Apparatus for, and method of, receiving satellite television signals in an apartment building and providing television images in the receivers in such building

• US 20060271966A1
• Filed: 11/21/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Staal, Frederik Nanoo, Hawley, Robert Allen, Cameron, Kelly B.
• Application Number:
  US11/284,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0045 Arrangements at the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0082 fields explicitly indicating existence of error in data being transmitted, e.g. so that downstream stations can avoid decoding erroneous packet; relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/34 Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

Digital packets, defined by a sync byte and then 130 MPEG2 compressed QPSK signal bytes, from a satellite transponder are reformatted prior to transmission to television receivers in apartments in a building wired to distribute video signals. A side byte between such sync and signal bytes in each packet indicates (a) any QPSK packet uncorrectable error and (b) processing information which allows automatic reconfiguration at the settop box. Additional FEC bytes correct to 8 errors within a MPEG2_QPSK packet. The system removes the FEC bytes and reframes the MPEG2_QPSK packets into a superpacket by converting a first number of the MPEG2_QPSK packets to a second number of MPEG2_QAM packets. An added sync byte indicates the beginning of each such MPEG2_QAM packet. The system adds side data bytes including any uncorrectable errors in each MPEG2_QPSK packet and adds a new, less complicated FEC to each MPEG2_QAM packet. The system modulates and upconverts the bytes in each MPEG2_QAM packet and passes them through a cable plant constructed to receive modulated QAM bytes (or NTSC signals) which are demodulated at the settop box. The additional FEC bytes correct to 8 errors within a MPEG2_QAM packet and are then removed. The superpacket is deframed to obtain the MPEG2_QPSK packets. After finding a television channel, the side bytes are processed to determine the frequency location of the other channels in the apartment receivers and the existence of uncorrectable errors. The MPEG2_QAM bytes are decompressed and encoded to reproduce the television images in the apartment receivers.

Claims

1. In combination for providing for the introduction of satellite television into apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant wired to distribute terrestial television from a cable head end system,

means at the apartment building for receiving signals providing the satellite television and having a first particular framing,

means at the apartment building for reframing the satellite television signals in the first particular framing to a second particular framing corresponding to that provided for terrestial television,

means at the apartment building for distributing the signals in the second particular framing through the cable plant, and

means at the apartments in the apartment building for operating upon the signals in the second particular framing, after the passage of such signals through the cable plant, to deframe the television signals prior to conversion to a television image.

2. In a combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein

the signals are modulated directly from the second particular framing for the terrestial television before the signals are passed through the cable plant and wherein

the signals modulated for terrestial television are demodulated after passage through the cable plant.

3. In a combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein

means are provided at the apartments in the apartment building for operating upon the signals in the second particular framing, after the deframing of such signals, to provide for the reproduction of the television image represented by such signals.

4. In a combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein

the signals received at the apartment building are in the form of packets defined by a first particular number of signal bytes in each packet and wherein the reframing means reframe the packets from the first particular framing to the second particular framing defined by a second particular number of signal bytes in each such packet and wherein means are provided at the apartment building for adding a side byte at a particular position in each packet in the first particular framing to provide information to the apartment house for processing the information in such packet.

5. In a combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein

means are provided at the apartments in the apartment building for operating upon the signals in the second particular framing, after the deframing of such signals, to provide for the reproduction of the television image and wherein

the signals received at the apartment building are in the form of packets defined by a first particular number of signal bytes in each packet and wherein the reframing means reframe the packets from the first particular framing to the second particular framing defined by a second particular number of signal bytes in each such packet and wherein means are provided at the apartment building for adding a side byte at a particular position in each packet in the first particular framing to provide information to the apartment house for processing the information in such packet.

6. In combination for providing for the introduction of satellite television from satellite transponders into television receivers in apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant wired to distribute terrestial television from a cable head end system,

means at the apartment building for receiving packets of signal bytes from the satellite transponders, each packet being defined by a first frame having a first particular number of signal bytes,

means at the apartment building for refraining the packets of signal bytes in the first frames to packets each defined by a second particular number of signal bytes in a second frame different from the first frame and corresponding to that provider from the terrestial transponders

means at the apartment building for distributing the signal bytes in the second frames through the cable plant, and

means at the apartment in the apartment building for deframing the packets of signal bytes in the second frames after the passage of the signal bytes in the second frames through the cable plant.

7. In combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein

the signal bytes in the packets in the second frames are modulated before such signal bytes are distributed through the cable plant and wherein

the signal bytes modulated in the packets in the second frames for terrestial navigation are demodulated after such modulated signal bytes are distributed through the cable plant.

