ being delivered on transport stream 50, with a PN of 372.
The decoder 10 then. uses TSID 50 as a key to look up the frequency of the transport stream in Network Information Table (NIT) 36 which (in, for example, the cable case) is the 6/7/8 MHz slice of bandwidth carrying Heidi. As illustrated in NI'.C 36 in FIGURE 2, TSID 50 is being carried at 584 MHz. The decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to 584 MHz. The decoder 10 then reads PID 0 packets to acquire the Program Association Table (PAT) 38 for transport stream 50. Using PN 372 as a key, the decoder 10 retrieves from PAT 38 the P:CD on which the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 for the program is transmitted. As shown in FIGURE 2, PMT 40 is delivered on P:CD 71 of transport stream 50.
The decoder 10 then acquires PMT 40 for Heidi by reading packets with PID 71. The decoder 10 then retrieves from the PMT 40 a list of stream types and PIDs for Heidi, the Program Clock Reference (PCR) PID for Heidi, and the WO 96!37999 PCT/US96l074Z1 ._ 17 _ Conditional Access (CA) descriptor for each elementary stream in the program. From the CA descriptor, the decoder 10 finds the PIDs of Entit7_ement Control Messages (ECMs) for use in decoding the transport stream. The decoder l0 now has all the information it. requires to demultiplex and descramble the elementary components of Heidi at service component demultiplexer 16.
FIGURE 3 illustrates an example in which the subscriber selects Heidi Weekend from the EPG 28 using remote control unit 26. Heidi Weekend is a composite service and has been designated in the LCT 32 as a composite channel by setting CCI=1. In accordance with the invention, it is also defined in CCT 34..
As illusi~rated in FIGURE 3, the EPG 28 provides the decoder 10 with the logical channel number (LCN) of the selected program. In this case, the program is Heidi Weekend, and the LCN is 182. The decoder 10 uses LCN 182 as a key for the LCT 32. Because the Composite Channel Indicator (CCI) i:> set to "1" for this entry, the decoder 10 determines that He~idi Weekend (LCN 182) is a composite channel. The decoder 10 then tunes to the home channel (HC=178) specified for LCN 182. Because the home channel is itself a logical channel, this is a multi-step operation. As shown in FIGURE 3, the home channel for Heidi Weekend has an LCN=178, which is used as a key for LCT 32 for obtaining the transport stream 7.D. As shown in FIGURE 3, LCN 178 has a TSID=48, which is used as a key to the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 to determine that the home channel has a frequency of 572 MHz. Decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to the honne channel at 572 MHz.
Once it lzas acquired the home channel, the decoder reads the Composite Channel Table (CCT) 34 sent on a predetermined PID of the transport stream transmitted at 572 MHz. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the decoder 10 uses LCN 182 as a key for the CCT 34 to determine the present logical channel mapping for Heidi Weekend, in this case, LCN=294. As noted above, the 7_ogical channel mapping of a composite WO 96!37999 PCT/US96/07421 _ 18 _ channel varies oven time and appears to the subscriber as a single channel even though the contents of numerous actual channels are provided. The status of the CCT 34 is checked by checking the version number of CCT 34. The decoder l0 then uses LCN 294 as a key for the LCT 32, to retrieve the MPEG Transport Stream ID (TSID) and the program number (PN) for the current movie. The current component in Heidi Weekend is "Heidi Goes To School," which, as shown in FIGURE
3, is being delivered on transport stream 50, with a PN of 372.
The decode°r 10 uses TSID 50 as a key to look up in the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 the frequency of the transport stream which (for example, in the cable case) is the 6/7/8 MHz slice: of bandwidth carrying "Heidi Goes To School." In this ease, TSID 50 is being carried on frequency 584 MHz. The decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to 584 MHz. As shown in FIGURE 3, the decoder 10 then reads PID 0 packets to acquire the transport stream's Program Association Table (PAT) 38. Using PN 372 as a key, the decoder ZO retrievea from the PAT 38 the PID on which the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 for the program is transmitted.
In this case, PMT 40 is delivered on PID 71 of transport stream 50 at 584 MHz.
As shown :in FIGURE 3, the decoder 10 then acquires the PMT 40 for "Heidi Goes To School" by reading packets with PID 71. The decoder 10 then retrieves from the PMT 40 a list of stream types and PIDs for the program, the Program Clock Reference (PCR) PII) for the program, and the Conditional Access (CA) descriptor for each elementary stream in the program. From the CA descriptor, the decoder 10 finds the PIDs of Entitlement. Control Messages (ECMs) for use in decoding the transport stream. The decoder 10 now has all the information it requires to demultiplex and descramble the elementary components of "Heidi Goes To School" at service component demultiplexer 16.
At the end of "Heidi Goes To School," the decoder must then tune t:o the next program in the Heidi Weekend WO 96/37999 PCT/L1S96/0'7421 g _ composite channel.. Decoder 10 transitions to the next program in a manner invisible to the subscriber by identifying when t:he version number of the CCT 34 changes and repeating the following steps of the tuning process.
As shown in FIGURE 4, a change in the version number of the CCT 34 from "1" to "2" causes the decoder 10 to determine that the mapping (which was LCN 294) has changed to LCN 194. The decoder 10 now uses LCN 194 as a key for the LCT 3:? to retrieve the MPEG Transport Stream ID
(TSID) and the program number (PN) for the selected movie.
