Re-mapping and interleaving transport packets of multiple transport streams for processing by a single transport demultiplexor

A system of re-mapping packet identifier (PID) values provided in transport packets associated with multiple transport streams to be multiplexed onto a single shared transport channel for input to a single transport demultiplexor, said system comprising:

• means for providing at least one PID re-map table having re-map values indexed by n possible PID values of transport packets associated with at least one transport stream of the multiple transport streams, wherein n is less than all possible PID values of transport packets within said multiple transport streams, each transport stream of the multiple transport streams comprising at least one program;
• means for comparing PID values of transport packets associated with said at least one transport stream with said n possible PID values of said at least one PID re-map table, and when a match is found, for indexing said at least one PID re-map table using said matching PID value, generating therefrom a re-map value, and replacing said matching PID value by said re-map value;
• wherein when a non-matching PID value is found, performing at least one of:
• means for replacing said non-matching PID value with a null value, meaning that the associated transport packet is to be discarded;
• or means for performing clock recovery on the at least one transport stream and discarding the transport packet associated with said non-matching PID value;
• and
• means for employing the single transport demultiplexor in simultaneously processing multiple programs for at least one of:
• (i) storing one program of the multiple programs while viewing another program of the multiple programs;
• and
• (ii) viewing a scaled version of one program of the multiple programs superimposed on a common screen with another program of the multiple programs in full screen mode.

A least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for re-mapping packet identifier (PID) values provided in transport packets associated with multiple transport streams to be multiplexed onto a single shared transport channel for input to a single transport demultiplexor, said method comprising:

• providing at least one PID re-map table having
• re-map values indexed by n possible PID values of transport packets associated with at least one transport stream of the multiple transport streams, wherein n is less than all possible PID values of transport packets within said multiple transport streams, each transport stream of the multiple transport streams comprising at least one program;
• comparing PID values of transport packets associated with said at least one transport stream with said n possible PID values of said at least one PID re-map table, and when a match is found, indexing said at least one PID re-map table using said matching PID value, generating therefrom a re-map value, and replacing said matching PID value by said re-map value;
• wherein when a non-matching PID value is found, performing at least one of:
• replacing said non-matching PID value with a null value, meaning that the associated transport packet is to be discarded;
• or performing clock recovery on the at least one transport stream and discarding the transport packet associated with said non-matching PID value;
• and
• employing the single transport demultiplexor in simultaneously processing multiple programs for at least one of:
• (i) storing one program of the multiple programs while viewing another program of the multiple programs;
• and
• (ii) viewing a scaled version of one program of the multiple programs superimposed on a common screen with another program of the multiple programs in full screen mode.