Digital television translator with PSIP update

• US 7,487,533 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K Tech Telecommunications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: K Tech Telecommunications Incorporated
• Inventors: Kuh, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US10/890,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20040261117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 725114-118
• US Class Current: 725/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]

Abstract

A digital television translator includes a digital television receiver for receiving a first digital television signal at a first frequency and generating a digital transport stream from the first digital television signal. The digital transport stream can include original Program and System Information (PSIP) data having RX channel data that is indicative of the first frequency, the first major channel number, and/or the first minor channel number. The digital television translator also includes a PSIP update module for updating the original PSIP data in the digital transport stream by replacing the RX channel data with TX channel data. The TX data is indicative of a second frequency, a second major channel number, and/or a second minor channel number. The digital television translator further includes a digital television modulator for converting the digital transport stream having the updated PSIP data into a second digital television signal at the second frequency, where the second frequency can be the same or different from the first frequency.

Claims

1. A program information update module, comprising:

a demultiplexor, the demultiplexor separating a first program information table from video data and audio data contained in a first digital transport stream, the first program information table containing one or more attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream;

a program information update unit, the program information update unit modifying the first program information table to form a second program information table, the second program information table including one or more new attributes for the virtual channel of the digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream; and

a multiplexor, the multiplexor combining the second program information table with the separated video and audio data to form a second digital transport stream, wherein the second digital transport stream contains the one or more updated attributes for the virtual channel.

2. The program information update module of claim 1, wherein the first program information table is an ATSC PSIP table, wherein the program information update unit modifies a VCT table within the first program information table, and wherein the VCT table is in ATSC format.

3. The program information update module of claim 1, wherein the program information update unit modifies a virtual channel number within the first program information table.

4. The program information update module of claim 1, wherein the program information update unit modifies the first program information table by adding the one or more new attributes for the virtual channel to data from the first program information table to form the second program information table.

5. The program information update module of claim 1, wherein the program information update unit modifies the first program information table by replacing the one or more attributes for the virtual channel in the first program information table with the one or more new attributes for the virtual channel to form the second program information table.

6. The program information update module of claim 1, wherein the program information update unit modifies the first program information table by dropping the first program information table and inserting the second program information table including the one or more new attributes for the virtual channel, wherein the one or more attributes for the virtual channel identifies the digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream.

7. The program information update module of claim 1, further comprising a remultiplexor, the remultiplexor inserting internet protocol packets arriving from an internet protocol network into one of the first and second digital transport streams.

8. The program information update module of claim 1, wherein the multiplexor combines new ancillary data with the second program information table and the separated video and audio data to form the second digital transport stream.

9. The program information update module of claim 1, further comprising a digital television receiver, the digital television receiver receiving a first RF television signal and converting the first RF television signal into the first digital transport stream.

10. The program information update module of claim 1, further comprising a digital television modulator, the digital television modulator receiving the second digital transport stream and converting the second digital transport stream into an RF modulated signal.

11. A digital television translator, comprising

a digital television receiver that generates a first digital transport stream from a first digital television RF signal;

a demultiplexor for separating original PSIP data from video data and audio data contained in the first digital transport stream;

a PSIP update unit, the PSIP update unit modifying a virtual channel table in the original PSIP data to form updated PSIP data;

a multiplexor for combining the updated PSIP data with the separated video and audio data to form a second digital transport stream; and

a digital television modulator that receives the second digital transport stream from the multiplexor and generates a second digital television RF signal.

12. The digital television translator of claim 11, further comprising an RF power amplifier for amplifying the second digital television RF signal.

13. A method of translating, comprising

separating a first program information table from video data and audio data contained in a first digital transport stream, the first program information table containing one or more attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream;

forming a second program information table having one or both of a new carrier frequency and new virtual channel number;

combining the second program information table with the separated video and audio data to form a second digital transport stream;

modulating data from the second digital transport stream; and

generating a second digital television RF signal using the modulated data from the second digital transport stream.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating the first digital transport stream from a first digital television RF signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving the first digital television RF signal over-the-air.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the second program information table does not include a portion of data contained in the first program information table.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising inserting internet protocol packets arriving from an internet protocol network into one of the first or second digital transport streams.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising inserting ancillary data into one of the first or second digital transport streams.

19. A system for translating, comprising

a demultiplexor, the demultiplexor separating a first program information table from video data and audio data contained in a first digital transport stream, the first program information table containing one or more attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream;

a program information update unit, the program information update unit replacing the first program information table with a second program information table, the second program information table including one or more new attributes for the virtual channel of the digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream;

a multiplexor, the multiplexor combining the second program information table with the separated video and audio data to form a second digital transport stream.

20. The system for translating of claim 19, further comprising a digital modulator that receives the second digital transport stream from the multiplexor and generates a second digital television signal.

21. The system for translating of claim 19, further comprising a digital television receiver that generates the first digital transport stream from a first digital television signal, having ATSC PSIP tables.

22. The system for translating of claim 19, wherein the one or more attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream identifies the virtual channel number of the first digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream.

23. The system for translating of claim 19, wherein the one or more new attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the second digital transport stream identifies the virtual channel number of the digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream.

24. The system for translating of claim 19, wherein the one or more new attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the second digital transport stream identifies the virtual channel number of the digital television signal carried in the second digital transport stream.

25. The system for translating of claim 19, further comprising:

a digital television receiver that generates the first digital transport stream from a first digital television signal, having ATSC PSIP tables; and

a digital modulator that receives the second digital transport stream from the multiplexor and generates a second digital television signal.

26. The system for translating of claim 19, wherein Internet Protocol packets arriving from an Internet Protocol network are inserted into one of the first or second digital transport streams.

27. The system for translating of claim 19, wherein the first digital transport stream includes ATSC PSIP Tables.

28. The system for translating of claim 20, further comprising an RF power amplifier for amplifying the second digital television signal.

29. A system for translating, comprising

a demultiplexor, the demultiplexor separating a first program information table from video data and audio data contained in a first digital transport stream, the first program information table containing one or more attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream;

a program information update unit, the program information update unit supplementing the first program information table with a second program information table, the second program information table including one or more new attributes for the virtual channel of the digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream;

a multiplexor, the multiplexor combining the second program information table with the separated video and audio data to form a second digital transport stream.

30. The system for translating of claim 29, further comprising a digital modulator that receives the second digital transport stream from the multiplexor and generates a second digital television signal.

31. The system for translating of claim 29, further comprising a digital television receiver that generates the first digital transport stream from a first digital television signal, having ATSC PSIP tables.

32. The system for translating of claim 29, further comprising:

a digital television receiver that generates the first digital transport stream from a first digital television signal, having ATSC PSIP tables; and

a digital modulator that receives the second digital transport stream from the multiplexor and generates a second digital television signal.

33. The system for translating of claim 29, wherein Internet Protocol packets arriving from an Internet Protocol network are inserted into one of the first or second digital transport streams.

34. The system for translating of claim 29, wherein the first digital transport stream includes ATSC PSIP tables.

35. The system for translating of claim 30, further comprising an RF power amplifier for amplifying the second digital television signal.

36. The system for translating of claim 29, wherein the one or more attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream identifies the virtual channel number of the first digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream.

37. The system for translating of claim 29, wherein the one or more new attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the second digital transport stream identifies the virtual channel number of the digital television signal carried in the first digital transport stream.

38. The system for translating of claim 29, wherein the one or more new attributes for a virtual channel of a digital television signal carried in the second digital transport stream identifies the virtual channel number of the digital television signal carried in the second digital transport stream.