Digital television signal translator

A method translating a digital broadcast signal, the method comprising:

• receiving an RF digital broadcast signal on a first selected channel;
• generating a baseband signal by demodulating the RF digital broadcast signal;
• modifying the baseband signal by replacing a first NTSC channel data component in the baseband signal with a second NTSC channel data component different from the first NTSC data component, wherein the second NTSC data component is not contained in the received RF digital broadcast signal;
• and
• modulating the baseband signal including the second NTSC data component for transmission as a digital broadcast signal on a second selected channel different from the first selected channel, wherein the second NTSC data component specifies an analog NTSC channel which is newly assigned to a corresponding source of the digital broadcast signal.

A digital broadcast signal translator comprising:

• a tuner tuned to receive an RF digital broadcast signal on a first selected channel;
• a demodulator arranged to provide a baseband signal by modulating the RF digital broadcast signal, the baseband signal including a virtual channel table (VCT);
• a program and system information protocol (PSIP) enhancer arranged to modify channel information included in the VCT, wherein the modified channel information is not contained in the received RF digital broadcast signal;
• and
• a modulator arranged to modulate the baseband signal including the modified channel information for transmission as a digital broadcast signal on a second selected channel different from the first selected channel, wherein the modified channel information comprises a first data component identifying a replacement NTSC channel which is newly assigned to a corresponding source of the digital broadcast signal.

A method of translating a digital broadcast signal, the method comprising:

• receiving an RF digital broadcast signal on a first selected channel;
• generating a baseband signal by demodulating the RF digital broadcast signal, the baseband signal including a virtual channel table (VCT);
• modifying channel information included in the VCT, wherein the modified channel information is not contained in the received RF digital broadcast signal;
• and
• modulating the baseband signal including the modified channel information for transmission as a digital broadcast signal on a second selected channel different from the first selected channel, wherein the modified channel information comprises a first data component identifying a replacement NTSC channel which is newly assigned to a corresponding source of the digital broadcast signal.

An enhanced digital broadcast signal for use in a broadcast receiver for receiving audio and video (AV) data from a broadcast transmitter via a digital signal translator, the enhanced digital broadcast signal comprising:

• a first data component identifying a channel to which the digital signal translator translates the enhanced digital broadcast signal;
• a second data component identifying a virtual channel number which is replaced by the digital signal translator;
• a third data component identifying an NTSC channel which is replaced by the digital signal translator and is newly assigned to a corresponding source of the enhanced digital broadcast signal;
• and
• a replacement cyclic redundancy code which is recomputed by the digital signal translator based upon the first, second, and third data components.