System for forming and processing program map information suitable for terrestrial, cable or satellite broadcast

• US 6,115,074 A
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Teng, Chia-Yuan, Ozkan, Mehmet Kemal, Heredia, Edwin Arturo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US09/057,649
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 348/465, 348/906, 348/460, 348/461, 348/845, 348/845.2, 348/469, 348/473, 348/10, 348/7, 348/476, 345/327, 345/328, 709/219, 709/217
• US Class Current: 348/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18526 Arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

Channel map information includes program map table information in packetized program information used in video processing and storage medium formats. In a digital video system for decoding an MPEG compatible datastream containing MPEG compatible program map table information, channel map information is identified and assembled. The channel map information identifies individual packetized datastreams that constitute a broadcast program. The channel map information associates a broadcast channel with packet identifiers used to identify individual packetized datastreams that constitute a program transmitted in the broadcast channel. The channel map information replicates information conveyed in the MPEG compatible program map table information.

Claims

1. Apparatus for decoding a datastream of MPEG compatible packetized program information containing program map information to provide decoded program data, comprising:

means for identifying channel map information conveyed within said packetized program information; and

means for assembling said identified information to form a channel map for identifying said individual packetized datastreams constituting said program, wherein

said channel map information replicates information conveyed in said MPEG compatible program map information and said replicated information associates a broadcast channel with packet identifiers used to identify individual packetized datastreams that constitute a program transmitted on said broadcast channel.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said channel map information further associates an individual program with a corresponding program clock reference (PCR) value.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said channel map information further associates an individual program with a corresponding language type indicator.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said channel map information further associates an individual program with a corresponding physical transmission channel carrier frequency.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, including

means for tuning to receive said program transmitted on said broadcast channel using said channel map information for acquisition of said program.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said channel map information further associates said packet identifiers with first and second identification numbers used in conjunction to identify said broadcast channel.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said decoder acquires said program transmitted on said broadcast channel in response to User entry of said first and second identification numbers.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said information associating said broadcast channel with said packet identifiers is conveyed within a descriptor section of said channel map information.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said channel map information associates a plurality of broadcast channels with corresponding descriptor sections.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said channel map information further associates a datastream type indicator with an individual packetized datastream, said datastream type indicator identifying whether said individual packetized datastream contains at least one of a) audio information, and b) video information.

11. Apparatus for decoding MPEG compatible packetized program information to provide decoded program data, comprising:

means for identifying channel map information conveyed within said packetized program information, said channel map information associating a broadcast channel with packet identifiers used to identify individual packetized datastreams that constitute a program transmitted in said broadcast channel; and

means for assembling said identified information to form a channel map for identifying said individual packetized datastreams constituting said program, wherein

said channel map information associates an individual program with a corresponding language type indicator.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

said channel map information associates an individual program with a corresponding program clock reference (PCR) value.

13. A storage medium containing MPEG compatible digital data representing video information comprising:

a video program;

MPEG compatible program map information; and

channel map information contained within said MPEG compatible digital data, wherein

said channel map information replicates information conveyed in said MPEG compatible program map information and said replicated information associates packet identifiers with individual packetized datastreams that constitute said video program.

15. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein

said channel map information further associates an individual program with a corresponding program clock reference (PCR) value.

14. A storage medium containing MPEG compatible digital data representing video information comprising:

a video program;

MPEG compatible program map information; and

channel map information contained within said MPEG compatible digital data, said channel map information associating packet identifiers with individual packetized datastreams that constitute said video program, wherein

said channel map information replicates information conveyed in said MPEG compatible program map information and

said channel map information further associates an individual program with a corresponding language type indicator.

16. Apparatus for forming program guide information suitable for decoding MPEG compatible packetized program information containing program map information to provide decoded program data, comprising:

means for forming channel map information; and

means for incorporating said channel map information into packetized program guide information for output, wherein

said channel map information replicates information conveyed in said MPEG compatible program map information and said replicated information associates a broadcast channel with packet identifiers used to identify individual packetized datastreams that constitute a program transmitted on said broadcast channel.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said channel map information further associates an individual program with a corresponding program clock reference (PCR) value.

18. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said channel map information further associates an individual program with a corresponding language type indicator.

19. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said channel map information further associates said packet identifiers with first and second identification numbers used in conjunction to identify said broadcast channel.

20. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said information associating said broadcast channel with said packet identifiers is conveyed within a descriptor section of said channel map information.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

said channel map information associates a plurality of broadcast channels with corresponding descriptor sections.

22. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said channel map information further associates a datastream type indicator with an individual packetized datastream, said datastream type indicator identifying whether said individual packetized datastream contains at least one of a) audio information, and b) video information.

23. A method for decoding MPEG compatible packetized program information containing program map information to provide decoded program data, comprising the steps of:

identifying channel map information conveyed within said packetized program information; and

assembling said identified information to form a channel map suitable for use in identifying said individual packetized datastreams constituting said program, wherein

said channel map information replicates information conveyed in said MPEG compatible program map information and said replicated information associates packet identifiers with individual packetized datastreams that constitute a program transmitted on a broadcast channel.

24. A method for forming program guide information suitable for decoding MPEG compatible packetized program information containing program map information to provide decoded program data, comprising the steps of:

forming channel map information; and

incorporating said channel map information into packetized program guide information for output, wherein

said channel map information replicates information conveyed in said MPEG compatible program map information and said replicated information associates a broadcast channel with packet identifiers used to identify individual packetized datastreams that constitute a program transmitted on said broadcast channel.