Method and apparatus for transmitting, receiving and communicating digital data signals with corresponding program data signals which describe the digital data signals
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of generating a digital data stream including program data information and program selection information for transmission, comprising the steps of:
- producing a plurality of digital program data signals, each of which corresponds to the contents of a program selection;
producing a plurality of digital program selection signals, each of which corresponds to one of said program data signals and describes the attributes of the associated program selection;
encoding the plurality of digital program data signals with the plurality of digital program selection signals into a plurality of digital combined signals, each of said combined digital signals being arranged in blocks of a predetermined number of bits of a program data signal and a predetermined number of bits of an associated program selection signal, whereby each program selection signal remains associated with its corresponding program data signal during transmissions therewith; and
multiplexing the plurality of digital combined signals into the data stream.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method is described for transmitting, receiving and communicating program data signals which are combined with digital data signals. Preferably, the present invention compresses 30 digital audio signals, multiplexes them with title, track, artist, record label, year, etc., program information, and transmits the combined signals via satellite to a receiving station. The receiving station demultiplexes the signals and sends them via a cable distribution system to a subscriber'"'"'s digital music tuner. This tuner further demultiplexes and decodes the signals so that the digital audio signals may be converted to analog and output for listening, while the corresponding data signals are communicated to the subscriber. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the program data signals are transmitted to a remote control receiver where they are displayed. The system described in the present invention may be used for transmitting video, software or games with program data to subscribers.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of generating a digital data stream including program data information and program selection information for transmission, comprising the steps of:
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producing a plurality of digital program data signals, each of which corresponds to the contents of a program selection; producing a plurality of digital program selection signals, each of which corresponds to one of said program data signals and describes the attributes of the associated program selection; encoding the plurality of digital program data signals with the plurality of digital program selection signals into a plurality of digital combined signals, each of said combined digital signals being arranged in blocks of a predetermined number of bits of a program data signal and a predetermined number of bits of an associated program selection signal, whereby each program selection signal remains associated with its corresponding program data signal during transmissions therewith; and multiplexing the plurality of digital combined signals into the data stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for generating a digital data steam including program data information and program selection information for transmission by a transmission means, comprising:
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means for producing a plurality of digital program data signals, each of which corresponds to the contents of a program selection; means for producing a plurality of digital program selection signals, each of which corresponds to one of said program data signals and describes the attributes of the associated program selection; means for encoding the plurality of digital program data signals with the plurality of digital program selection signals into a plurality of combined digital signals, each of said combined digital signals being arranged in blocks of a predetermined number of bits of a program data signal and a predetermined number of bits of an associated program selection signal, whereby each program selection signal remains associated with its corresponding program data signal during transmissions therewith; and means for multiplexing the plurality of digital combined signals into the data stream. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification