Patent ID: 8683506
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A digital television receiver, comprising: a tuner to receive a digital broadcast signal including program and system information protocol (PSIP) data which includes a virtual channel table (VCT), event information table (EIT), system time table (STT), rating region table (RRT), and master guide table (MGT), the VCT being segmented into one or more sections, a maximum number of the one or more sections being 256, the VCT including a section number field and a last section number field, wherein at least one section includes a predefined data field which is set to zero for an inactive channel, wherein the inactive channel is a channel that is not presently carrying a broadcast program: however, the same inactive channel is scheduled to carry a broadcast program at a predetermined later time from a broadcasting station without local viewer interaction; and a separating unit to separate the demodulated digital broadcast signal into a video stream, an audio stream, and a PSIP data stream.