# US 8,752,082 B2 · Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same

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- Number: US 8,752,082 B2
- Document ID: US8752082B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/970,115
- Filed: 2013-08-19
- Published: 2013-12-19
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 1999-10-08
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Jinpil Kim; C. Gomer Thomas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8752082B2

## CPC

- H04N 21/462: Content or additional data management e.g. creating a master electronic programme guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end or controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
- H04N 5/445: for displaying additional information (H04N5/50 takes precedence)
- H04N 5/455: Demodulation-circuits
- H04N 5/50: Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
- H04N 7/16: Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
- H04N 21/235: Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
- H04N 21/2353: {specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata}
- H04N 21/2362: Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
- H04N 21/26283: {for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic programme guide data}
- H04N 21/2668: Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)}
- H04N 21/426: Internal components of the client {; Characteristics thereof} (H04N5/44 takes precedence)
- H04N 21/43: Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware {(real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00)}
- H04N 21/431: Generation of visual interfaces {for content selection or interaction}; Content or additional data rendering
- H04N 21/4312: {involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations}
- H04N 21/4318: {by altering the content in the rendering process, e.g. blanking, blurring or masking an image region (image enhancement or restoration in general G06T5/00)}
- H04N 21/434: Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream {(demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00)}
- H04N 21/4345: {Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream}
- H04N 21/435: Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
- H04N 21/4382: {Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation (analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002)}
- H04N 21/4383: {Accessing a communication channel}
- H04N 21/4384: {involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency}
- H04N 21/443: OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
- H04N 21/454: Content {or additional data} filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
- H04N 21/458: Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules {; time-related management operations (arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10)}
- H04N 21/4586: {Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25)}
- H04N 21/47: End-user applications
- H04N 21/475: End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
- H04N 21/482: End-user interface for programme selection
- H04N 21/4821: {using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time}
- H04N 21/4823: {using a channel name}
- H04N 21/4828: {for searching programme descriptors (retrieval of video data G06F16/739)}
- H04N 21/6112: {involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T}
- H04N 21/6118: {involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem}
- H04N 21/6162: {involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T}
- H04N 21/6168: {involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem}
- H04N 21/83: Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
- H04N 21/84: Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of identifying a status of a broadcast channel in a digital broadcast receiver, the method comprising:
receiving a digital broadcast signal including a virtual channel table (VCT) which includes service status information, the VCT defining a virtual channel and including a program number field and a service location descriptor, wherein the program number field associates the virtual channel with an MPEG-2 program association table (PAT) and a program map table (PMT);
detecting the service status information from the digital broadcast signal, the service status information indicating whether the virtual channel is an active or an inactive channel; and
controlling display of the virtual channel when the virtual channel is determined to be inactive, wherein the inactive channel is capable of being automatically skipped,
wherein the inactive channel is a broadcast channel that is not presently broadcasted but is scheduled to be broadcasted at a predetermined later time from a broadcast station without local viewer interaction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the digital broadcasting signal is a digital terrestrial broadcast signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the digital broadcasting signal is a digital cable broadcast signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a predefined data field included in the VCT is set to zero for the inactive channel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the predefined data field is included in a statement of a for loop in a bit stream syntax of the VCT.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising decoding the received VCT.