Patent ID: 6986155
Filing Date: 2006-01-10
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying a data stream in a digital television receiver, comprising: obtaining a locator adapted for identifying a multicast IP data stream; associating the locator with one of a plurality of multicast IP data streams, each one of the plurality of multicast IP data streams being associated with one of a plurality of television channels; allocating an IP address at the receiver; and mapping the locator to the IP address by the receiver, thereby enabling a tuner to read the one of the plurality of multicast IP data streams associated with the locator, wherein a first set of one or more IP addresses identifies one or more network interface cards and a second set of one or more IP addresses is associated with one or more locators such that the second set of one or more IP addresses identifies one or more of the plurality of multicast IP data streams; reading one of the plurality of data streams identified by an IP address by a tuner upon determination that the IP address corresponds to a locator identifying a multicast IP data stream; and reading data from a network by a network interface card identified by an IP address upon determination that the IP address does not correspond to a locator identifying a multicast IP data stream.