Patent ID: 8160088

Claim:
A method of bandwidth efficient distribution of multiple transport streams with partially the same content comprising the steps of: transmitting multiple first layer transport streams from first layer transport stream generators in parallel to multiple second layer transport stream generators, where partially same second layer transport streams are generated, transmitting said partially same second layer transport streams to a multiplexer, where packets of said first layer transport streams are reconstructed from said second layer transport streams, or transmitting multiple first layer transport streams to the multiplexer in parallel with said second layer transport streams in order to eliminate time delay brought-in by said second layer transport stream generators, in both cases, transmitting via a third layer transport stream at least one of a packet of said first layer transport stream, and a packet, or only a part of the packet, of said second layer transport stream which appears in a given time period more than once, it is transmitted only once in its original form, replacing by said multiplexer repeatedly appearing first layer transport stream packets with first layer transport stream reference packets, serving for unique identification of original first layer transport packets, and for specification of positions of first layer transport stream packets, or packet segments, within second layer transport stream packets; replacing by said multiplexer repeatedly appearing packets, or parts of packets, of the second layer transport stream with second layer transport stream reference packets, serving for unique identification of packets, or parts of said second layer transport stream packets; inserting, by said multiplexer, first layer transport stream reference packets, second layer transport stream reference packets, or reference packets of parts of second layer transport stream packets, and at least one of additional control information, and additional identification information beside the at least one of the original first layer transport stream packets and second layer transport stream packets, or parts of second layer transport stream packets; providing an adapter; demultiplexing, by said adapter, selected second layer transport stream(s) from the third layer transport stream; replacing first layer transport stream reference packets with original first layer transport stream packets from said third layer transport stream and performing at least one of the two following steps: (1) placing said original first layer transport stream packets, or their segments, in their original positions within second layer transport stream packets; and (2) replacing said second layer transport stream reference packets with original said second layer transport stream packets, or part of said second layer transport stream packets in such a way that the adapter outputs said second layer transport stream bitwise identical with the second layer transport stream at a multiplexer input for a given region.