Packetized data formats for digital data storage media

• US 5,838,873 A
• Filed: 08/13/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Incorporated (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Incorporated (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Horlander, Thomas Edward, Deiss, Michael Scott, Bridgewater, Kevin Elliott, Blatter, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US08/696,306
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 386/33, 386/95, 386/98, 386/109, 386/111-112, 386/125-126, 348/423
• US Class Current: 386/240
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2579 HD-DVDs [high definition DVDs]; AODs [advanced optical discs]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/327 Table of contents
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 : Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 : Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 : involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

A storage medium format for a storage medium containing packetized data programs includes packet identifiers (PIDs) that identify individual packetized datastreams constituting a program. The data format facilitates the association and assembly of the packetized datastreams of the program by a decoder, independent of PID de-mapping data. The PIDs include a base PID for identifying one datastream and a second PID of predetermined offset value to the base PID for identifying a second datastream. Corresponding packetized datastreams that constitute different programs are given the same PID. The storage medium format may also include program specific information (PSI) suitable for use in recovering data content of a program. The PSI includes an MPEG-like program map table (PMT) and an MPEG-like program association table (PAT) and incorporates a parameter suitable for commanding a decoder to apply the PSI in decoding the program irrespective of previous PSI content. In addition, the PSI may incorporate a version number that is varied between successive occurrences of the PSI irrespective of substantive change in PSI content. One or more private data elements may also be included in the PMT to describe the program.

Claims

1. A storage medium having recorded thereon a plurality of packetized data programs in a data format including packet identifiers (PIDs) that identify individual packetized datastreams constituting a program, said data format facilitating the association and assembly of said packetized datastreams of said program by a decoder, independent of PID de-mapping data, wherein said PIDs include:

a base PID for identifying a first datastream;

a second PID of predetermined offset value to said base PID for identifying a second datastream; and

wherein corresponding packetized datastreams that constitute different programs are given the same PID.

2. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

said base PID identifies program map information that associates said first and second datastreams with a program.

3. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein

said program map information incorporates private data elements in a user defined section, said private data elements being selected from title, duration, program description, violence rating, age suitability rating, time of recording, date of recording version list.

4. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein

said second PID identifies a datastream of one of video, audio, caption, program clock reference (PCR) or network information table (NIT) data.

5. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

said second PID identifies network information and said network information incorporates private data elements selected from title, duration, program description, violence rating, age suitability rating, time of recording, date of recording, version list.

12. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

said corresponding packetized datastreams that constitute different programs are given predetermined PIDs permitting identification of said packetized datastreams without prior acquisition of program map information associating said predetermined PIDs with said packetized datastreams.

6. A storage medium having recorded thereon a packetized data program in a data format including:

current program specific information suitable for use in recovering data content of said program comprising;

(a) program map information that associates packet identifiers (PIDs) with individual packetized datastreams that constitute said program;

(b) program association information that associates said program with PIDs that identify packets comprising said program map information; and

(c) a command parameter suitable for commanding a decoder to disregard previous program specific information and for commanding said decoder to apply said current program specific information upon decoding said program.

7. A storage medium according to claim 6, wherein

said program specific information is stored in a separate location from said program.

8. A storage medium according to claim 7, wherein

said separate location is adjacent to said program.

9. A storage medium according to claim 7, wherein:

said storage medium is a linear type medium including a tape medium; and

said separate location is an auxiliary recording track adjacent to recording tracks storing said program.

10. A storage medium according to claim 6, wherein

said command parameter commands a decoder to apply said current program specific information upon recovering said program from a storage medium.

11. A storage medium according to claim 6, wherein

said command parameter is incorporated in user definable data in an MPEG compatible datastream.

13. A storage medium according to claim 6, wherein:

said program map information includes private data elements describing said program, selected from title, duration, program description, violence rating, age suitability rating, time of recording, date of recording, version list.

14. A storage medium according to claim 6, wherein:

said current program specific information further includes a network information table (NIT) and said NIT incorporates private data elements selected from title, duration, program description, violence rating, age suitability rating, time of recording, date of recording, version list.

15. A storage medium having recorded thereon a program in the form of packetized data in a data format including:

program specific information for use in recovering data content of said program, said program specific information being recorded at one or more locations in said program and comprising;

program map information that associates packet identifiers (PIDs) with,

(a) individual packetized datastreams that constitute said program, and

(b) one or more private data elements describing said program,

wherein said program map information allows said private data elements of individual programs to be acquired without acquisition of additional program specific information data, and said one or more private data elements are selected from title, duration, program description, violence rating, age suitability rating, time of recording, date of recording, version list; and

program association information that associates said program with PIDs that identify packets comprising said program map information.

16. A storage medium according to claim 15, wherein:

said program specific information further includes network information and said network information incorporates one or more of said private data elements.