Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsJin Pil KIM, C. Gomer Thomas
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims11
1-30. (canceled)
A method of processing a digital broadcasting signal in a digital television receiver, comprising:
- receiving a digital broadcasting signal including program and system information protocol (PSIP) data including a virtual channel table (VCT),
- wherein the VCT includes a predefined field indicating a virtual channel as an inactive channel,
- wherein the 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 later time from a broadcasting station;
- and
- processing the virtual channel based on information in the VCT,
- wherein when the virtual channel is currently inactive, the receiver is capable of skipping over the virtual channel while a user is surfing.
A digital television receiver processing a digital broadcasting signal, comprising:
- receiving device that receives a digital broadcasting signal including program and system information protocol (PSIP) data including a virtual channel table (VCT),
- wherein the VCT includes a predefined field indicating a virtual channel as an inactive channel,
- wherein the 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 later time from a broadcasting station;
- and
- processing device that processes the virtual channel based on information in the VCT,
- wherein when the virtual channel is currently inactive, the receiver is capable of skipping over the virtual channel while a user is surfing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.