As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the next installment in Heidi Weekend is "Heidi Goes On Holiday," which is being delivered on transport stream 75, with a PN of 14. The decoder 10 then uses TSID 75 as a key to look up in the Network Information Table (NIT) 36 the: frequency of the transport stream with TSID 75. As illustrated in FIGURE 4, TSID 75 is being carried at 376 MHa. The decoder 10 then instructs its tuner 12 to tune to 376 MHz. The decoder 10 then reads PID 0 packets to acquire the transport stream's Program Association Table (PAT) 38. iJsing PN 14 as a key, the decoder 10 retrieves from the, PAT 38 the PID on which the Program Map Table (PMT) 40 for "Heidi Goes On Holiday" is transmitted.
In this case, the PMT 40 is delivered on PID 71.
The decoder 10 then acquires the PMT 40 for "Heidi Goes On Holiday" by reading packets with PID 71. The decoder retrieves from the PMT 40 a list of stream types and PIDs for the program, 1=he PCR PID for the program, and the Conditional Acces:~ (CA) descriptor for each elementary stream in the program. L~'rom the CA. descriptor, the decoder 10 finds the PIDs of Entit:Lement Control Messages (ECMs) for use in decoding the tran:~port stream. The decoder 10 now has all the information ii. requires to demultiplex and descramble the elementary components of "Heidi Goes On Holiday" at service component demultiplexer 16.
Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications to the invention are possible within the scope of the :invention. For example, the techniques WO 96/37999 PCT/LTS96/0?421 - i:0 -described herein are: not limited to the provision of video services information or to the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1). Other types of digital information services such as CD--ROM libraries, digital audio, interactive video games (user to user), long distance learning and the like, may be accesse=d using the packet based digital networking techniques available under the MPEG-2 Systems Standard (ISO/IEC 13818-1) or some other multiplexed data transmission standa~-~d in which different services with different program IDs (PIDs) are sent via different channels to different users connected to a digital network adapted to carry compressed video packets, ATM information, and the like. The acquired data may be displayed on a television, broadcast over a stesreo system, displayed on a CRT, or presented to the requester in some other known manner.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited by the prefesrred embodiment described above but only by the appended claims.
Claims (10)
1. A decoder for extracting service information for a particular data service from a broadband data stream containing a plurality of service transport streams carrying a plurality of data services, comprising:
means for selecting said particular data service from said plurality of data services by specifying a logical channel number;
a tuner which selects a frequency containing service components of said particular data service;
processing means for extracting a logical channel table from said service components, said logical channel table mapping said logical channel number to a particular service transport stream and a program number of said particular service transport stream on which said particular data service can be found; and means for extracting said particular data service from said broadband data stream by specifying said particular service transport stream and said program number corresponding to said logical channel number selected by said selecting means.
means for selecting said particular data service from said plurality of data services by specifying a logical channel number;
a tuner which selects a frequency containing service components of said particular data service;
processing means for extracting a logical channel table from said service components, said logical channel table mapping said logical channel number to a particular service transport stream and a program number of said particular service transport stream on which said particular data service can be found; and means for extracting said particular data service from said broadband data stream by specifying said particular service transport stream and said program number corresponding to said logical channel number selected by said selecting means.
2. A decoder as in claim 1, wherein said selecting means comprises a remote control unit which a user uses to enter said logical channel number.
3. A decoder as in claim 1, wherein said selecting means comprises an electronic program guide which maps logical channel numbers to particular data services and a remote control unit which a user uses to select said particular data service from said electronic program guide.
4. A decoder as in claim 1, wherein said processing means uses a transport stream ID of said particular service transport stream corresponding to said logical channel number in said logical channel table as a key to a network information table for determining said frequency tuned by said tuner.
5. A decoder as in claim 4, wherein said processing means uses said program number corresponding to said logical channel number in said logical channel table as a key to a program association table transmitted at said frequency for extracting a key to a program map table for said particular data service.
6. A decoder as in claim 1, wherein said processing means further extracts a composite channel table from said service components, said composite channel table comprising a composite channel number and a current logical channel number, said composite channel number being a time-sequenced variable mapping of a logical channel number specified by said selecting means to said current logical channel number, and said current logical channel number identifying a program currently being transmitted on a channel identified by said selected logical channel number.
7. A decoder as in claim 6, wherein said processing means uses said current logical channel number as a key to said logical channel table to determine a service transport stream ID and a program number of said program currently being transmitted on said channel identified by said selected logical channel number.
8. A decoder as in claim 7, wherein said logical channel table includes means for indicating whether said logical channel number is a time-sequenced variable mapping of said logical channel number specified by said selecting means to said current logical channel number and, if so, for identifying a home channel on which said composite channel table can be found.
9. A decoder as in claim 8, wherein said home channel is used by said processing means as a key to said logical channel table to determine a service transport stream ID of said home channel, and said composite channel table is transmitted at a predetermined location within a service transport stream of said home channel.
