Receiving apparatus for digital broadcasting signal and receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus thereof

• US 6,185,228 B1
• Filed: 12/05/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Katsumata, Kenji, Matsumoto, Takuya, Hatanaka, Yuji, Yamamoto, Yuji, Sei, Shuko, Takashimizu, Satoru, Okamura, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US08/986,074
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/409, 370/474, 370/527, 370/529, 370/535, 370/537, 370/538, 348/6, 348/7, 348/14, 348/17, 348/19, 348/423, 348/425, 348/461, 348/465, 348/467, 348/469, 348/906, 348/845.02, 386/46, 386/85, 386/90, 386/91, 386/94, 386/95, 386/98
• US Class Current: 370/535
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91321 the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4343 Extraction or processing of packetized elementary streams [PES]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

In a digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus, a recorded program can be immediately reproduced without performing complicated operations. Only a desired program and information related to the desired program are separated to be extracted from the digital broadcasting signal. Then, the separated/extracted broadcasting signal is supplied to a recording/reproducing apparatus. In the recording/reproducing apparatus, the supplied broadcasting signal is recorded, and the recorded program can be immediately reproduced without complicated manipulating operations during the signal reproducing operation.

Claims

1. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus comprising:

a channel decoding circuit receiving transmitted digital information and demodulating the received digital information into a bit stream having a predetermined packet structure, said transmitted digital information being such that a plurality of logical channel signals constituted by video, audio, and data are multiplexed as digital information on a single bit stream having a predetermined packet format and are transmitted;

a first packet separating circuit extracting a designated packet from a bit stream outputted from said channel decoding circuit;

a source decoding circuit decoding a logical channel signal outputted from said first packet separating circuit to output the decoded logical channel as a television signal;

a second packet separating circuit extracting at least a portion of the designated packets from the bit stream outputted from said channel decoding circuit;

an output circuit outputting a bit stream outputted from said second packet separating circuit toward a recording/reproducing circuit;

an input circuit supplying a bit stream derived from said recording/reproducing circuit to said first packet separating circuit; and

a control circuit controlling operations of said first packet separating circuit and said second packet separating circuit.

2. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said second packet separating circuit extracts a Program Association Table (PAT) packet defined in an MPEG2 rule, at least one Program Map Table (PMT) packet, and a packet including at least one of video, audio, and data, which is determined by said PMT packet in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit.

3. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said control circuit compares said PAT with said PMT when the bit stream derived from said recording/reproducing circuit is inputted, whereby video, audio, and data to be reproduced are determined.

4. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said second packet separating circuit extracts the packets of the video, audio, and data, which are determined by at least a PMT packet determined by the MPEG2 rule and said PMT packet in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit;

further comprises a rewriting circuit for rewriting a packet ID of said PMT packet into a predetermined value in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit; and

outputs the signal rewritted by said rewriting circuit to said recording/reproducing circuit.

5. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

when the bit stream derived from said recording/reproducing circuit is inputted, said first packet separating circuit extracts a PMT packet having a predetermined packet ID, and determines at least one of the video, audio, and data to be reproduced in accordance with said extracted PMT packet in response to an instruction of said control circuit.

6. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said second packet separating circuit extracts packets of at least one of video, audio, and data, and further comprises a rewriting circuit for rewriting packet IDs of said at least one of video, audio, and data into predetermined values.

7. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

when the bit stream derived from said recording/reproducing circuit is inputted, said first packet separating circuit extracts at least one of video, audio, and data packets having predetermined packet IDs in response to an instruction of said control circuit.

8. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said second packet separating circuit extracts packets of desirable at least one of video, audio, and data, and further comprises an inserting circuit for inserting a packet instructing packet IDs used to identify the packets of the at least one of video, audio, and data to be extracted into the output bit stream from said second packet separating circuit as new packets.

9. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein:

the new packets for designating said IDs of the video, audio, and data have the same packet IDs as these of the PAT packets defined by the MPEG2 rule.

10. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein:

when the bit stream derived from the recording/reproducing circuit is inputted, said first packet separating circuit extracts the new packets for designating the packet IDs of said video, audio, and data in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit.

11. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said second packet separating circuit extracts the packets of the video, audio, and data, which are determined by at least a PMT packet determined by the MPEG2 rule and said PMT packet in response to an instruction issued from said control means; and

further extracts a program information packet which describes contents of said video, audio, and data packets in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit.

12. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

when the bit stream derived from said recording/reproducing circuit is entered, said first packet separating circuit extracts said program information packet in advance, and determines packets of at least one of video, audio, and data to be extracted based upon said program information packet in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit.

13. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

said program information packet is a specific program information packet into which information about packets of at least one of video, audio, and data especially extracted by said second packet separating circuit is described.

14. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

when the bit stream derived from said recording/reproducing circuit is entered, said first packet separating circuit extracts said specific program information packet in advance, and determines packets of at least one of video, audio, and data to be extracted based upon said specific program information packet in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit.

15. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an output stopping circuit stopping the operation of said output circuit for supplying the output of the second packet separating circuit toward said recording/reproducing circuit in the case where said first packet separating circuit extracts recording prohibit information of said video, audio, and data in response to an instruction issued from said control means.

16. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a function stopping circuit stopping the function of said second packet extracting circuit in the case where said first packet separating circuit extracts recording prohibit information of said video, audio, and data in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit.

17. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said second packet separating circuit extracts at least the PAT packet and the PMT packet determined by the MPEG2 rule, and said packet of the video, audio, and data determined by said PMT packet;

extracts a program information packet into which the contents of said video, audio, and data are described in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit;

includes a transfer rate detecting circuit for detecting a transfer rate of the signal outputted from said second packet separating circuit; and

interrupts the extracting operation of a preset specific packet by said second packet separating circuit in response to an instruction issued from said control circuit in such a case that said transfer rate detecting circuit detects that the transfer rate of the signal outputted by said second packet separating circuit exceeds a preset value.

18. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus comprising:

an input processing circuit receiving transmitted digital information and for demodulating the received digital information into a bit stream having a predetermined packet structure, said transmitted digital information being such that a plurality of logical channel signals constituted by at least one of video, audio, and data are multiplexed as digital information on a single bit stream having a predetermined packet format and are transmitted;

a packet separating circuit extracting a designated packet from a bit stream outputted from said input processing circuit;

a packet replacing circuit replacing at least a portion of packets outputted from said packet separating circuit by a predetermined signal;

an output circuit outputting an output signal from said packet replacing circuit inside, or outside said digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus; and

a control circuit controlling operations of said packet separating circuit.

19. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein:

said packet separating circuit includes;

a temporary storage circuit temporarily storing an inputted signal;

a detecting circuit detecting a specific signal from the signal temporarily stored in said temporary storage circuit;

first storage circuit and second storage circuit storing a signal entered from said control circuit;

a comparing circuit comparing the signal detected by said detecting circuit with the signal stored in said first storage circuit; and

a selecting circuit selecting said input signal, the signal temporarily stored in said temporary storage circuit, or the signal stored in said second storage circuit; and

wherein;

when said specific signal is a predetermined value, either a portion or all of the packets containing said specific signal are replaced by the signal stored in said second storage circuit.

20. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein:

said specific signal is ID information indicative of at least an attribute of said packet.

21. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein:

said packet replaced by said packet replacing circuit is such a packet having at least information regarding a selection of said logical channel.

22. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein:

said packet separating means is constituted by a storage circuit storing therein a signal entered from said control circuit; and

a selecting circuit selecting said input signal, or the signal stored in said storage circuit under control of said control circuit;

wherein said packet separating circuit replaces a portion, or all of packets by the signal stored in said storage circuit under control of said control circuit.

23. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein:

said selecting circuit selects said input signal, the signal temporarily stored in said temporary storage circuit, or the signal stored in said second storage circuit under control of said comparing circuit and said control circuit; and

owns a first mode in which when said specific signal is equal to a predetermined value, either a portion or all of the packets containing said specific signal is replaced by the signal stored in said second storage circuit; and

also owns a second mode in which either a portion or all of the packets containing said specific signal is replaced by the signal stored in said second storage circuit irrelevant to the value of said specific signal under control of said control circuit.

24. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein:

said second storage circuit stores therein plural sorts of signals; and

comprises output control circuit controlling the output derived from said second storage circuit under control of said control circuit; and

a packet signal replaced by said replacing circuit can be selected by said control circuit.

25. A digital broadcasting signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

said separating circuit owns a normal mode for extracting designated packet, and a through mode for extracting all of the packets; and

when at least said packet replacing circuit is set to said second mode, said separating circuit is set to the through mode.

26. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:

an input processing circuit receiving transmitted digital information and for demodulating the received digital information into a bit stream having a predetermined packet structure, said digital information being such that a plurality of logical channel signals constituted by at least one of video, audio, and data are multiplexed as digital information on a single bit stream having a predetermined packet format and are transmitted;

a packet separating circuit extracting a designated packet from a bit stream outputted from said input processing circuit;

a packet replacing circuit replacing either a portion or all of packets outputted from said packet separating circuit;

a recording/reproducing circuit recording/reproducing an output signal from said replacing circuit; and

a control circuit controlling operations of said packet separating circuit.

27. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein:

said packet separating circuit includes;

a temporary storage circuit temporarily storing an inputted signal;

a detecting circuit detecting a specific signal from the signal temporarily stored in said temporary storage circuit;

a first storage circuit and second storage circuit storing a signal entered from said control circuit;

a comparing circuit comparing the signal detected by said detecting circuit with the signal stored in said first storage circuit; and

a selecting circuit selecting said input signal, the signal temporarily stored in said temporary storage circuit, or the signal stored in said second storage circuit; and

wherein;

when said specific signal is a predetermined value, either a portion or all of the packets containing said specific signal are replaced by the signal stored in said second storage circuit.

28. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein:

said specific signal is ID information indicative of at least an attribute of said packet.

29. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein:

said packet replaced by said packet replacing circuit is such a packet having at least information regarding a selection of said logical channel.

30. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein:

said packet separating circuit is constituted by a storage circuit storing therein a signal entered from said control circuit; and

a selecting circuit selecting said input signal, or the signal stored in said storage circuit under control of said control circuit;

wherein said packet separating circuit replaces a portion, or all of packets by the signal stored in said storage circuit under control of said control circuit.

31. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein:

said selecting circuit selects said input signal, the signal temporarily stored in said temporary storage circuit, or the signal stored in said second storage circuit under control of said comparing circuit and said control circuit; and

has a first mode in which when said specific signal is equal to a predetermined value, either a portion or all of the packets containing said specific signal is replaced by the signal stored in said second storage circuit; and

also has a second mode in which either a portion or all of the packets containing said specific signal is replaced by the signal stored in said second storage circuit irrelevant to the value of said specific signal under control of said control circuit.

32. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 31

said second storage circuit stores therein plural sorts of signals and comprises an output control circuit controlling the output derived from said second storage circuit under control of said control circuit;

and a packet signal replaced by said replacing means can be selected by said control circuit.

33. A digital broadcasting signal receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein:

said separating circuit has a normal mode for extracting designated packet, and a through mode for extracting all of the packets; and

when at least said packet replacing circuit is set to said second mode, said separating circuit is set to the through mode.