System for receiving transport streams

• US 20030048388A1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Lewis, David, Gurney, Howard
• Application Number:
  US10/121,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048388A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/720
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42669 the medium being removable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42692 for reading from or writing on a volatile storage medium, e.g. Random Access Memory [RAM]
• 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer

Abstract

A system comprising first input means for receiving a transport stream from an external source, second input means for receiving an input from a memory, means for connecting the first and second input means to an interface which is arranged to provide an output stream to a decoder. The second input means is arranged to provide an output to the interface in such a form that the interface does not distinguish between the output from the first and second input means.

Claims

1. A system comprising first input means for receiving a transport stream from an external source, second input means for receiving an input from a memory, means for connecting the first and second input means to an interface which is arranged to provide an output stream to a decoder, wherein the second input means is arranged to provide an output to the interface in such a form that the interface does not distinguish between the output from the first and second input means.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input from memory comprises a transport stream.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second input means comprises a buffer.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said buffer comprises a FIFO.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein half the size of the buffer equals a bit rate of the input to the second input means multiplied by the time taken to read data from the memory and write it to the second input.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a register is provided in said second input means to convert a serial stream of data into a parallel stream of data.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory is external to said system.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory is in said system.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory comprises one or more of the following:

CD-ROM, hard disk, floppy disk, CPU, and RAM.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first input means is arranged to receive a transport stream from a cable or satellite link.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second input means comprises clock means, said clock means providing a clock signal for controlling the output of said input to said second input.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second input is arranged to output valid data only.

13. An integrated circuit comprising first input means for receiving a transport stream from an external source, second input means for receiving an input from a memory, means for connecting the first and second input means to an interface which is arranged to provide an output stream to a decoder, wherein the second input means is arranged to provide an output to the interface in such a form that the interface does not distinguish between the output from the first and second input means.

14. A set top box comprising first input means for receiving a transport stream from an external source, second input means for receiving an input from a memory, means for connecting the first and second input means to an interface which is arranged to provide an output stream to a decoder, wherein the second input means is arranged to provide an output to the interface in such a form that the interface does not distinguish between the output from the first and second input means.