10. A decoder as in claim 9, wherein said processing means determines when a logical channel number related to a particular composite channel number has changed to a new logical channel number and said processing means uses said new logical channel number as said key to said logical channel table to determine said service transport stream ID and said program number of said program currently being transmitted on said channel identified by said selected logical channel number.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US08/446,322 US5600378A (en) | 1995-05-22 | 1995-05-22 | Logical and composite channel mapping in an MPEG network |
US08/446,322 | 1995-05-22 | ||
PCT/US1996/007421 WO1996037999A1 (en) | 1995-05-22 | 1996-05-21 | Logical and composite channel mapping in an mpeg network |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
CA2220918A1 CA2220918A1 (en) | 1996-11-28 |
CA2220918C true CA2220918C (en) | 2005-02-15 |
Family
ID=23772156
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
CA002220918A Expired - Lifetime CA2220918C (en) | 1995-05-22 | 1996-05-21 | Logical and composite channel mapping in an mpeg network |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US5600378A (en) |
EP (1) | EP0827669B1 (en) |
JP (2) | JP4146895B2 (en) |
AU (1) | AU5870896A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2220918C (en) |
DE (1) | DE69629370T2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1996037999A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (173)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7168084B1 (en) | 1992-12-09 | 2007-01-23 | Sedna Patent Services, Llc | Method and apparatus for targeting virtual objects |
US9286294B2 (en) | 1992-12-09 | 2016-03-15 | Comcast Ip Holdings I, Llc | Video and digital multimedia aggregator content suggestion engine |
US6583825B1 (en) * | 1994-11-07 | 2003-06-24 | Index Systems, Inc. | Method and apparatus for transmitting and downloading setup information |
US20030213001A1 (en) * | 1994-11-07 | 2003-11-13 | Index Systems, Inc. | Method and apparatus for transmitting and downloading setup information |
US7224798B2 (en) * | 1995-04-03 | 2007-05-29 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for providing a partial dual-encrypted stream in a conditional access overlay system |
US6937729B2 (en) * | 1995-04-03 | 2005-08-30 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Representing entitlements to service in a conditional access system |
US8548166B2 (en) * | 1995-04-03 | 2013-10-01 | Anthony J. Wasilewski | Method for partially encrypting program data |
US6215530B1 (en) * | 1995-05-22 | 2001-04-10 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Logical and composite channel mapping in an MPEG network |
CA2179223C (en) * | 1995-06-23 | 2009-01-06 | Manfred Von Willich | Method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a signal decoder in a broadcasting system |
US6172988B1 (en) * | 1996-01-31 | 2001-01-09 | Tiernan Communications, Inc. | Method for universal messaging and multiplexing of video, audio, and data streams |
US5801782A (en) * | 1996-03-21 | 1998-09-01 | Samsung Information Systems America | Analog video encoder with metered closed caption data on digital video input interface |
HRP970160A2 (en) * | 1996-04-03 | 1998-02-28 | Digco B V | Method for providing a secure communication between two devices and application of this method |
US5844478A (en) * | 1996-05-31 | 1998-12-01 | Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. | Program specific information formation for digital data processing |
US5844595A (en) * | 1996-05-31 | 1998-12-01 | Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. | Decoding of digital data including program specific information |
US5946045A (en) * | 1996-08-01 | 1999-08-31 | Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. | System for forming program guides and video data for storage and transmission in different coding formats |
US5946052A (en) * | 1996-08-01 | 1999-08-31 | Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. | System for acquiring and processing video data and program guides transmitted in different coding formats |
FR2752351B1 (en) * | 1996-08-09 | 2001-09-07 | Thomson Multimedia Sa | METHOD FOR INDEXING DATA IN A DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSMISSION SYSTEM |
EP0827336B1 (en) * | 1996-08-30 | 2003-10-15 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | Digital broadcasting system, digital broadcasting apparatus, and associated receiver therefor |
US6728269B1 (en) | 1996-09-05 | 2004-04-27 | Hughes Electronics Corporation | Device and method for efficient delivery of redundant national television signals |
US7292604B2 (en) * | 1996-09-05 | 2007-11-06 | The Directv Group, Inc. | Device and method for efficient delivery of redundant national television signals |
US5886995A (en) * | 1996-09-05 | 1999-03-23 | Hughes Electronics Corporation | Dynamic mapping of broadcast resources |
JPH10126752A (en) * | 1996-10-23 | 1998-05-15 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Broadcast system |
KR100261706B1 (en) * | 1996-12-17 | 2000-07-15 | 가나이 쓰도무 | Digital broadcasting signal receiving device and, receiving and recording/reproducing apparatus |
US5982411A (en) * | 1996-12-18 | 1999-11-09 | General Instrument Corporation | Navigation among grouped television channels |
US6157673A (en) * | 1996-12-26 | 2000-12-05 | Philips Electronics North America Corp. | Fast extraction of program specific information from multiple transport streams |
US6252634B1 (en) * | 1997-01-10 | 2001-06-26 | Index Systems, Inc. | Method and apparatus for transmitting and downloading setup information |
