Method and apparatus for composite data stream storage and playback

• US 6,564,003 B2
• Filed: 11/04/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: XM Satellite Radio Incorporated (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Wadin, Craig P., Marko, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US09/433,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20020071658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.576, H04/N.5783, H04/N.5781, H04/N.592, H04/N.979, 386/1, 386/45, 386/46, 386/95, 386/69-70, 386/98, 386/125, 386/126, 348/460, 348/461, 725/105, 725/114, 725/115, 725/131, 725/133, 725/135, 725/136, 725/141, 725/143, 725/144, 725/145, 725/151, 725/153, 725/87, 725/91, 725/92, 725/100, 725/101, 705/26, 705/27, 345/205
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/19 digital satellite radio [DSR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

A composite data stream is stored on a data storage medium. The composite data stream comprises a plurality of program channels to provide services such as satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS), among others. The program channels are multiplexed into the composite data stream, which also comprises control data for indicating where services are located in the composite data stream. A playback device is configured to access the composite data stream on the data storage medium, to demultiplex at least the program channels and to retrieve selected services from the data storage medium in response to user inputs by using the control data.

Claims

1. A method of using a composite data stream, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a data storage medium having a portion of a composite data stream stored thereon, said composite data stream comprising a plurality of programs, said programs supporting services selected from the group consisting of audio, video and data information and providing different categories of information, said programs being divided into a plurality of program channels that are multiplexed at least in part with other said program channels to intersperse said categories of information within said composite data stream, said data storage medium allowing playback of any of said program channels for a selected period of time, said programs being selected by a provider prior to a user request and communicated to a user; and

operating a playback device for said composite data stream, said composite data stream comprising control data for demultiplexing said composite data stream to allow extraction of a selected one of said categories therefrom, said playback device being programmable to receive a user input, and to process said control data in response to said user input by locally accessing said composite data stream on said local data storage medium to demultiplex and playback the selected one of said categories requested via said user input using said control data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control data comprises program channel information to identify the types of said categories of information provided by said composite data stream, and further comprising the steps of:

generating a user indication using said program channel information and said playback device to allow a user to determine which one of said categories stored on said local data storage medium to playback;

receiving a selection signal indicating which one of said categories has been selected by said user; and

demultiplexing at least one of said services corresponding to the selected one of said categories from said composite data signal that is indicated in said selection signal.

3. A playback device for a composite data stream, the playback device comprising:

an access device operable to access a local storage medium having a composite data stream stored thereon, said composite data stream comprising a plurality of programs and program data, said plurality of programs providing respective categories of information and being divided into program channels that are multiplexed with said program channels of other said programs to intersperse said categories of information within said composite data stream, said program data being used to demultiplex said program channels to their corresponding said programs, said programs being selected by a provider prior to a user request and communicated to a user via said local storage device, said local storage device having a portion of said composite data stream stored thereon to allow playback of any of said programs for a selected period of time;

a processing device connected to said access device;

a user input device connected to said processing device for indicating a selected one of said categories to be played back from said composite data signal, said processing device generating control signals in response to said user input device, said access device being operable to access said local storage device and retrieve selected said program channels therefrom in response to said control signals; and

an output device to playback said selected one of said categories of information.

4. A playback device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said access device comprises a composite signal demultiplexer operable to receive said control signals from said processing device, and being operable in response to said control signals to demultiplex said program channels corresponding to said selected one of said categories of information from said storage device.

5. A playback device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said composite data stream comprises program identification data to identify different types of said categories of information, said processing device being operable to use said program identification data to generate an indication via said display device of different options from which a user can select one of said categories of information for demultiplexing and playback by said access device and said output device, respectively.

6. A playback device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said playback device comprises a display device for displaying data relating to the types of said categories of information that are stored on said storage device.

7. A computer-readable data structure stored in a computer-readable medium, the data structure comprising a composite data stream having a plurality of time division multiplexed program channels corresponding to a plurality of programs, said plurality of programs providing different categories of information and being interspersed in said composite data stream, each of said program channels comprising one or more service components, said service components being generated by encoding at least one of analog and digital content, said composite data stream being provided with control information to identify the location of said program channels corresponding to each of said categories of information in said composite data stream, said control information being useful to demultiplex each of said plurality of programs from said composite data stream stored on said computer-readable medium, said programs being selected by a provider prior to a user request and communicated to a user via a computer-readable medium, said computer-readable medium using said control information to locally access and playback any of said categories of information for a selected period of time in response to user selection of the corresponding said program.