8. In a combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein

at least one additional signal byte is provided at the apartment building with each of the packets of the signal bytes in the first frames to indicate the existence or lack of existence of a forward uncorrectable error in the packet and wherein

means are provided for reformatting the at least one additional signal byte at the apartment building in the first frames in accordance with the reframing of the packets from the first frames to the second frames and wherein

means are provided for processing the at least one additional signal byte, after the reframing of each packet in the second frame, to provide for the operation of the television receivers in the apartments in the apartment building in finding and reproducing the television image represented by the signal bytes from the satellite transponders, including error concealment if necessary.

9. In a combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein

at least one additional signal byte is provided at the apartment building with each of the packets of the signal bytes in the first frames to indicate particular information individual to such packets and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for reforming the at least one additional signal byte at the apartment building in accordance with the reframing of the packets from the first frames to the second frames and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for processing the particular information in the at least one additional byte after the reframing of the packets from the first frames to the second frames.

10. In a combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein

at least one additional signal byte is provided at the apartment building with each of the packets of the signal bytes in the first frames to indicate particular information individual to such packets and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for reforming the at least one additional signal byte at the apartment building in accordance with the reframing of the packets from the first frames to the second frames and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for continued processing of the particular information in the at least one additional byte after the reframing of the packets from the first frames to the second frames.

11. In combination for providing for the introduction of satellite television from satellite transponders into apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant wired to distribute terrestial television from a cable head end system,

means at the apartment building for receiving a plurality of first packets each defined by a first sync byte and by a first number of signal bytes individual to satellite television,

means at the apartment building for providing second sync bytes at positions in the first packets to define second packets each having a second number of signal bytes for terrestial television, the second number being different from the first number,

means at the apartment building for providing continued processing of the second packets of signal bytes in accordance with the positioning of the second sync bytes.

12. In combination as set forth in claim 11,

means at the apartment building for adding to each of the first packets a side byte at a particular position relative to the first sync byte for such packet to provide additional information to aid in the detection and processing of the signal bytes in the packets, and

means at the apartment in the apartment building for processing the signal bytes in the second packets in accordance with the additional information supplied in the side bytes for the detection and processing of the signal bytes in the packets, including error concealment if necessary.

13. In a combination as set forth in claim 11,

the receiving means at the apartment building also receiving for each of the first packets a first plurality of bytes including a forward error correction for each of the first packets,

means at the apartment building for reframing the first plurality of bytes into a second plurality of bytes and adding the forward error correction for the second packets,

14. In a combination as set forth in claim 11,

means at the apartment building for modulating the signal bytes in each of the second packets after the second sync bytes and a new forward error correction have been added,

a cable plant at the apartment building for distributing the modulated signal bytes in each of the second packets, and

means at the apartments in the apartment building for demodulating the modulated signal bytes in the second packets after the passage of the modulated signal bytes in the second packets through the cable plant.

15. In a combination as set forth in claim 12,

the receiving means at the apartment building also receiving a first plurality of bytes as well as a forward error correction for each of the first packets,

means at the apartment building for converting the first plurality of bytes into a second plurality of bytes and adding the forward error correction for the second packets,

means at the apartment building for modulating the signal bytes in each of the second packets after the second sync bytes have been added,

a cable plant at the apartment building for distributing the signal bytes in each of the second packets, and

means at the apartments in the apartment building for demodulating the modulated signal bytes in the second packets after the distribution of the modulated signal bytes in the second packets through the cable plant.

16. In combination for providing for the introduction of satellite television from satellite transponders into apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant wired to distribute terrestial television from a cable head end system,

means at the apartment building for receiving MPEG2_QPSK signals from the satellite transponders,

means at the apartment building for reframing the MPEG2_QPSK signals into MPEG2_QAM signals representing terrestial television from the terrestial transponders,

means at the apartment building for providing side signals providing information to aid in processing to be provided in the apartments in the apartment building on the QAM signals, and

means at the apartments in the apartment building for processing the QAM signals in accordance with the information provided by the side signals.

17. In a combination as set forth in claim 16 wherein

the receiving means receives signals including forward error correction bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK signals and wherein

means are provided at the apartment buildings, to perform forward error corrections in the MPEG2_QPSK signals, for creating an uncorrectable error flag and for creating new forward error correction bytes for the MPEG2_QAM signals and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for performing forward error corrections at the apartments in the apartment building using the forward error correction bytes in the MPEG2_QAM signals.