EP0854650A3 (en) * | 1997-01-17 | 2001-05-02 | NOKIA TECHNOLOGY GmbH | Method for addressing a service in digital video broadcasting |
US6407692B1 (en) * | 1997-01-22 | 2002-06-18 | Broadcom Corporation | Analog to digital converter |
US5850218A (en) * | 1997-02-19 | 1998-12-15 | Time Warner Entertainment Company L.P. | Inter-active program guide with default selection control |
NZ500204A (en) * | 1997-03-21 | 2001-12-21 | Canal Plus Sa | Extracting data from MPEG bitstream using MPEG section characteristic |
US6047317A (en) * | 1997-03-28 | 2000-04-04 | International Business Machines Corporation | System and method for enabling a user to rapidly access images in cyclically transmitted image streams |
US6369861B1 (en) * | 1997-03-31 | 2002-04-09 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | Program selection system for a digital television receiver |
JPH10290440A (en) * | 1997-04-14 | 1998-10-27 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Method, device for transmitting digital broadcast and digital broadcast reproducing device |
US5943605A (en) * | 1997-04-16 | 1999-08-24 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Arrangement for controlling extraction of data from a broadband digital stream employing a symbol table for translating symbolic program names to program and channel numbers |
US5933192A (en) * | 1997-06-18 | 1999-08-03 | Hughes Electronics Corporation | Multi-channel digital video transmission receiver with improved channel-changing response |
US6111611A (en) * | 1997-07-10 | 2000-08-29 | Thomson Consumer Electronics | System for forming and processing program specific information suitable for terrestrial, cable or satellite broadcast |
US6115074A (en) * | 1997-07-10 | 2000-09-05 | Ozkan; Mehmet Kemal | System for forming and processing program map information suitable for terrestrial, cable or satellite broadcast |
US6031577A (en) * | 1997-07-10 | 2000-02-29 | Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. | System for forming and processing program specific information containing text data for terrestrial, cable or satellite broadcast |
US6111612A (en) * | 1997-07-10 | 2000-08-29 | Thomson Consumer Electronics | System for forming and processing text data for use in program specific information for broadcast |
EP0893921A1 (en) * | 1997-07-25 | 1999-01-27 | Scientific Atlanta, Inc. | Programmable two-level packet filter |
US7515712B2 (en) * | 1997-08-01 | 2009-04-07 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Mechanism and apparatus for encapsulation of entitlement authorization in conditional access system |
US6588014B1 (en) * | 1997-09-26 | 2003-07-01 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | System and method for digital communication |
US7150029B1 (en) * | 1997-10-14 | 2006-12-12 | Thomson Licensing | System for formatting and processing multimedia program data and program guide information |
JP3465813B2 (en) * | 1997-10-29 | 2003-11-10 | 日本ビクター株式会社 | Digital broadcast receiving apparatus and digital information recording / reproducing apparatus |
JP2001507913A (en) * | 1997-11-03 | 2001-06-12 | コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エレクトロニクス エヌ ヴィ | Apparatus having insertion means for identifying an encoded digital data transmission information packet stream by additional information |
EP0917356A1 (en) * | 1997-11-17 | 1999-05-19 | CANAL+ Société Anonyme | Packet filtering |
US6321382B1 (en) * | 1998-01-05 | 2001-11-20 | Amiga Development, Llc | System for resolving channel selection in a multi-channel convergence system |
US6483547B1 (en) * | 1998-03-03 | 2002-11-19 | General Instrument Corporation | Transmission signal ID for analog television broadcasts |
US6792616B1 (en) * | 1998-05-01 | 2004-09-14 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | System and method for providing a plurality of programming services in a television system |
US8584255B2 (en) * | 1999-05-05 | 2013-11-12 | Sony United Kingdom Limited | Networked conditional access module |
JP2002518900A (en) * | 1998-06-09 | 2002-06-25 | インデックス システムズ インコーポレイテッド | Database for use in an apparatus and method for displaying television programs and associated text |
JP4114234B2 (en) * | 1998-06-09 | 2008-07-09 | ソニー株式会社 | Signal processing apparatus, receiving apparatus, and signal processing method |
JP4643826B2 (en) * | 1998-06-12 | 2011-03-02 | コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エレクトロニクス エヌ ヴィ | DVB television system, transmitter and receiver |
US8286207B1 (en) * | 1998-07-13 | 2012-10-09 | Thomson Licensing | System for processing programs and system timing information derived from multiple broadcast sources |
JP2000032414A (en) * | 1998-07-16 | 2000-01-28 | Sony Corp | Channel setting method and receiver thereof |
US7091968B1 (en) * | 1998-07-23 | 2006-08-15 | Sedna Patent Services, Llc | Method and apparatus for encoding a user interface |
US9924234B2 (en) | 1998-07-23 | 2018-03-20 | Comcast Ip Holdings I, Llc | Data structure and methods for providing an interactive program |
EP1097587A1 (en) * | 1998-07-23 | 2001-05-09 | Diva Systems Corporation | Interactive user interface |
US6584153B1 (en) | 1998-07-23 | 2003-06-24 | Diva Systems Corporation | Data structure and methods for providing an interactive program guide |
US6754905B2 (en) | 1998-07-23 | 2004-06-22 | Diva Systems Corporation | Data structure and methods for providing an interactive program guide |
DE69834396T2 (en) | 1998-09-01 | 2007-02-22 | Irdeto Access B.V. | Secure data signal transmission system |
EP0984630B1 (en) | 1998-09-01 | 2006-08-23 | Irdeto Access B.V. | Data communication system |
US6661472B2 (en) * | 1998-09-30 | 2003-12-09 | Sony Corporation | Channel selection in digital television |
