JP2000196542A - Multiplexing method and multiplexer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a general-purpose multiplexer that can provide various transport streams in compliance with the MPEG 2 to an input port. SOLUTION: A packet organizing section 69 selects a PSI/SI packet given to each input port and reproduces additional information end then generates a PSI/SI packet corresponding to an organized packet after multiplexing to use the packet for periodic multiplexing (S17). Then a selector 38 multiplexes a program packet from the input port with the PSI/SI packet and outputs the result. Packet stream quantity measurement sections 75-78, 79 measure a stream quantity of a received packet being an object of multiplexing and a stream quantity of the packet to be outputted and when any error takes place, the program packet is excluded from the object of multiplexing. In this case, the PSI/SI packet is again generated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multiplexing apparatus for multiplexing a plurality of programs composed of video and audio represented by digital information and for changing the combination of multiplexed video and audio (composition of programs). .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the improvement of digital technology in recent years, it has been studied to apply digital technology to television broadcasting and the like to provide more programs. In order to provide more programs with high picture quality and high sound quality using a limited transmission band, high-efficiency compression and multiplexing techniques are used. As a representative standard, MPEG2 (Moving Picture image c
There is an oding Expert Group phase 2) method.

[0003] In a digital broadcasting system for broadcasting program data compressed and encoded by the MPEG2 system using satellite waves, terrestrial waves or CATV, the encoded program data is packetized for each predetermined block, and the result is obtained. It is adapted to transmit packets. This sequence of packets is called a transport stream.

[0004] Only one program can be transmitted with packets obtained by encoding one program. In order to provide a plurality of programs at the same time, packets obtained from each program are combined into one transport stream by time division multiplexing and then transmitted.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a digital broadcasting system. Reference numerals 11 to 15 denote a microphone, a television camera, a movie film, a video tape, and a video disc, respectively, which are examples of materials that are the contents of each broadcast program. The video signal and the audio signal obtained from these materials are equal in number to the number of encoders 16
Are converted into packets by compression encoding. Thereafter, these packets are time-division multiplexed by the multiplexing device 20, converted into transmission waves of a predetermined frequency band by the modulator 21, and transmitted via the antenna 22.

Here, the structure of a packet will be described. MP
Packets and transport streams obtained by compression coding and multiplexing according to the EG2 method are based on ISO /
It is defined in IEC13818-1. FIG. 8 shows the structure of this packet. The packet has a fixed length of 188 bytes, and the first four bytes constitute a header portion and the remaining 184 bytes constitute a header portion.
The bytes form the data part. The data section stores video (video) data and audio (audio) data to be transmitted. The header section stores a synchronization byte, a packet identifier (Packet Identifier, hereinafter referred to as a PID), or various other packet control data.

Note that the synchronization byte is data indicating the beginning of a packet. The PID is data indicating the content of information stored in the packet by a value (hereinafter, PID value).
That is, the PID indicates the type of the packet. PID is
Used to select a desired packet from the transport stream. For example, when a plurality of programs are multiplexed into one transport stream, different PID values are assigned to a packet (video packet) recording video data and a packet (audio packet) recording audio data of each program. Assign. Thus, a video packet and an audio packet constituting a desired program can be respectively selected. Since the PID value is a 13-bit numerical value, it will be expressed as a 4-digit hexadecimal number with 0x at the beginning.

[0008] The packets constituting the transport stream will be described by classifying them into the following four types according to their contents.

(1) ES (Elementary Stream) The flow of video packets containing video data and audio packets containing audio data is called ES. Video and audio are continuous in time. In order to reproduce these in synchronization with the transmitting side, a PCR (Program Clock Refere
nce. Time reference information called a program time reference value is also transmitted and referred to on the receiving side. A packet including a PCR is called a PCR packet, which is also included in the ES.

