System, method, computer program product, and apparatus for automatically ensuring consistency between program and system information protocol tables and program specific information tables in a digital television stream

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer storage medium;
• and
• a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for causing a computer to provide consistent information in program specific information (PSI) tables and program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables of a digital television transport stream, the computer program code mechanism having
• a first computer code device configured to receive program information and to generate PSIP information;
• and
• a second computer code device configured to
• receive a first data element from a PSI table of an encoded stream and a second data element from the first computer code device, the first data element and the second data element both corresponding to an information element,
• deconflict the first data element and the second data element based on a rule to produce a deconflicted data element, and
• ensure that the information element of the PSI table and the information element of the PSP table both include the deconflicted data element in the digital television transport stream.

A method for providing consistent information in program specific information (PSI) tables and program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables of a digital television transport stream, comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a first data element from a PSI table of an encoded stream;
• acquiring a second data element from a PSIP table from a PSIP generator, the second data element of the PSIP table and the first data element of the PSI table both corresponding to an information element;
• deconflicting the first data element and the second data element based on a rule to produce a deconflicted data element;
• and
• ensuring that the information element of the PSI table and the information element of the PSIP table both include the deconflicted data element in the digital television transport stream.

A system for providing consistent information in program specific information (PSI) tables and program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables of a digital television transport stream, comprising the steps of:

• means for acquiring a first data element from a PSI table of an encoded stream;
• means for acquiring a second data element from a PSIP table from a PSIP generator, the second data element of the PSIP table and the first data element of the PSI table both corresponding to an information element;
• means for deconflicting the first data element and the second data element based on a rule to produce a deconflicted data element;
• and
• means for ensuring that the information element of the PSI table and the information element of the PSIP table both include the deconflicted data element in the digital television transport stream.

A method for providing consistent information in program specific information (PSI) tables and program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables of a digital television transport stream, comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a PSI table of an encoded stream;
• acquiring a PSIP table from a PSIP generator;
• applying a rule to deconflict the PSI table and the PSIP table to produce deconflicted information;
• and
• updating the PSI table and the PSIP table of the digital television transport stream with the deconflicted information.

A remultiplexer configured to providing consistent information in program specific information (PSI) tables and program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables of a digital television transport stream, comprising:

• a PSIP generator configured to receive program information and to generate PSIP information;
• and
• a reconciler mechanism configured to
• receive a first data element from a PSI table of an encoded stream and a second data element from the PSIP generator, the first data element and the second data element both corresponding to an information element,
• deconflict the first data element and the second data element based on a rule to produce a deconflicted data element, and
• ensure that the information element of the PSI table and the information element of the PSIP table both include the deconflicted data element in the digital television transport stream.

A digital television receiver configured to determine consistent information in program specific information (PSI) tables and program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables of a received digital television transport stream, comprising:

• a PSIP generator configured to receive program information and to generate PSIP information;
• and
• a reconciler mechanism configured to deconflict a first data element of a PSI table included in the received digital television transport stream and a second data element generated by the PSIP generator based on a rule to produce a deconflicted data element, the first data element and the second data element both corresponding to an information element, wherein
• the receiver is configured to access the deconflicted data element.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer storage medium;
• and
• a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for causing a computer to manipulate information in a digital television transport stream, the computer program code mechanism having
• a first computer code device configured to receive an encoded stream,
• a second computer code device configured to receive additional information to be encoded in the digital television transport stream, and
• a third computer code device configured to generate the digital television transport stream based on the encoded stream and the additional information.