Abstract: A method and an apparatus for processing packetized signal having a plurality of channels carrying program information. The packetized signal also includes program guide information that includes channel identifier data. The program guide information comprises a sequence of data blocks including a segment map that includes information about the partitioning of the plurality of channels into segments and map block that includes information relating specific channels of the plurality of channels with respective channel identifier data.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for acquiring a program from a packetized signal in response to ancillary information included in the packetized signal. The packetized signal includes a plurality of program signals and ancillary information associated with the plurality of program signals. The apparatus includes means for identifying the ancillary information from the packetized signal, the ancillary information including master guide information for use in identifying and acquiring special guide information, and special guide information for use in acquiring program information associated with the plurality of program signals. The program signals may be acquired using identifier information that may be derived from the ancillary information. The apparatus includes means responsive to the ancillary information for acquiring a selected program from the packetized signal.

Abstract: In an inverse transport processor, program component packet payloads of respective program components are multiplexed to a memory data input port and directed to mutually exclusive areas of random access memory (RAM). The processor includes multiple direct memory access circuitry for writing the payloads of component data to the mutually exclusive blocks of the memory. Memory access for read and write functions are arbitrated so that no incoming program data can be lost, and all component processors are serviced.

Abstract: In a packet audio/video signal transmission system, program guide information is formed as a master guide and a special guide. The master guide contains programming information for the period of the current several hours. The special guide contains programming information for the next thirty days, for example. The master guide is sent as a service on each carrier or transponder to render it readily available regardless of the carrier frequency to which the receiver is tuned. The special guide is transmitted on only one of the carriers (transponders) to minimize use of system bandwidth.

Abstract: In an inverse transport processor, program component packet payloads of respective program components are directed to select areas of random access memory (RAM) (18) in accordance with a plurality of start and end pointers which are stored in a first plurality (86, 89) of registers, one for each program component. Addresses are generated, in part, by a plurality of read pointer registers (82) multiplexed with an adder (80) to successively increment the pointers for respective program components. The start pointers are associated with read pointers to from memory addresses that scroll through designated memory blocks selectively assigned to respective program components. Memory access for read and write functions are arbitrated (98) so that no incoming program data can be lost, and all component processors are serviced.

Abstract: In an inverse transport processor of the type which directs video payloads of a packet signal to buffer memory space, apparatus is included for writing a media error codes at sequential first memory address locations in the memory ahead of each packet payload. Concurrently a processor examines the current packet to determine if it occurs in proper sequence. If a packet is lost, the payload is written to memory in subsequent sequential address locations. If there is no packet loss, the sequential first memory address locations are simply overwritten by the packet payload to excise the undesired media error code. Media error codes can thus be inserted in the packet payload stream without creating timing obstacles, for a system designer.

Abstract: The digitized video image data stored in a video RAM in a pix-in-pix television receiver is modified by the addition of digital data from an external computer via a computer interface circuit under control of the pix-in-pix controller. The computer interface circuit is coupled to the internal controller of the television receiver via an external input terminal. The additional digital data received from the external computer may be representative of either text or graphics to be merged into the stored video image.

Abstract: The stored digitized video image data stored in a video RAM is transferred from the video RAM in a pix-in-pix television receiver to an external computer via a computer interface circuit under control of the pix-in-pix controller. The computer interface circuit is coupled to the internal controller of the television receiver via an external terminal. The external terminal receives digital control data from the external computer and conveys the stored digitized video image data signals from the video RAM to the external computer.