[0010] The PCR is carried out for 24 hours a day at 27 MH.
The clock of z is counted by a counter and expressed by 42 bits. The transmitting side writes the value of this counter (PCR value) in the data portion of the PCR packet when transmitting the PCR packet. On the receiving side, a clock (local clock) of about 27 MHz is generated by a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator and counted by a counter, and each time a PCR packet is received, a PCR value attached to the PCR packet,
The value of the counter is compared, and the 27 MHz clock oscillated by the crystal oscillator is adjusted so as to reduce the difference between the two values. As a result, a local clock synchronized with the transmitting side is obtained.

(2) PSI (Program Specific Informa)
tion) PSI is additional information related to transmission control. Main PSI
Are PAT (Program Association Table), PMT (Pr
gram Map Table), CAT (Conditional Access Tabl)
e) NIT (Network Information Table). These pieces of additional information are described in the data portion of the packet. If the data cannot be contained in the data of one packet, the data is divided into the data of a plurality of packets.

The correspondence between packet contents and PID values is shown in a table (correspondence table). PAT is the most basic table. A packet including a PAT is called a PAT packet (hereinafter, similarly referred to as a PMT packet, a CAT packet, and the like). PID value of PAT packet is always 0x
0000. PI other than PAT packet
The D value is not fixed and is indicated either directly by reading the PAT or indirectly by reading another table following the PAT. FIG. 9 shows an example of the PID value assigned to the packet in each table.

The PMT is a table showing PID values of video packets, audio packets, and PCR packets constituting a program. The PID value in which the PMT is stored is shown in PAT. Therefore, to select a certain program, first read the PAT packet using the fact that the PID value is 0x0000, then obtain the PID value of the PMT packet from the contents of the PAT, read the PMT, and then read , PMT values of the video packet, audio packet, and PCR packet from the contents of the PMT, and then obtain and decode the video packet, audio packet, and PCR packet of the program.

The CAT is a table for allowing only authorized users to decode and reproduce scrambled moving image data and audio data for restricting decoding and reproduction. The key information for descrambling is ECM (En
titlement Control Message), and the customer information is E
It is included in the MM (Entitlement Management Message). The CAT is a table indicating the PID value of the EMM packet. The PID value of the ECM packet is indicated in the PMT. The NIT is a table used to transmit information on physical conditions such as the frequency of the transmission path and the modulation method.

FIGS. 10A to 10C show the structures of the PAT, PMT, and NIT tables. The head of the table is called a table header. A CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) is added to the end of the table, so that it is possible to detect whether or not the received table is damaged (the received value is incorrect). Since these tables are prepared according to the elementary stream to be transmitted, the portion indicated by “repeat” varies depending on the elementary stream to be transmitted. When transmitting in a packet, these tables are finely divided so as to enter the data part of the packet, and transmitted in a plurality of packets. The length of one table is M
It is limited to 1024 bytes or less according to the PEG2 standard. If the number of "repetitions" is large and the table length exceeds this limit, the table is divided into a plurality of tables. In this case, each table is given a different section number and distinguished by recording it in the table header.

The PMT shown in FIG. 10B will be described in more detail. The program has a broadcast program number identification, and the PM
This is shown in the header of T. A PMT is created for each program. The PID value of the PCR packet of the program is indicated by PCR_PID. The distinction between a video packet and an audio packet in the program is indicated by stream format identification, and the PID value of each packet is indicated by an elementary PID.

As shown in FIG. 9, the same PID value may be assigned to packets of a plurality of types of tables. In such a case, the table is distinguished by the value of a table identifier (hereinafter, referred to as TID) (hereinafter, TID value) included in the table header. T
Since the ID value is an 8-bit numerical value, 0x is added at the beginning in the following.
The TID value is indicated by a two-digit hexadecimal number appended with. In the NIT, if the TID value is 0x40, it indicates the organization of the transport stream provided by the currently receiving provider, and if the TID value is 0x41, the transport stream provided by another provider is provided. Is shown.

The table header includes a version number. When the contents of the table change due to a change in the program organization included in the transport packet or the like, the new and old tables are distinguished by the version number.

