Digital receiver demultiplexer
First Claim
1. A receiver for demultiplexing a digital data stream, the digital data stream including data packets each having a packet identifier, so as to retain only those data packets required by the receiver, the receiver comprising:
- an input module for receiving and processing the digital data stream;
a memory for storing packet identifiers corresponding to data packets required by the receiver and separate from the input module;
a first control circuit for controlling the storage in the memory of the packet identifiers;
a second control circuit for extracting a packet identifier from a data packet in the digital data stream; and
a third control circuit for receiving the extracted packet identifier and determining whether such matches one of the packet identifiers stored in the memory, for setting a match signal to the second control circuit responsive to a match, and for outputting an address in the memory responsive to a match, wherein the second control circuit accesses the address in the memory to retrieve control information associated with the packet identifier and controls processing by the input module of the input data packet responsive to the match signal by the third control circuit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to the demultiplexing of a digital data stream in a receiver so as to retain only those parts of the digital data stream required by the receiver. Such demultiplexing is particularly useful when applied to a receiver circuit in a television system having a digital set-top-box.
A memory in the receiver stores packet identifiers of data packets required by the receiver, which are stored in the memory under the control of a first control circuit. A second control circuit extracts packet identifiers from incoming data packets in an input digital data stream. A third control circuit receives the extracted packet identifier and determines whether this matches one of the packet identifiers stored in the memory. A match signal is set by the third control circuit to the second control circuit responsive to a match. The second control circuit demultiplexes the input data packet responsive to the match signal.
35 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A receiver for demultiplexing a digital data stream, the digital data stream including data packets each having a packet identifier, so as to retain only those data packets required by the receiver, the receiver comprising:
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an input module for receiving and processing the digital data stream; a memory for storing packet identifiers corresponding to data packets required by the receiver and separate from the input module; a first control circuit for controlling the storage in the memory of the packet identifiers; a second control circuit for extracting a packet identifier from a data packet in the digital data stream; and a third control circuit for receiving the extracted packet identifier and determining whether such matches one of the packet identifiers stored in the memory, for setting a match signal to the second control circuit responsive to a match, and for outputting an address in the memory responsive to a match, wherein the second control circuit accesses the address in the memory to retrieve control information associated with the packet identifier and controls processing by the input module of the input data packet responsive to the match signal by the third control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A set-top-box including a receiver for demultiplexing a digital data stream, the digital data stream including data packets each having a packet identifier, so as to retain only those data packets required by the receiver, the receiver comprising:
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an input module for receiving the digital data stream; a memory for storing packet identifiers corresponding to data packets required by the receiver and separate from the input module; a first control circuit for controlling the storage in the memory of the packet identifiers; a second control circuit for extracting a packet identifier from a data packet in the digital data stream; and a third control circuit for receiving the extracted packet identifier and determining whether such matches one of the packet identifiers stored in the memory, for setting a match signal to the second control circuit responsive to a match, and for outputting an address in the memory responsive to a match, wherein the second control circuit accesses the address in the memory to retrieve control information associated with the packet identifier and controls processing by the input module of the input data packet responsive to the match signal by the third control circuit.
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10. A method of demultiplexing a digital data stream input to a receiver, the digital data stream including data packets each having a packet identifier, so as to retain only those data packets required by the receiver, comprising the steps of:
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inputting the digital data stream; storing in a memory separate from the data stream and under the control of a first control circuit, packet identifiers of data packets required by the receiver; extracting, under the control of a second control circuit, a packet identifier from a data packet in the input digital data stream; determining, under the control of a third control circuit, whether the extracted packet identifier matches one of the stored packet identifiers; setting a match signal responsive to a match determined by the third control circuit; outputting, responsive to a match and under the control of the third control circuit, an address in the memory; accessing under the control of the second control circuit, the address in memory; retrieving control information associated with the packet identifier and stored at such address; and demultiplexing, under the control of the second control circuit, the input data packet responsive to the match signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of decoding a broadcast digital data signal in a set-top-box comprising:
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inputting the digital data stream; storing in a memory separate from the data stream and under the control of a first control circuit, packet identifiers of data packets required by the set-top-box; extracting, under the control of a second control circuit, a packet identifier from a data packet in the input digital data stream; determining, under the control of a third control circuit, whether the extracted packet identifier matches one of the stored packet identifiers; setting a match signal responsive to a match determined by the third control circuit; outputting, responsive to a match and under the control of the third control circuit, an address in the memory; accessing, under the control of the second control circuit, the address in memory; retrieving control information associated with the packet identifier and stored at such address; and demultiplexing, under the control of the second control circuit, the input data packet responsive to the match signal.
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19. A receiver for processing a packetized digital data stream, the receiver comprising:
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an input module to receive and process a data packet; a memory; a receiver processor to control storage of desired packet identifiers and associated control information in the memory; and a transport controller having a transport processor to extract a packet identifier from a packet in the input module and a search engine to search the memory for a match of the extracted packet identifier to a desired packet identifier stored in the memory, wherein responsive to a match the transport processor retrieves from the memory control information associated with the desired packet identifier stored in the memory and controls processing of the received data packet by the input module based on the retrieved control information. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A receiver for processing a packetized digital data stream, the receiver comprising:
- an input module to receive and process a data packet;
a memory;
a receiver processor to control storage of desired packet identifiers and associated control information in the memory; and
a transport controller having a transport processor to extract a packet identifier from a packet in the input module and a search engine to search the memory for a match of the extracted packet identifier to a desired packet identifier stored in the memory, wherein responsive to a match the transport processor retrieves from the memory control information associated with the desired packet identifier stored in the memory and controls processing of the received data packet by the input module based on the retrieved control information;wherein the transport processor generates a control signal to control processing of a packet by the input module based on associated control information retrieved from the memory; wherein the input module passes a data payload to the transport controller in response to the control signal.
- an input module to receive and process a data packet;
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24. A receiver for processing a packetized digital data stream, the receiver comprising:
- an input module to receive and process a data packet;
a memory;
a receiver processor to control storage of desired packet identifiers and associated control information in the memory; and
a transport controller having a transport processor to extract a packet identifier from a packet in the input module and a search engine to search the memory for a match of the extracted packet identifier to a desired packet identifier stored in the memory, wherein responsive to a match the transport processor retrieves from the memory control information associated with the desired packet identifier stored in the memory and controls processing of the received data packet by the input module based on the retrieved control information;wherein the transport processor generates a control signal to control processing of a packet by the input module based on associated control information retrieved from the memory; wherein the input module passes a data payload to the transport controller in response to the control signal; wherein the transport controller reformats the data payload based on the control information and passes the reformatted data payload to the input module for output in an alternative output stream.
- an input module to receive and process a data packet;
Specification