US6137539A (en) * | 1998-10-09 | 2000-10-24 | Matshushita Electric Industrial Co, Ltd | Digital television status display |
US6313886B1 (en) * | 1998-10-14 | 2001-11-06 | Sony Corporation | Automatic PSIP detection system and method |
US6675385B1 (en) | 1998-10-21 | 2004-01-06 | Liberate Technologies | HTML electronic program guide for an MPEG digital TV system |
US6604243B1 (en) * | 1998-11-10 | 2003-08-05 | Open Tv | System and method for information filtering |
US6732370B1 (en) * | 1998-11-30 | 2004-05-04 | Diva Systems Corporation | Service provider side interactive program guide encoder |
KR100308037B1 (en) * | 1998-12-31 | 2001-11-09 | 구자홍 | Method for parsing Event Information Table of digital television |
US6691311B1 (en) * | 1999-02-12 | 2004-02-10 | Sony Corporation | Digital signal receiving apparatus and receiving method |
KR100539525B1 (en) * | 1999-03-16 | 2005-12-29 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Data architecture of service information |
US6486892B1 (en) * | 1999-04-07 | 2002-11-26 | Joseph L. Stern | System and method for accessing, manipulating and viewing internet and non-internet related information and for controlling networked devices |
JP3784201B2 (en) * | 1999-04-09 | 2006-06-07 | パイオニア株式会社 | CATV viewing control system |
US6704359B1 (en) * | 1999-04-15 | 2004-03-09 | Diva Systems Corp. | Efficient encoding algorithms for delivery of server-centric interactive program guide |
US6651252B1 (en) | 1999-10-27 | 2003-11-18 | Diva Systems Corporation | Method and apparatus for transmitting video and graphics in a compressed form |
US7519982B1 (en) * | 1999-04-15 | 2009-04-14 | Comcast Ip Holdings I, Llc | Efficient delivery of interactive program guide using demand-cast |
US6614843B1 (en) | 1999-04-15 | 2003-09-02 | Diva Systems Corporation | Stream indexing for delivery of interactive program guide |
US7096487B1 (en) | 1999-10-27 | 2006-08-22 | Sedna Patent Services, Llc | Apparatus and method for combining realtime and non-realtime encoded content |
US6621870B1 (en) * | 1999-04-15 | 2003-09-16 | Diva Systems Corporation | Method and apparatus for compressing video sequences |
US6754271B1 (en) | 1999-04-15 | 2004-06-22 | Diva Systems Corporation | Temporal slice persistence method and apparatus for delivery of interactive program guide |
US6904610B1 (en) * | 1999-04-15 | 2005-06-07 | Sedna Patent Services, Llc | Server-centric customized interactive program guide in an interactive television environment |
US6978471B1 (en) | 1999-05-25 | 2005-12-20 | Thomson Licensing S.A. | System for acquiring and processing broadcast programs and program guide data |
US7024676B1 (en) | 1999-05-25 | 2006-04-04 | Thomson Licensing | System for acquiring and processing broadcast programs, program guide and channel identification data |
US8255956B2 (en) * | 1999-06-28 | 2012-08-28 | Cox Communications, Inc. | System and method for delivery of short-time duration video segments |
US6993782B1 (en) | 1999-07-16 | 2006-01-31 | Thomson Licensing | Program guide information and processor for providing program and channel substitution |
WO2001010122A1 (en) * | 1999-07-28 | 2001-02-08 | Sony Electronics, Inc. | Digital television receiving system |
EP1073263A1 (en) * | 1999-07-28 | 2001-01-31 | Sarnoff Corporation | Acquiring data from a bitstream |
US7406706B1 (en) * | 1999-07-28 | 2008-07-29 | Sony Corporation | Method and system for devices efficiently sharing information regarding the content of a digital television bit-stream |
US6708335B1 (en) * | 1999-08-18 | 2004-03-16 | Webtv Networks, Inc. | Tracking viewing behavior of advertisements on a home entertainment system |
US6704929B1 (en) * | 1999-08-18 | 2004-03-09 | Webtv Networks, Inc. | Tracking viewing behavior of a home entertainment system |
JP3408469B2 (en) * | 1999-09-14 | 2003-05-19 | 松下電器産業株式会社 | Receiving system |
KR100311479B1 (en) * | 1999-10-06 | 2001-10-18 | 구자홍 | Method and apparatus for controlling channel of digital TV |
US9094727B1 (en) | 1999-10-27 | 2015-07-28 | Cox Communications, Inc. | Multi-functional user interface using slice-based encoding |
CA2388606C (en) * | 1999-10-27 | 2009-12-29 | Diva Systems Corporation | Picture-in-picture and multiple video streams using slice-based encoding |
US7032239B1 (en) | 2000-02-24 | 2006-04-18 | Intel Corporation | Providing content description and connection information in digital broadcast networks |
GB0006095D0 (en) * | 2000-03-15 | 2000-05-03 | Pace Micro Tech Ltd | Digital data processing from multiple streams of data |
JP2001326875A (en) * | 2000-05-16 | 2001-11-22 | Sony Corp | Image processing unit and image processing method, and recording medium |
JP4915026B2 (en) * | 2000-05-17 | 2012-04-11 | ソニー株式会社 | Video processing apparatus, video processing method, and recording medium |
US6621528B1 (en) * | 2000-05-22 | 2003-09-16 | Sony Corporation | Channel control for digital television |
EP1158798A1 (en) * | 2000-05-25 | 2001-11-28 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Method and device for the reception of broadcast contents by subscribers |
EP1158707A1 (en) * | 2000-05-25 | 2001-11-28 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Method and apparatus for the transmission of broadcasts |
US6751713B1 (en) * | 2000-06-05 | 2004-06-15 | Sony Corporation | Method and system for scheduled activation of system information tables in digital transport streams |
KR20020034246A (en) * | 2000-10-31 | 2002-05-09 | 구자홍 | Method for controlling channel tuning of digital TV |
JP2002223400A (en) * | 2001-01-25 | 2002-08-09 | Funai Electric Co Ltd | Broadcast receiver having on-screen display function for channel information |