When transmitting the tables having different contents with the same PID value, in order to prevent the packets obtained by dividing the tables from being mixed, after transmitting all the packets corresponding to one table, Start sending packets corresponding to the next table.

(3) SI (Service Information) SI is additional information related to program provision. SI includes a BAT (Bouque) related to a bouquet (a set of organization channels).
t Association Table), SDT (Service Description Table) indicating the organization channel name and broadcaster, etc., and information EIT (Event
Information Table), RST (Running Status Table) indicating the current program progress, T indicating the current date and time
DT (Time Date Table) and the like.

BAT and SDT are also prepared according to the elementary stream to be transmitted. When the size of the information of the SI is larger than the data part of the packet, dividing into a plurality of packets and transmitting the same is the same as PSI. In many cases, it is not necessary to treat PSI and SI separately in a multiplexing apparatus.
I ".

(4) Null Packet A null packet is a packet of blank data that has no particular meaning as data, and the PID value indicates that it is a null packet. PI assigned to null packet
FIG. 9 shows an example of the D value. In order to maintain a continuous transmission operation, a null packet is transmitted when there is no data to be transmitted.

Next, the internal configuration of the multiplexer 20 shown in FIG. 7 will be described. Multiplexing of packets is realized by time division multiplexing in which packets arriving at a plurality of ports are sequentially extracted and output. It is 3 that is used for that
This is a portion to which reference numerals 1 to 38 are assigned. The packet arriving via the input port is temporarily stored in the FIFO (First
In First Out) buffers (temporary storage means for taking out from the first put in first) 31 to 34 are stored. Since each information of PSI and SI corresponds to the transport stream combined by multiplexing, it is generated by the PSI / SI generator 30. P
The packet generated by the SI / SI generator 30 is also
It is stored in the IFO buffer 35. From each FIFO buffer, a packet presence flag indicating the presence or absence of a packet is provided to the control circuit 37. For convenience of explanation, FIFO buffer 3
1, FIFO buffer 32,..., FIFO buffer 35
, FIFO # 1, FIFO # 2,..., FIFO # N + 1
Will also be expressed.

The control circuit 37 controls the selector 38 to sequentially take out the packets from each FIFO buffer. Specifically, FIFO # 1, FIFO # 2,.
The presence / absence of a packet is checked cyclically as FIFO # N, FIFO # N + 1, FIFO # 1, and if there is a packet, the packet is taken out from the FIFO buffer. If there is no packet, the packet is not extracted from the FIFO buffer, and the process proceeds to the next FIFO buffer check. In this way, time division multiplexing is performed.

If there is no packet in any of the FIFO buffers, the control circuit 37 controls the selector 38 to extract a null packet from the null packet generation circuit 36. As a result, even if a packet from the input port or the PSI / SI generator is temporarily interrupted, a null packet is filled in the meantime, so that the output transport stream is not interrupted. On the other hand, if multiplexing is performed including null packets included in an input transport stream, a transmission capacity will be wastefully used up to the null packets. So, FIFO
Null packet deletion units 23-2 provided before the buffer
At 6, the null packet is deleted.

As can be seen from the above description of the multiplexing process, a plurality of packets arriving at a plurality of input ports at the same time must be sequentially output from the output port in time order. In other words, the packet transmission interval must be slightly different from the input interval. On the other hand, since the PCR packet is used for clock synchronization in the receiving device, it is difficult to change the timing in time. Therefore, in the multiplexing apparatus, it is essential to rewrite the PCR value according to the packet transmission timing. For this purpose, the portions denoted by reference numerals 41 to 48 shown in FIG. 7 are used. The rewriting of the PCR value is described in
No. 41911 and US Pat. No. 5,566,174, for example, as follows.

