US5594492A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for rapid channel selection
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc
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Filing: 1995-04-26
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Granted: 1997-01-14
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Expires: 2015-04-26
Abstract
Abstract In a video distribution system, methods and apparatus for rapid channel selection are implemented to reduce the channel-to-channel latencies which might otherwise occur in modern video decoding systems, such as MPEG-2.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel O'Callaghan
- 👤 Eugene L. Lew
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:17
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/47202; H04N19/00; H04N19/60; H04N19/61; H04N21/43; H04N21/434; H04N21/438; H04N21/4383; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318; H04N19/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A channel decoder for decoding one of a plurality of programs, each program having properties which may vary from program to program and from time to time, comprising: user activated selecting means, for selecting programs, comprising a transport stream demultiplexer which selects one program from a transport stream containing a plurality of programs; a parameter monitor and storage means for identifying and storing at least one property of each program selected by said selecting means; and at least one elementary stream decoder for decoding an elementary stream into output data in accordance with said at least one property stored by the monitoring and storing means of the program associated with the elementary stream; whereby, when a program is selected from said transport stream, the elementary stream decoder is initialized with stored information about the program.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A channel decoder for decoding one of a plurality of programs, each program having properties which may vary from program to program and from time to time, comprising: user activated selecting means, for selecting programs, comprising a transport stream demultiplexer which selects one program from a transport stream containing a plurality of programs; a parameter monitor and storage means for identifying and storing at least one property of each program selected by said selecting means; and at least one elementary stream decoder for decoding an elementary stream into output data in accordance with said at least one property stored by the monitoring and storing means of the program associated with the elementary stream; whereby, when a program is selected from said transport stream, the elementary stream decoder is initialized with stored information about the program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A channel decoder as claimed in claim 1 in which the property is the location of one or more program elementary streams within the transport stream.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A channel decoder as claimed in claim 1 in which the property is a control parameter for the decoder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A channel decoder as claimed in claim 3 in which the property is frame rate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A channel decoder as claimed in claim 3 in which the property is resolution.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A channel decoder as claimed in claim 3 in which the property is an encryption key.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A channel decoder as claimed in claim 1 in which the user activated selecting means comprises means for selecting one program from a plurality of programs available over a switched network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A channel decoder as claimed in claim 7 in which the property is a control parameter for the decoder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
159 words
A channel decoder for decoding one of a plurality of programs, each program having properties which may vary from program to program and from time to time, comprising: user activated selecting means for selecting programs from a transport stream, wherein the user activated selecting means comprises means for selecting one program from a plurality of programs available over a switched network; a parameter monitor and storage means for identifying and storing at least one property of each program selected by said selecting means; and at least one elementary stream decoder for decoding an elementary stream into output data in accordance with said at least one property stored by the monitoring and storing means of the program associated with the elementary stream; whereby, when a program is selected from said transport stream, the elementary stream decoder is initialized with stored information about the program, wherein the property comprises a frame rate for use as a control parameter by the decoder.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
159 words
A channel decoder for decoding one of a plurality of programs, each program having properties which may vary from program to program and from time to time, comprising: user activated selecting means for selecting programs from a transport stream, wherein the user activated selecting means comprises means for selecting one program from a plurality of programs available over a switched network; a parameter monitor and storage means for identifying and storing at least one property of each program selected by said selecting means; and at least one elementary stream decoder for decoding an elementary stream into output data in accordance with said at least one property stored by the monitoring and storing means of the program associated with the elementary stream; whereby, when a program is selected from said transport stream, the elementary stream decoder is initialized with stored information about the program, wherein the property comprises a frame rate for use as a control parameter by the decoder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
A channel decoder for decoding one of a plurality of programs, each program having properties which may vary from program to program and from time to time, comprising: user activated selecting means for selecting programs from a transport stream, wherein the user activated selecting means comprises means for selecting one program from a plurality of programs available over a switched network; a parameter monitor and storage means for identifying and storing at least one property of each program selected by said selecting means; and at least one elementary stream decoder for decoding an elementary stream into output data in accordance with said at least one property stored by the monitoring and storing means of the program associated with the elementary stream; whereby, when a program is selected from said transport stream, the elementary stream decoder is initialized with stored information about the program, wherein the property comprises a resolution for use as a control parameter by the decoder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
158 words
A channel decoder for decoding one of a plurality of programs, each program having properties which may vary from program to program and from time to time, comprising: user activated selecting means for selecting programs from a transport stream, wherein the user activated selecting means comprises means for selecting one program from a plurality of programs available over a switched network; a parameter monitor and storage means for identifying and storing at least one property of each program selected by said selecting means; and at least one elementary stream decoder for decoding an elementary stream into output data in accordance with said at least one property stored by the monitoring and storing means of the program associated with the elementary stream; whereby, when a program is selected from said transport stream, the elementary stream decoder is initialized with stored information about the program, wherein the property comprises a resolution for use as a control parameter by the decoder.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of providing rapid channel selection in a digital program distribution system having a channel decoder for selecting and decoding one of a plurality of programs in a multi-program transport stream, comprising: downloading information about the properties of programs to the decoder during initialization, said properties including frame rate or resolution; demultiplexing the transport stream to select one program from the transport stream; and setting the operational state of said decoder based on said properties including frame rate or resolution of the program selected from the transport stream.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of providing rapid channel selection in a digital program distribution system having a channel decoder for selecting and decoding one of a plurality of programs in a multi-program transport stream, comprising: downloading information about the properties of programs to the decoder during initialization, said properties including frame rate or resolution; demultiplexing the transport stream to select one program from the transport stream; and setting the operational state of said decoder based on said properties including frame rate or resolution of the program selected from the transport stream.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 11, wherein: at least one of the programs in the transport stream is encrypted, and the downloaded information includes an encryption key.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-01-14 | 2000-07-15 | 2001-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-01-14 | 2004-07-15 | 2005-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-01-14 | 2008-07-15 | 2009-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |