Patent ID: 8869219
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling a virtual channel for building a channel map in an internet protocol television (IPTV) receiver, the method comprising: receiving a master service information (SI) table including a first element defining location of a virtual channel map table; parsing the first element in the received master SI table; receiving the virtual channel map table including a second element defining location of a virtual channel description table based on the parsed first element and a first service identifier for identifying a virtual channel; parsing the second element in the received virtual channel map table; receiving the virtual channel description table based on the parsed second element, wherein the virtual channel description table includes a second service identifier; determining whether a third element is omitted in the virtual channel description table, wherein the third element indicating designation of times when a virtual channel identified by the second service identifier is active, wherein the third element includes at least one of start time and end time; determining the virtual channel identified by the second service identifier is always active, if the third element is omitted in the virtual channel description table; parsing the third element in the received virtual channel description table if the third element is not omitted in the virtual channel description table; determining whether the virtual channel identified by the second service identifier is inactive or active from the parsed third element, if the third element is not omitted in the virtual channel description table; and controlling display of the virtual channel according to the parsed third element, wherein details information of the virtual channel identified by the first service identifier corresponds to details information thats second service identifier is equal to the first service identifier, wherein the second element is a default location, which is corresponding to every virtual channel in the channel map table, of the virtual channel description table, and wherein an override location, which is corresponding to the virtual channel identified by the first service identifier, of the virtual channel description table overrides the second element, when the virtual channel map table includes the override location.