US8091112B1 (en) * | 2001-02-28 | 2012-01-03 | Keen Personal Technologies, Inc. | System and a method for transmitting and receiving a program with improved efficiency |
US7158185B2 (en) * | 2001-05-01 | 2007-01-02 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Method and apparatus for tagging media presentations with subscriber identification information |
US20020194589A1 (en) * | 2001-05-08 | 2002-12-19 | Cristofalo Michael | Technique for optimizing the delivery of advertisements and other programming segments by making bandwidth tradeoffs |
JP3632205B2 (en) * | 2001-05-15 | 2005-03-23 | 船井電機株式会社 | Receiver |
US7568212B2 (en) * | 2001-05-29 | 2009-07-28 | Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. | Digital broadcasting receiver |
US7895616B2 (en) * | 2001-06-06 | 2011-02-22 | Sony Corporation | Reconstitution of program streams split across multiple packet identifiers |
US7127619B2 (en) * | 2001-06-06 | 2006-10-24 | Sony Corporation | Decoding and decryption of partially encrypted information |
EP1276323A1 (en) * | 2001-07-13 | 2003-01-15 | France Telecom | Method for broadcasting multimedia signals towards a plurality of terminals |
US7793326B2 (en) | 2001-08-03 | 2010-09-07 | Comcast Ip Holdings I, Llc | Video and digital multimedia aggregator |
US7908628B2 (en) | 2001-08-03 | 2011-03-15 | Comcast Ip Holdings I, Llc | Video and digital multimedia aggregator content coding and formatting |
US7292690B2 (en) | 2002-01-02 | 2007-11-06 | Sony Corporation | Video scene change detection |
US7302059B2 (en) * | 2002-01-02 | 2007-11-27 | Sony Corporation | Star pattern partial encryption |
US7155012B2 (en) | 2002-01-02 | 2006-12-26 | Sony Corporation | Slice mask and moat pattern partial encryption |
US7215770B2 (en) | 2002-01-02 | 2007-05-08 | Sony Corporation | System and method for partially encrypted multimedia stream |
US7823174B2 (en) * | 2002-01-02 | 2010-10-26 | Sony Corporation | Macro-block based content replacement by PID mapping |
FR2835371B1 (en) * | 2002-01-31 | 2004-04-16 | Viaccess Sa | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING ACCESS MESSAGE MANAGEMENT MESSAGE |
MXPA04009782A (en) * | 2002-04-08 | 2004-12-13 | Thomson Licensing Sa | Apparatus and method for data caching to reduce channel change delay. |
US8818896B2 (en) * | 2002-09-09 | 2014-08-26 | Sony Corporation | Selective encryption with coverage encryption |
US20040111746A1 (en) * | 2002-12-04 | 2004-06-10 | Khoi Hoang | IP to DVB subchannel mapping |
US7227583B2 (en) * | 2002-12-11 | 2007-06-05 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Digital TV method for switching channel automatically |
FR2851396A1 (en) * | 2003-02-17 | 2004-08-20 | Thomson Licensing Sa | METHOD FOR INITIALIZING A DIGITAL DECODER AND DECODER IMPLEMENTING SUCH A METHOD |
US7409702B2 (en) * | 2003-03-20 | 2008-08-05 | Sony Corporation | Auxiliary program association table |
US7292692B2 (en) * | 2003-03-25 | 2007-11-06 | Sony Corporation | Content scrambling with minimal impact on legacy devices |
JP2007502048A (en) * | 2003-08-07 | 2007-02-01 | コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エレクトロニクス エヌ ヴィ | Channel number sorting for digital television |
US7286667B1 (en) | 2003-09-15 | 2007-10-23 | Sony Corporation | Decryption system |
US20050097596A1 (en) * | 2003-10-31 | 2005-05-05 | Pedlow Leo M.Jr. | Re-encrypted delivery of video-on-demand content |
US7853980B2 (en) * | 2003-10-31 | 2010-12-14 | Sony Corporation | Bi-directional indices for trick mode video-on-demand |
US7620180B2 (en) * | 2003-11-03 | 2009-11-17 | Sony Corporation | Preparation of content for multiple conditional access methods in video on demand |
US20050102702A1 (en) * | 2003-11-12 | 2005-05-12 | Candelore Brant L. | Cablecard with content manipulation |
US8396216B2 (en) | 2003-11-21 | 2013-03-12 | Howard G. Pinder | Partial dual-encryption using program map tables |
WO2005057314A2 (en) * | 2003-12-09 | 2005-06-23 | A5Tek Corporation | A method and system for controlling, navigating and managing data files, url's and other file system objects using code-based commands, in a computer system or an appliance enhanced by a computer system |
KR100617852B1 (en) * | 2004-01-26 | 2006-08-28 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Mpeg-2 decoding system and operating method thereof |
US20050169473A1 (en) * | 2004-02-03 | 2005-08-04 | Candelore Brant L. | Multiple selective encryption with DRM |
US20050251845A1 (en) * | 2004-05-04 | 2005-11-10 | Mcdowell Ronald W | Method for quickly identifying network session resources |
US20050249130A1 (en) * | 2004-05-04 | 2005-11-10 | Schutte Mark E | Method for searching ordered entries in a service group map to facilitate auto channel discovery |
US20050273833A1 (en) * | 2004-05-14 | 2005-12-08 | Nokia Corporation | Customized virtual broadcast services |
US20050289619A1 (en) * | 2004-06-01 | 2005-12-29 | Joel Melby | Methods and system for resource allocation in an on-demand server |
EP1763777A4 (en) * | 2004-06-01 | 2010-10-27 | Broadbus Technologies Inc | Method and system for resource allocation in an on-demand server |
US8041190B2 (en) | 2004-12-15 | 2011-10-18 | Sony Corporation | System and method for the creation, synchronization and delivery of alternate content |
US7895617B2 (en) * | 2004-12-15 | 2011-02-22 | Sony Corporation | Content substitution editor |
EP1705915A1 (en) * | 2005-03-22 | 2006-09-27 | Nagravision S.A. | Method for managing access to conditional access data reaching a faster zapping |
US20100311399A1 (en) * | 2005-03-31 | 2010-12-09 | United Video Properties, Inc. | Systems and methods for generating audible reminders on mobile user equipment |
KR101154965B1 (en) * | 2005-06-08 | 2012-06-18 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Cable broadcast receiver, and processing method of channel information |
