Patent ID: 6215530
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A decoder for extracting information associated with a particular service from a broadband data stream containing a plurality of service transport streams carrying a plurality of services, comprising:a logical channel selection device which permits a user to select a logical channel number corresponding to said particular service;a tuner which selects a frequency containing information associated with said particular service;a logical channel table which maps the user-selected logical channel number to a particular transport stream and a program number of said particular transport stream on which said particular service can be found;a composite channel table which maps a composite channel number to a current logical channel number, said composite channel number being a time-sequenced variable mapping of the user-selected logical channel number to said current logical channel number, said current logical channel number identifying a program currently being transmitted on a channel identified by said user-selected logical channel, wherein said current logical channel number from said composite channel table provides a key to said logical channel table for determining said particular transport stream and said particular program number of said program currently being transmitted on said channel identified by the user-selected logical channel number; anda demultiplexer which extracts said particular service from said broadband data stream by extracting said particular transport stream and said program number specified in said logical channel table as corresponding to said user-selected logical channel number.