Patent ID: 8046796
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: H04H,H04N

Abstract:
1. 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.