18. In a combination as set forth in claim 16,

means at the apartment building for providing side signals having indications aiding in the detection and processing of the MPEG2_QAM signals received at the apartment buildings and

means at the apartment building for detecting and reproducing the MPEG2_QAM signals in accordance with the indications in the side signals.

19. In a combination as set forth in claim 16,

the MPEG2_QPSK signals being provided in packets of first signal lengths, the MPEG2_QPSK signals also including sync signals indicating the beginning of the packets of the first signal lengths,

the MPEG2_QAM signals being provided in packets of second signal lengths different from the first signal lengths,

means responsive at the apartment building for including, in each packet of the MPEG2_QAM signals, signals indicating the beginning of each MPEG2_QPSK packet,

means responsive to the sync signals for the MPEG2_QPSK packets, and to the relative lengths of the MPEG2_QPSK and MPEG2_QAM packets, for producing separate sync signals at the beginning of each of the MPEG2_QAM packets.

20. In a combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein

the receiving means receives signals including forward error correction bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK signals and wherein

means are provided at the apartment buildings, to perform forward error corrections in the MPEG2_QPSK signals, for creating an uncorrectable error flag and for creating new forward error correction bytes in the MPEG2_QAM signals and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for performing forward error corrections at the apartments in the apartment building using forward error correction bytes in the MPEG2_QAM signals and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for providing side signals having indications aiding in the detection and processing of the MPEG2_QAM signals received at the apartment buildings and wherein

means are provided at the apartment building for detecting and reproducing the MPEG2_QAM signals in accordance with the indications in the side signals.

21. In combination for providing for the introduction of satellite television into apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant wired to distribute terrestial television signals,

means at the apartment building for receiving MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes, each MPEG2_QPSK packet including a first particular number of signal bytes and including a first sync byte at the beginning of each MPEG2_QPSK packet,

means at the apartment building for reframing the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes into MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes, each such QAM packet including a second particular number of signal bytes where the second particular number is different from the first particular number, and

means at the apartment building for providing a second sync byte at the beginning of each MPEG2_QAM packet of signal bytes.

22. In a combination as set forth in claim 21,

means at the apartment building for providing a plurality of superpackets each including a particular number of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes and the first sync bytes for the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in such superpacket and the second sync signals for the MPEG2_QAM packets of the signal bytes in such superpacket.

23. In a combination as set forth in claim 21,

means at the apartment building for providing a side byte for each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes, the side bytes aiding in detection and processing of the MPEG2_QAM signals,

means at the apartment building for separating the side bytes from the MPEG2_QAM packets of the signal bytes, and

means responsive at the apartment building to the side bytes for processing the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in accordance with the indications in the side bytes.

24. In a combination as set forth in claim 22,

means at the apartment building for providing a side byte at a particular position in each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets before the reframing of the MPEG2_QPSK packets into MPEG2_QAM packets,

the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes providing information for the production of television images,

each side byte providing information relating to the detection and processing of the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets to obtain television images, and

means at the apartment building for processing the information in the side bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets, after the reframing of the MPEG2_QPSK packets into the MPEG2_QAM packets, to facilitate the distribution of the television images.

25. In a combination as set forth in claim 21,

the receiving means being operative to receive signal bytes including forward error correction bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK packets,

means for performing forward error correction in the MPEG2_QPSK packets, before the reframing of the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK packets into the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes, and

means for adding signal bytes representing new forward error correction in the MPEG2_QAM packets in a form compatible with the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets, such means being operative after the reframing of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes into the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes.

26. In a combination as set forth in claim 21,

the apartment building having a cable plant constructed to distribute the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes,

means at the apartment building for modulating the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes before the distribution of such packets through the cable plant,

means for distributing the MPEG2_QAM packets of the modulated signals through the cable plant, and

means for demodulating the MPEG2_QAM packets of the modulated signal bytes after the passage of such modulated signal bytes through the cable plant.

27. In a combination as set forth in claim 26,

the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK packets received by the receiving means being compressed,

means for decompressing the MPEG2_QPSK signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets after such signal bytes have been demodulated, and

means for operating upon the decompressed MPEG2_QPSK signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets to recover the television images.

