Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of receiving a virtual channel table in a broadcasting protocol, said method comprising:
- receiving identification information in the virtual channel table, said identification information identifying a channel as being one of an active and an inactive channel; and
determining whether the channel is inactive based upon the identification information defined in the virtual channel table, by parsing the virtual channel table,wherein said inactive channel is a channel that is not presently carrying a broadcast program;
however, the same inactive channel is scheduled to carry a broadcast program at a predetermined later time from a broadcasting station without local viewer interaction; and
wherein the inactive channel is capable of being automatically skipped.
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Abstract
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
46 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of receiving a virtual channel table in a broadcasting protocol, said method comprising:
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receiving identification information in the virtual channel table, said identification information identifying a channel as being one of an active and an inactive channel; and determining whether the channel is inactive based upon the identification information defined in the virtual channel table, by parsing the virtual channel table, wherein said inactive channel is a channel that is not presently carrying a broadcast program;
however, the same inactive channel is scheduled to carry a broadcast program at a predetermined later time from a broadcasting station without local viewer interaction; andwherein the inactive channel is capable of being automatically skipped. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of processing program and system information protocol (PSIP) data in a digital television (DTV) receiver, the method comprising:
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receiving a digital television (DTV) signal including a virtual channel table containing identification information which identifies a channel as being one of an active and inactive channel; parsing the virtual channel table; retrieving the identification information from the parsed virtual channel table in order to determine whether the channel is inactive based upon the retrieved identification information; and generating an electronic program guide (EPG) as a function of the retrieved identification information, wherein said inactive channel is a channel that is not presently carrying a broadcast program;
however, the same inactive channel is scheduled to carry a broadcast program at a predetermined later time from a broadcasting station without local viewer interaction; andwherein the inactive channel is capable of being automatically skipped. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification