Program specific information formation for digital data processing

A method for forming program specific information (PSI) suitable for use in recovering data content of a program in the form of a packetized datastream, comprising the steps of:

• creating program map information that associates packet identifiers (PIDs) with individual packetized datastreams that constitute said program;
• creating program association information that associates said program with PIDs that identify packets comprising said program map information;
• and
• incorporating a command parameter within current PSI for commanding a decoder to apply said current PSI upon processing of said program irrespective of a substantive difference between said current PSI and previous PSI content.

A method for forming program specific information (PSI) suitable for use in recovering data content of a program in the form of a packetized datastream, comprising the steps of:

• creating program map information that,
• (a) associates packet identifiers (PIDs) with individual packetized datastreams that constitute said program, and
• (b) associates individual programs with one or more private data elements describing a program, selected from title, duration, program description, violence rating, age suitability rating, time of recording, date of recording, version list, wherein
• said program map information allows said private data elements of individual programs to be acquired without acquisition of additional PSI data;
• and
• creating program association information that associates said program with PIDs that identify packets comprising said program map information.