Patent ID: 7646768

Claim:
A method for re-mapping packet identifier (PID) values provided in transport packets associated with multiple transport streams to be multiplexed onto a single shared transport channel for input to a single transport demultiplexor, said method comprising: providing a set-top-box receiver for processing multiple separate transport streams, and re-mapping PID values within the set-top-box receiver, the PID values being provided in transport packets associated with the multiple separate transport streams, the re-mapping comprising: using at least one PID re-map table within the set-top-box receiver having re-map PID values indexed by n possible PID values of transport packets associated with at least one transport stream of the multiple transport streams processed by the set-top-box receiver, wherein n is less than all possible PID values of transport packets within said multiple transport streams, each transport stream of the multiple transport streams comprising at least one program; comparing PID values of transport packets associated with said at least one transport stream with said n possible PID values of said at least one PID re-map table, and when a match is found, indexing said at least one PID re-map table using said matching PID value, generating therefrom a re-map PID value, and replacing said matching PID value with said re-map PID value; wherein when a non-matching PID value is found, performing at least one of: replacing said non-matching PID value with a null value, meaning that the associated transport packet is to be discarded; or performing clock recovery on the at least one transport stream and discarding the transport packet associated with said non-matching PID value; and employing the single transport demultiplexor within the set-top-box receiver in simultaneously processing multiple programs for at least one of: (i) storing one program of the multiple programs while viewing another program of the multiple programs; or (ii) viewing a scaled version of one program of the multiple programs superimposed on a common screen with another program of the multiple programs in full screen mode.