Channel information transmitting method and receiving apparatus

• US 6,490,728 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1999
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kitazato, Naohisa, Ihara, Kiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELIVEAU, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US09/351,650
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 725/131, 725/132, 725/139, 725/140, 725/151, 725/152, 348/461
• US Class Current: 725/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

A plurality of channels can be set so as to be associated with one another and an accounting system can be changed and programs can be drawn up every channel. Only information of a PMT of a program number of a main channel is described in a PAT as an information table of a PMT of a carrier frequency. When there are subprograms concerning the main program, information of the PMT of the subprogram numbers is described in the PMT. Thus, the main channel which can be set from the PAT and the subchannels which are set into the main program and are set from the PMT of the main program can be set. The subchannel can be set after it was set into the main channel and cannot be directly set. In the other cases, the subchannels are channels similar to the main channel and the scrambling and charging can be independently set from the main channel.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting channel information of a digital TV broadcast including a main channel consisting of a video image and an audio signal and subchannels related to said main channel, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first program map table in which information regarding a video component and an audio component of said main channel has been described;

transmitting a second program map table in which information regarding components of said subchannels has been described; and

describing the information in said second program map table into said first program map table and transmitting said information.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting a program association table in which the information in said first program map table has been described.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the components of said subchannels include at least an audio component.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said first program map table and said second program map table are similarly constructed, and

only the information in said first program map table is described in said program association table.

5. A receiving apparatus for receiving a digital TV broadcast including a main channel consisting of a video image and an audio signal and subchannels related to said main channel, comprising:

first extracting means for extracting a first program map table in which information regarding a video component and an audio component of said main channel which are included in said digital TV broadcast has been described;

obtaining means for obtaining information in a second program map table described in said extracted first program map table; and

second extracting means for extracting said second program map table in which information regarding components of said subchannels included in said digital TV broadcast has been described on the basis of said obtained information in said second program map table.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising third extracting means for extracting a program association table in which said information in said first program map table has been described.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said components of said subchannels are extracted on the basis of said information described in said second program map table extracted by said second extracting means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said components of said subchannels include an audio component and said extracted audio component is supplied to an audio decoder.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first, second, and third extracting means are constructed by a single circuit block.