Device for sending-out data in which associated data is multiplexed with main data
AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorToyokazu Sugai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A table creating unit receives program information and an upper limit bit rate of EPG data, creates a table of EIT [current/next] on the basis of the information and upper limit bit rate, and determines the frequency of transmission of the table in consideration of the upper limit bit rate and the lower limit of the frequency of transmission of the table. A stream transmitting unit receives the table and the frequency of transmission, converts the table to stream information, and transmits a stream at a frequency determined based on the transmission frequency. Therefore, data transmission is carried out satisfying both the limit of the upper limit bit rate and the limit on the transmission frequency.
Claims14
A device, in which electronic program guide (EPG) data associated with and multiplexed with broadcast program data is produced and transmitted, comprising:
- a producing unit for producing the EPG data, the EPG data including one or more tables corresponding to one or more types of tables, each of the one or more types of tables being determined in advance to include multiple constituent information elements;
- and
- a sending-out unit, which is operatively connected to the producing unit, for transforming the EPG data produced by the producing unit into a bit stream and transmitting the bit stream;
- wherein the device is configured to:
- prioritize the constituent information elements of at least one of the types of tables according to the importance of data contained therein;
- calculate an amount of information that would be included in the EPG data if the producing unit produced the one or more tables in the EPG data to include all of the constituent information elements of the corresponding one or more types of tables,
- determine whether the calculated amount of information exceeds a limit necessary to allow at least one type of table in the EPG data to be repeatedly sent out via the bit stream at a frequency equal to or higher than a predetermined sending-out frequency of the at least one type of table while transmitting the bit stream at a rate equal to or lower than a predetermined bit rate, and
- in response to determining that the calculated amount of information exceeds the limit, perform the following:
- cause the producing unit to selectively omit the constituent information elements from the at least one of the tables in the produced EPG data on the basis of ascending priority until the amount of information in the produced EPG data is less than or equal to the limit, and
- transmit the EPG data from which the constituent elements have been omitted.
A device, comprising:
- a multiplexer in which main data is multiplexed with associated data, the main data being contents of a broadcast program, the associated data comprising one or more types of information associated with broadcast programs, each type of the information being formatted into one or more tables in the associated data;
- and
- a sending-out unit which transmits the main data multiplexed with the associated data,
- wherein said device uses a prescribed upper limit bit rate for the associated data to force a transmission bit rate of the associated data not to exceed the prescribed upper limit bit rate, while said device multiplexes the associated data and transmits the multiplexed associated data according to a sending-out frequency for the tables which is equal to or higher than a prescribed sending-out frequency, and
- wherein the prescribed sending-out frequency is defined prior to creation of the associated data, and the prescribed sending-out frequency is lower for a type of information associated with later-scheduled broadcast programs than a type of information associated with earlier-scheduled broadcast programs.
A method, comprising:
- multiplexing main data with associated data, the main data being contents of a broadcast program, the associated data comprising one or more types of information associated with broadcast programs, each type of the information being formatted into one or more tables in the associated data;
- and
- transmitting the main data multiplexed with the associated data,
- wherein a prescribed upper limit bit rate for the associated data is used to force a transmission bit rate of the associated data not to exceed the prescribed upper limit bit rate, while the associated data is multiplexed and transmitted according to a sending-out frequency for the tables which is equal to or higher than a prescribed sending-out frequency, and
- wherein the prescribed sending-out frequency is defined prior to creation of the associated data, and the prescribed sending-out frequency is lower for a type of information associated with later-scheduled broadcast programs than a type of information associated with earlier-scheduled broadcast programs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.