KR100765317B1 (en) * | 2005-07-12 | 2007-10-09 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Apparatus and method of channel changing on digital broadcast system |
KR100736611B1 (en) | 2005-07-19 | 2007-07-09 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | The device, method for tuning the channel of digital broadcasting, and the system for controlling the same |
KR101258987B1 (en) * | 2005-08-02 | 2013-04-26 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Broadcasting receiving apparatus and channel changing method thereof |
JP4839771B2 (en) * | 2005-10-20 | 2011-12-21 | ソニー株式会社 | Digital broadcast receiving apparatus, digital broadcast receiving method and program |
EP1964391A1 (en) * | 2005-12-20 | 2008-09-03 | Tte Technology, Inc. | Decryption system and method for video data |
US8185921B2 (en) | 2006-02-28 | 2012-05-22 | Sony Corporation | Parental control of displayed content using closed captioning |
US7555464B2 (en) * | 2006-03-01 | 2009-06-30 | Sony Corporation | Multiple DRM management |
JP4544212B2 (en) * | 2006-07-03 | 2010-09-15 | ソニー株式会社 | Digital terrestrial television broadcast receiver |
KR101311929B1 (en) | 2006-10-23 | 2013-09-30 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Broadcast receiving device and method for searching channel thereof |
US20090165049A1 (en) * | 2007-12-19 | 2009-06-25 | United Video Properties, Inc. | Methods and devices for presenting and interactive media guidance application |
US20090165051A1 (en) * | 2007-12-19 | 2009-06-25 | United Video Properties, Inc. | Methods and devices for presenting an interactive media guidance application |
US7892276B2 (en) * | 2007-12-21 | 2011-02-22 | Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. | Valve with delayed leaflet deployment |
US8752092B2 (en) * | 2008-06-27 | 2014-06-10 | General Instrument Corporation | Method and apparatus for providing low resolution images in a broadcast system |
US8774225B2 (en) * | 2009-02-04 | 2014-07-08 | Nokia Corporation | Mapping service components in a broadcast environment |
US9288540B2 (en) | 2009-03-25 | 2016-03-15 | Eloy Technology, Llc | System and method for aggregating devices for intuitive browsing |
US9445158B2 (en) | 2009-11-06 | 2016-09-13 | Eloy Technology, Llc | Distributed aggregated content guide for collaborative playback session |
US20110177775A1 (en) * | 2010-01-13 | 2011-07-21 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Signaling mechanisms, templates and systems for creation and delivery of interactivity events on mobile devices in a mobile broadcast communication system |
US20110177774A1 (en) * | 2010-01-13 | 2011-07-21 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Dynamic generation, delivery, and execution of interactive applications over a mobile broadcast network |
US8676991B2 (en) * | 2010-01-13 | 2014-03-18 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Signaling mechanisms and systems for enabling, transmitting and maintaining interactivity features on mobile devices in a mobile broadcast communication system |
US9032466B2 (en) * | 2010-01-13 | 2015-05-12 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Optimized delivery of interactivity event assets in a mobile broadcast communication system |
US9485535B2 (en) * | 2010-01-13 | 2016-11-01 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Notification of interactivity event asset delivery sources in a mobile broadcast communication system |
EP2418792A1 (en) * | 2010-05-19 | 2012-02-15 | Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V. | Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB) with efficient transmission of conditional access data in the transport stream packet (TS packet) of the program association table (PAT) |
US8914471B2 (en) | 2010-05-28 | 2014-12-16 | Qualcomm Incorporated | File delivery over a broadcast network using file system abstraction, broadcast schedule messages and selective reception |
EP2586194A1 (en) * | 2010-06-22 | 2013-05-01 | TP Vision Holding B.V. | Setting up installation parameters in a television receiver |
US9154813B2 (en) | 2011-06-09 | 2015-10-06 | Comcast Cable Communications, Llc | Multiple video content in a composite video stream |
US9948962B2 (en) | 2014-11-13 | 2018-04-17 | Time Warner Cable Enterprises Llc | Apparatus and methods for efficient delivery of electronic program guide data |
Family Cites Families (25)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4009345A (en) * | 1974-12-30 | 1977-02-22 | International Business Machines Corporation | External management of satellite linked exchange network |
US4009346A (en) * | 1974-12-30 | 1977-02-22 | International Business Machines Corporation | Distributional activity compression |
US4218756A (en) * | 1978-06-19 | 1980-08-19 | Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated | Control circuit for modifying contents of packet switch random access memory |
US4484217A (en) * | 1982-05-11 | 1984-11-20 | Telease, Inc. | Method and system for remote reporting, particularly for pay television billing |
US4742543A (en) * | 1983-12-22 | 1988-05-03 | Frederiksen Jeffrey E | Video transmission system |
US4829569A (en) * | 1984-09-21 | 1989-05-09 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Communication of individual messages to subscribers in a subscription television system |
JPS62281626A (en) * | 1986-05-30 | 1987-12-07 | Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> | Digital data transmission system |
US4866770A (en) * | 1986-07-08 | 1989-09-12 | Scientific Atlanta, Inc. | Method and apparatus for communication of video, audio, teletext, and data to groups of decoders in a communication system |