28. In a combination as set forth in claim 22,

means at the apartment building for providing a side byte at a particular position in each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets before the reframing of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes into the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes,

the signals bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK packets providing information for the production of television images each side byte in the MPEG2_QAM packets providing information relating to the detection and processing of the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets to obtain television images,

means at the apartment building for processing the information in the side bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets, after the reframing of the MPEG2_QPSK packets into the MPEG2_QAM packets, to facilitate the distribution of the television images,

the receiving means being operative to receive the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signals bytes including forward error correction,

means for performing forward error correction in the MPEG2_QPSK packets before the reframing of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes into the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes, and

means for adding signal bytes representing new forward error correction in a form compatible with the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets, such means being operative after the reframing of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes into the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes,

the apartment building having a cable plant constructed to distribute the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes,

means at the apartment building for modulating the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes before the distribution of such packets through the cable plant,

means for distributing the MPEG2_QAM packets of modulated signal bytes through the cable plant,

means for demodulating the MPEG2_QAM packets of modulated signal bytes after the distribution of such MPEG2_QAM packets through the cable plant.

the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK packets received by the receiving means being compressed,

means for decompressing the MPEG2_QPSK signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets after such signal bytes have been demodulated, and

means for operating upon the decompressed MPEG2_QPSK signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets to recover the television images.

29. In combination for providing for the introduction of satellite television from satellite transponders into apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant wired to distribute terrestial television from a cable head end system,

means at the apartment building for receiving MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes, each packet including a first particular number of signal bytes and including a first sync byte at the beginning of the signal bytes forming each MPEG2_QPSK superpacket,

a second particular number of the MPEG2_QPSK packets defining a superpacket,

means at the apartment building for reframing the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in each superpacket into MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in such superpacket, each such MPEG2_QAM packet including a third particular number of signal bytes where the third particular number is different form the first particular number,

means at the apartment building for providing a second sync byte at the beginning of each MPEG2_QAM packet of signal bytes in each superpacket,

means responsive at the apartments in the apartment building to the sync byte in the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes for processing the signal bytes in such MPEG2_QAM packets to recover the television images represented by such signal bytes.

30. In a combination as set forth in claim 29,

the apartments in the apartment building having television receivers,

means at the apartment building for providing a side byte in each MPEG2_QAM packet of signal bytes in each superpacket, the side bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets having bits cumulatively indicating individual processing to be provided for the received television signals, and

means responsive to the cumulative indications of the particular bits in the side bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets for providing the individual processing cumulatively indicated by such bits.

31. In a combination as set forth in claim 29,

means at the apartment building for using, in each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in each superpacket, signal bytes indicating a forward error correction, and

means at the apartment building for substituting, for the signal bytes indicating the forward error correction for each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes, signal bytes indicating such forward error correction for each of the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in such superpacket.

32. In a combination as set forth in claim 31,

means at the apartment building for providing corrections in the television receivers in the apartments in the apartment building in accordance with the forward error corrections indicated by the signal bytes for each of the MPEG2_QAM packets in each superpacket.

33. In a combination as set forth in claim 30,

each of the side bytes in each MPEG2_QAM packet of signal bytes including a bit indicating the occurrence or lack of occurrence of an uncorrectable error in such packet,

each MPEG2_QPSK packet of signal bytes in each superpacket including additional bytes indicating uncorrectable errors, and

means for embedding the uncorrectable error indicated in each MPEG2_QPSK packet of signal bytes in each superpacket with signal bytes in each MPEG2_QAM packet.

34. In a method of providing for the introduction of satellite television from satellite transponders into apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant to distribute terrestial television from a head end system,

receiving at the apartment building packets of MPEG2_QPSK signal bytes where each packet includes a first particular number of MPEG2_QPSK signal bytes and includes a first sync byte defining the beginning of such packet and where a second particular number of the packets defines a superpacket and where the MPEG2_QPSK signal bytes provide the satellite television,

providing a second sync byte at the beginning of each packet of MPEG2_QAM signal bytes in each superpacket where the QAM signal bytes provide the terrestial television and where each packet of the MPEG2_QAM signal bytes includes a third particular number of signal bytes and where the third particular number is different form the first particular number, and

using the second sync bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets in each superpacket to provide a processing of the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in each superpacket.

35. In a method as set forth in claim 34, the steps of:

providing at a particular position in each MPEG2_QPSK packet of signal bytes in each superpacket a side byte providing information controlling the detection and processing of the signal bytes in such MPEG2_QAM packet in such superpacket, and

processing each MPEG2_QAM packet of signal bytes in each superpacket in accordance with the information controlling in the side bytes the processing of the signal bytes in such MPEG2_QAM packet.

36. In a method as set forth in claim 34, the steps of:

providing, at a particular position in each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in each superpacket, a side byte providing indications of the existence or lack of existence of uncorrectable errors in such MPEG2_QPSK packet,

processing the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in each superpacket in accordance with the indication in the side bytes of such MPEG2_QPSK packets of the existence or lack of existence of the uncorrectable errors in such MPEG2_QPSK packets and in accordance with the additional signal bytes indicating the uncorrectable errors in such MPEG2_QPSK packets.