First, the clock signal obtained from the local clock 41 is counted by the PCR counter 42 to create time information inside the multiplexer. here,
A 27 MHz clock is used as the local clock 41, and the counting method when counting by the PCR counter 42 is a PC
It is convenient to unify the format of the PCR value in the R packet. The detectors 43 to 46 detect the arrival of the PCR packet and detect the value (CLK
_TAGGED ) is added as information accompanying the PCR packet. The time point of the multiplexed PCR packet is detected by the detector 47.
And the value of the PCR counter 42 at that time (CL
K _CURRENT ) is required. The PCR value (PCR _OLD ) originally added to the PCR packet is corrected (PCR _OLD ) (PCR
_To rewrite as _NEW ), the following equation 1 is calculated. PCR
_NEW = PCR _OLD + (CLK _CURRENT- CLK _TAGGED )-
DLY (1) Here, DLY is a constant corresponding to an average delay time inside the multiplexer, and PCR _NEW is
It is set to a value close to _ROLD . The PCR correction circuit 48 deletes the CLK _TAGGED attached to the PCR packet and replaces the PCR _OLD with the PCR _NEW (PC
R restamping processing).

There is no problem if the elementary streams after multiplexing have overlapping PID values. Also, PSI / S
The information of I needs to correspond to the state of multiplexing. Therefore, the management host computer (host computer for managing the whole) 29 instructs the encoders 16 to 19 on the PID value to be given to the output packet. Further, by instructing the PSI / SI generator 30 on the combination of the PID values after multiplexing, an appropriate PSI / SI
Packets (PSI packets, SI packets) can be generated.

[0029]

FIG. 11 exemplifies a more general use of a multiplexing apparatus in a cable television company. The satellite broadcast multiplexed in the MPEG2 format is received by the antenna 52, passes through the demodulator 53, and is supplied to the input port # 1 of the multiplexer 50. The output of another multiplexer (similar to that of FIG. 7) is provided to input port # 2. As in news from a disaster site, in a remote place, an audio signal and an image signal obtained by using the microphone 11 and the television camera 12 are converted into MPEG2 format packets by the encoder 16. Thereafter, the signal is given to the input port # 3 via the communication line. The movie company converts the movie film 13 into packets in the MPEG2 format and provides the packets to a plurality of cable television companies. The packet is given to input port #N. The multiplexing device 50 selects and multiplexes only necessary elementary streams from these input ports, and outputs them from the output ports. After that, the modulation and
Encoding and the like are performed by the transmission line encoding 54 and transmitted to the transmission line of the cable television.

In such a case, as shown in FIG. 7, the management host computer 51 uses the PI of the packet contained in the elementary stream input to the multiplexer.
D value cannot be set. This is because it is difficult for the management host computer 51 to affect satellite broadcasting and multiplexing devices connected to the input ports # 1 and # 2. Also, the remote encoder 16 is difficult to connect to the management host computer 51, and the encoder 17 at the movie company cannot set the PID value for one specific cable television company.

In the multiplexing device according to the prior art, when the management host computer cannot participate in the encoder in front of the multiplexing device, it is possible to avoid duplication of PID values, generate PSI and SI information, and generate PSI / SI information. It was not always clear how to control the transmission of SI packets. For example, JP-A-10-23069 is an example of a conventional technique for providing a multiplexed transport stream to a multiplexer. However, the present invention is based on the premise that there is only one input port for providing a multiplexed transport stream, and therefore, corresponds to a case where a plurality of multiplexed transport streams are provided as shown in FIG. Not. Also, there is no disclosure of a configuration in which the transmission frequency of PSI / SI packets can be set in order to suit the receiving device.

The present invention has been devised in view of these points, and provides a general-purpose multiplexing method or multiplexing apparatus capable of supplying various transport streams of MPEG2 to an input port. The first purpose is to do so. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a program scheduling support function that focuses on the packet flow rate, which is desired for a multiplexing method or a multiplexing apparatus used for general purpose program scheduling.