US4908859A (en) * | 1986-09-19 | 1990-03-13 | M/A-Com Government Systems, Inc. | Receiver access interface to service components in television channel |
ATE96960T1 (en) * | 1988-02-19 | 1993-11-15 | Siemens Ag | METHOD OF ESTABLISHING VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS PASSING ACROSS SWITCH MANUFACTURERS OF A MULTI-STAGE SWITCH. |
US5003384A (en) * | 1988-04-01 | 1991-03-26 | Scientific Atlanta, Inc. | Set-top interface transactions in an impulse pay per view television system |
GB2218287B (en) * | 1988-05-02 | 1992-10-07 | Hashimoto Corp | Display system for use with a tv program reservation system |
JP2892689B2 (en) * | 1989-07-05 | 1999-05-17 | 株式会社日立製作所 | Packet communication network and packet switch |
US5313455A (en) * | 1990-04-23 | 1994-05-17 | Koninklijke Ptt Nederland N.V. | Transmission system with recording of untransmitted packets |
JP2555906B2 (en) * | 1990-05-18 | 1996-11-20 | 日本電気株式会社 | ATM cell VCI conversion method |
JP2932673B2 (en) * | 1990-10-30 | 1999-08-09 | 日本電気株式会社 | Virtualized leased line method using ISDN network |
EP0487235B1 (en) * | 1990-11-21 | 1999-02-03 | AT&T Corp. | Bandwidth and congestion management in accessing broadband ISDN networks |
US5091936A (en) * | 1991-01-30 | 1992-02-25 | General Instrument Corporation | System for communicating television signals or a plurality of digital audio signals in a standard television line allocation |
KR0178536B1 (en) * | 1991-03-11 | 1999-04-15 | 강진구 | Channel selecting method of relative program |
US5200823A (en) * | 1991-03-29 | 1993-04-06 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Virtual channels for a multiplexed analog component (mac) television system |
DE4116939A1 (en) * | 1991-05-24 | 1992-11-26 | Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag | COUPLING PANEL FOR SWITCHING CHANNELS |
US5418782A (en) * | 1992-10-30 | 1995-05-23 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for providing virtual service selection in a multi-service communications system |
US5359601A (en) * | 1992-10-30 | 1994-10-25 | Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | Apparatus providing dynamic virtual service selection in a multi-service communications system |
GB9400101D0 (en) * | 1994-01-05 | 1994-03-02 | Thomson Consumer Electronics | Consumer interface for a satellite television system |
ES2143622T3 (en) * | 1994-04-15 | 2000-05-16 | Koninkl Philips Electronics Nv | ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING VIDEO SIGNALS. |
-
1995
- 1995-05-22 US US08/446,322 patent/US5600378A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1996
- 1996-05-21 CA CA002220918A patent/CA2220918C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-05-21 AU AU58708/96A patent/AU5870896A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1996-05-21 EP EP96920380A patent/EP0827669B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-05-21 WO PCT/US1996/007421 patent/WO1996037999A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1996-05-21 JP JP53583396A patent/JP4146895B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-05-21 DE DE69629370T patent/DE69629370T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2004
- 2004-06-16 JP JP2004177946A patent/JP2004364318A/en active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP4146895B2 (en) | 2008-09-10 |
EP0827669A4 (en) | 1999-09-08 |
AU5870896A (en) | 1996-12-11 |
JP2004364318A (en) | 2004-12-24 |
DE69629370D1 (en) | 2003-09-11 |
WO1996037999A1 (en) | 1996-11-28 |
EP0827669B1 (en) | 2003-08-06 |
CA2220918A1 (en) | 1996-11-28 |
US5600378A (en) | 1997-02-04 |
EP0827669A1 (en) | 1998-03-11 |
DE69629370T2 (en) | 2004-07-01 |
JPH11505397A (en) | 1999-05-18 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
CA2220918C (en) | Logical and composite channel mapping in an mpeg network | |
US6215530B1 (en) | Logical and composite channel mapping in an MPEG network | |
KR100755797B1 (en) | A method for acquiring program guide information | |
CA2837643C (en) | Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same | |
US5418782A (en) | Methods and apparatus for providing virtual service selection in a multi-service communications system | |
US6993782B1 (en) | Program guide information and processor for providing program and channel substitution | |
KR100718568B1 (en) | A method for acquiring and processing broadcast programs, program guide and channel identification data | |
US8170011B2 (en) | System and method for allocating packet identifiers in a transport stream in a subscriber network | |
US9807432B2 (en) | Method for transmitting services information in different types of broadcasting networks and unit for processing said information | |
US6609251B1 (en) | Digital broadcasting transmitting method, digital broadcasting transmitting apparatus, and digital broadcasting reproducing apparatus | |
KR20010041096A (en) | A multimedia system for processing program guides and associated multimedia objects | |
US20040163110A1 (en) | Method of controlling ETT information display on electronic program guide screen of digital television | |
EP1264481B1 (en) | Program guide information and processor for providing program and channel substitution | |
US20010016948A1 (en) | Broadcast data system and apparatus | |
WO2004100536A1 (en) | Method and apparatus for enabling psip guide information from disparate sources | |
KR20090117428A (en) | Broadcasting receiver and method of processing service information | |
JPH10229528A (en) | Digital broadcasting receiver |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
EEER | Examination request | ||
MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20160524 |
|
MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20160524 |