Digital data processing from mutiple streams of data

• US 20010052129A1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Published: 12/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pace Micro Technology Ltd. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mehra, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 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 demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for the generation of television channels and which allows the generation of the same by the processing and selection of designated packets of data from multiple data transport streams, with each transport stream including numerous packets of data. In each transport stream the packet of data is identified by the allocation of a packet identification Code (PID) and each is held in the transport packet which is transmitted as part of each transport stream. In accordance with the invention, and in order to prevent errors and inaccurate packet selection, a Transport Stream Identification Code (TSID) is allocated to each of the transport streams of data received. Typically the TSID is located in the transport packet for each transport stream of data. In the selection of a packet of data, the appropriate TSID is referred to identify the appropriate transport stream and the PID then referred to identify the packet of data from that transport stream.

Claims

1. A data processing system for data received by a broadcast data receiver, said receiver provided for receiving multiple streams of digital data which are transmitted from a remote location, said data in each stream comprising a series of packets of data and provided with associated codes to indicate the type of data i.e. video, audio and/or auxiliary data, said receiver provided with means which allow the selection and combination of packets of data from the said multiple streams of data in response to control commands, said selected packets of data combined to form a single stream of data and said single stream of data further processed to generate video and/or audio and/or auxiliary data, each stream of data including a transport packet of identification codes for the packets of data in the stream and characterised in that an identification code is added to the streams of data which serves to identify and differentiate each of the streams of data received by the receiver.

2. A data processing system according to

claim 1

characterised in that the identification code is located with the transport packet of data which includes a series of identification codes which contain and provide information relating to the packets of data in that stream of data.

3. A data processing system according to

claim 2

characterised in that the identification code identifies the transport packet of the data stream (TSID)

4. A data processing system according to

claim 1

characterised in that the identification codes are generated by re-using existing, superfluous data bits within the existing transport packet syntax said bits replaced by the identification code or codes which identify the streams of data being received.

5. A data processing system according to

claim 1

characterised in that the identification codes are added by means of adding additional interface wires to the output of the device within the receiver that combines the transport streams together.

6. A data processing system according to

claim 1

characterised in that the identification codes for the multiple data streams are stored in a memory device and reference to said memory by the receiver allows the identification of each of the data streams with reference to the identification codes accompanying the transmitted data streams.

7. A method for the generation of a single stream of data for subsequent processing, from multiple transport streams of data, said method comprising the steps of receiving a number of transport streams of data, and selecting packets of data in accordance with user and/or receiver selection criteria and multiplexing the said selected packets of data into a single stream of data and cbaracterised in that an identification code (TSID) is allocated to each of the received transport streams of data and when the selection of a data packet is required, the selection is controlled with reference to an appropriate identification code for the particular transport stream of data in which the data packet to be selected is located and the required data packet selected therefrom.

8. A method according to

claim 7

characterised in that the particular data packet is selected from the selected transport stream of data with reference to the PID.

9. A method according to

claim 7

characterised in that the selection of the data packet can only be made from the transport stream of data identified by the TSID.