37. In a method as set forth in claim 34,

providing, at a particular position in each MPEG2_QPSK packet of signal bytes in each superpacket, a side byte providing at a particular bit in such side byte information cumulatively controlling, with the information at the particular bit in other MPEG2_QPSK packets in such superpacket, the processing of the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets in such superpacket, and

processing the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in each superpacket in accordance with the information cumulatively controlling, in the side bytes in such packets in such superpacket, the processing of the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets in such superpacket.

38. In a method as set forth in claim 35,

providing, at a particular position in each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in each superpacket, a side byte providing indications of the existence or lack of existence of uncorrectable errors in such MPEG2_QPSK packets,

providing, in each MPEG2_QPSK packet of signal bytes in each superpacket, additional signal bytes indicating the uncorrectable errors in such MPEG2_QPSK packets, and

processing the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in each superpacket in accordance with the indication in the side bytes of the existence or lack of existence of the uncorrectable errors in such MPEG2_QPSK packets and in accordance with the additional signal bytes indicating the uncorrectable errors in such MPEG2_QPSK packets,

providing at a particular binary bit in each side byte information cumulatively controlling, with the information at the particular binary bit in other side bytes in such superpacket, the processing of the signal bytes in such packets in such superpacket, and

processing the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in each superpacket in accordance with the information cumulatively controlling, in the side bytes in the MPEG2_QPSK packets in such superpacket, the processing of the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets in such superpacket.

39. In a method of providing for the introduction of satellite television from satellite transponders into apartments in an apartment building having a cable plant wired to distribute terrestial television from a head end system, the steps of:

providing at the apartment building signal bytes in MPEG2_QPSK packets each defined by a first particular number of signal bytes,

providing a plurality of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in a superpacket,

reframing the signal bytes in the superpacket into MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes where each MPEG2_QAM packet is defined by a second particular number of signal bytes different form the first particular number of signal bytes, and

processing the MPEG2_QAM signal bytes in the packets in the superpacket to form television images.

40. In a method as set forth in claim 39, the steps of:

the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets in the superpacket being compressed,

deframing the reframed MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes, and

decompressing the deframed MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in the superpacket.

41. In a method as set forth in claim 39, the steps of:

modulating the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets in each superpacket,

distributing the modulated signal byes using QAM through the cable plant, and

demodulating the modulated QAM signal after passage of such modulated signal bytes through the cable plant.

42. In a method as set forth in claim 39, the steps of:

detecting sync bytes at the beginning of each of the MPEG2_QPSK packets of signal bytes in each superpacket,

forming sync bytes at the beginning of each of the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in each superpacket, and

reframing the signal bytes in the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in each superpacket in accordance with the sync bytes at the beginning of each of the MPEG2_QAM packets of signal bytes in each superpacket.

43. In a method of providing a television image on the face of a monitor in a television receiver, the steps of:

receiving a plurality of packets each including a plurality of signal bytes representing images to be displayed on the face of the television receiver,

providing in each of the received packets a sync byte indicating a first one of the packets in the plurality,

providing a side byte at each of the packets in the plurality, each of the side bytes being formed from a plurality of bits,

providing, at a particular position in each of the side bytes, a bit cumulatively indicating with corresponding bits in a sequence of the side bytes in successive instances of the packets, an individual selection of a plurality of television channels in the television receiver to receive the signal bytes, and

processing the signal bytes in the packets to provide the television image in the individual selection of the channels in the monitor in the television receiver.

44. In a method as set forth in claim 43, the steps of:

each of the received packets constituting first packets and being defined by a first number of signal bytes,

reframing the first packets to form second packets each defined by a second number of signal bytes,

distributing the second packets through a cable plant, and

deframing the second packets, after the passage of the second packets through the cable plant, to for the first packets for the processing of the first packets to provide the television image in the individual selection of the channels in the monitor in the television receiver.

45. In a method as set forth in claim 43, the step of:

the sequence of the signal bytes constituting a first sequence providing, at the particular position in the side bytes, bits cumulatively indicating, for a second sequence of the side bytes, the health and status of the head end system,

processing the bits in the side bytes in the second sequence to indicate the health and status of the head end system.

46. In a method as set forth in claim 43, the step of:

the particular position in each of the side bytes constituting a first particular position,

providing, at a second particular position in each of the side bytes, an indication of whether any error in the packet following such side byte is an uncorrectable error,

providing for each of the packets a plurality of bytes used for forward error correction, and

processing the bytes indicating the forward error correction for each packet in accordance with the value of the bits at the second particular position in the side bytes for each packet.