REDUCING CHANNEL-CHANGE TIME
First Claim
1. An apparatus for processing image data, the apparatus comprising:
- a buffer configured to receive image signals from one or more sources;
a processor configured to encode the image signals to create a group of pictures (GOP) structure, the GOP structure including a header, a data portion, and a trailer, wherein the processor is further configured to encode the image signals to create forward error correction (FEC) capable of correcting errors in the GOP structure; and
a driver configured to transmit the GOP structure and FEC, wherein the FEC lags the GOP structure by an amount that allows a device receiving the GOP structure and FEC to utilize both the GOP structure and FEC during a channel-change event in order to decrease a channel-change time.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for utilizing forward error correction (FEC) during a channel-change event. In one embodiment, among others, a method for executing a change from one communication channel to another includes receiving a channel-change indication and obtaining data and FEC that corresponds to the data. The data and FEC are related to a new channel, and the data includes a portion of data within a data packet. By utilizing the FEC, the method further includes recreating portions of data of the data packet that were missed due to the channel-change indication occurring in the middle of the transmission of the data packet. As an example, the data packet can be associated with video data arranged in a group of pictures (GOP) structure.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for processing image data, the apparatus comprising:
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a buffer configured to receive image signals from one or more sources; a processor configured to encode the image signals to create a group of pictures (GOP) structure, the GOP structure including a header, a data portion, and a trailer, wherein the processor is further configured to encode the image signals to create forward error correction (FEC) capable of correcting errors in the GOP structure; and a driver configured to transmit the GOP structure and FEC, wherein the FEC lags the GOP structure by an amount that allows a device receiving the GOP structure and FEC to utilize both the GOP structure and FEC during a channel-change event in order to decrease a channel-change time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A set-top box comprising:
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an input device for receiving a group of pictures (GOP) structure and forward error correction (FEC) code, wherein the FEC code is offset, with respect to time, from the GOP structure; and a processor configured to decode the GOP structure and FEC during a channel-change event. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for executing a change from one communication channel to another, the method comprising:
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receiving a channel-change indication; obtaining data and obtaining forward error correction (FEC) that corresponds to the data, wherein the data and FEC are related to a new channel, and the data includes a portion of data within a data packet; and utilizing the FEC to recreate portions of data of the data packet that were missed due to the channel-change indication occurring in the middle of the transmission of the data packet. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification