PSIP converter and converting method and digital cable television broadcasting system using the PSIP converter

A program and system information protocol (PSIP) conversion method for selectively receiving a digital terrestrial broadcasting transport stream (TS) or a digital satellite broadcasting TS, converting the selectively received TS into a corresponding digital cable broadcasting TS, and outputting the corresponding digital cable broadcasting TS, said method comprising:

• (a) receiving a program information description (PD) needed for analyzing the terrestrial broadcasting TS or the satellite broadcasting TS, information needed for protocol conversion, and data for other controls from a user;
• (b) converting the terrestrial broadcasting TS or the satellite broadcasting TS into an internally processed bit rate format;
• (c) filtering the converted terrestrial broadcasting TS or the satellite broadcasting TS using the PID to extract A/V data and PSIP/PSI data from the terrestrial broadcasting TS and extract A/V data and SI/PSI data from the satellite broadcasting TS;
• (d) analyzing and converting the extracted PSIP/PSI data or the SI/PSI data into the corresponding digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI data;
• and
• (e) receiving the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI data in (d) and the extracted A/V data in (c), performing TS multiplexing on the received digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI data and extracted A/V data, and outputting the TS multiplexed data in the digital cable broadcasting TS;
• wherein the analyzing and converting in (d) comprises:
• (d1) splitting the PSIP/PSI data extracted from the terrestrial broadcasting TS or the SI/PSI data extracted from the satellite broadcasting TS according to tables corresponding to the PSI or the SI and the PSI, and extracting data for generating respective digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables;
• (d2) using the data extracted in (d1), data inputted by a system manager though an user interface, and data stored in a database to configure data needed for generating the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables;
• (d3) outputting control signals corresponding to each table generation period of the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables;
• and
• (d4) generating the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables by using the data configured at (d2) according to the control signals outputted at (d3).

A digital cable television broadcasting system for selectively receiving digital terrestrial broadcasting or digital satellite television broadcasting signals and linking the selectively received signals to a digital cable broadcasting network in real-time, said system comprising:

• a plurality of first and second broadcasting signal demodulators for demodulating the digital terrestrial broadcasting signals and the digital satellite television broadcasting signals, respectively, and outputting the demodulated signals in terrestrial broadcasting transport streams (TS) and satellite broadcasting TS, respectively;
• a plurality of first and second program and system information protocol (PSIP) converters for analyzing the terrestrial broadcasting TS and the satellite broadcasting TS outputted by the broadcasting signal demodulators, respectively, converting a terrestrial broadcasting PSIP/PSI table and a satellite television broadcasting SI/PSI table extracted from the analyzed TS into digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables, respectively, and outputting a cable broadcasting TS based on the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables;
• a plurality of broadcasting signal modulators for modulating the cable broadcasting TS outputted by the PSIP converters;
• a plurality of up-converters for up-converting the cable broadcasting TS modulated by the broadcasting signal modulators into radio frequency (RF) signals;
• and
• a mixer for mixing the cable broadcasting TS up-converted by the up-converters, and transmitting the mixed cable broadcasting TS, via a cable to a subscriber;
• wherein each of said first and second PSIP converters comprises a protocol data converter which, in turn, comprises:
• a table data manager for receiving the extracted terrestrial broadcasting PSIP/PSI table and satellite television broadcasting SI/PSI table, and extracting therefrom data for generating the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables:
• a common protocol data manager for using the data extracted by the table data manager, data inputted by a system manager though an user interface, and data stored in a database to configure data needed for generating the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables;
• a scheduler for outputting control signals corresponding to each table generation period of the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables;
• and
• a PSIP/PSI table generator for generating the digital cable broadcasting PSIP/PSI tables by using the data inputted by the common protocol data manager according to the control signals outputted by the scheduler.