[0033]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiplexing method comprising a plurality of program packets obtained by digitally encoding a program and a plurality of additional information packets including additional information relating to the program packets. Input from the input port,
A multiplexing method for creating an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of a multiplexed packet, multiplexing the packet with a packet from the input port, and outputting the multiplexed packet, wherein the packet has a packet identifier indicating a packet type. The additional information is divided into a plurality of additional information packets having the same packet identifier and transmitted, and the additional information packet is selected based on the packet identifier from the packet from the input port, and the additional information packet is selected. The additional information is reproduced from the additional information packet, and based on the reproduced additional information,
Creates additional information corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet, converts the created additional information into an additional information packet, periodically multiplexes the packet, and receives a packet from the input port and the additional information packet. Are multiplexed and output.

With this configuration, this multiplexing method creates an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet based on the contents of the additional information packets input from a plurality of input ports. Output periodically.

A multiplexing method according to a second aspect of the present invention is the multiplexing method according to the first aspect, further comprising a program packet input from the input port to be multiplexed and having a packet identifier after multiplexing. Is duplicated after re-attaching the packet identifier, and is characterized in that additional information corresponding to the re-attached packet identifier is created.

With such a configuration, this multiplexing method involves multiplexing after re-attaching a packet identifier so that duplication does not occur even when multiplexing, and creating additional information corresponding to the packet identifier. I do.

In a multiplexing method according to a third aspect of the present invention, a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program is inputted from a plurality of input ports, and an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet is inputted. A multiplexing method for creating, multiplexing and outputting the program packets, wherein a flow rate of a packet to be multiplexed which is input from the input port is monitored. A part or all of the programs of the input port are excluded from multiplexing targets, and the program and the additional information packet are multiplexed and output.

With such a configuration, this multiplexing method automatically removes low-priority programs if the flow rate of output packets goes out of an allowable range, and also removes packets after the exclusion. Create and output an additional information packet corresponding to the composition.

The multiplexing method according to the fifth aspect is the third or fourth aspect.
In the multiplexing method according to any one of the above, when a program is excluded from a multiplexing target, an abnormality notification packet is included in the multiplexing target instead of the excluded program.

With such a configuration, this multiplexing method outputs an abnormality notification packet instead of the excluded program.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiplexing apparatus for multiplexing a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program and an additional information packet including additional information relating to the program packet from a plurality of input ports. A multiplexing device that creates an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the packet after the packetization, multiplexes the packet with the packet from the input port, and outputs the multiplexed packet, the packet having a packet identifier indicating the type of the packet, The additional information is transmitted by being divided into a plurality of additional information packets having the same packet identifier, and additional information selecting means for selecting the additional information packet based on a packet identifier from a packet from the input port. An additional information deleting unit that excludes the selected additional information packet from multiplexing targets, and a selected additional information packet. The additional information reproducing means for reproducing the additional information from the program and, for the second purpose, the multiplexing device according to claim 10, wherein a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program is input from a plurality of input ports, In a multiplexing device for creating an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of a packet and multiplexing the packet with the program packet and outputting the multiplexed packet, an input flow rate monitoring means for monitoring a flow rate of a packet to be multiplexed and input from each input port When the flow rate is out of the allowable range, a packet organization control means for excluding a part or all of the programs of the input port from the multiplexing target, and creating additional information in accordance with the program organization after the exclusion. Additional information generating means for converting the generated additional information into additional information packets, and additional information storing means for storing the converted additional information packets. Information packet storage means; additional information repetition output means for periodically extracting the additional information packets stored in the additional information packet storage means; program packets of programs not excluded and extracted from the additional information packet storage means. Multiplexing means for multiplexing the obtained additional information packet.

With this configuration, if an error occurs in the flow rate of an input packet, the multiplexing apparatus automatically excludes some or all programs of the input port. Further, it creates and outputs an additional information packet according to the program composition after the exclusion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiplexing apparatus wherein a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program is input from a plurality of input ports, and an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet is inputted. In a multiplexing device that creates and multiplexes with the program packet and outputs the multiplexed packet, an output flow rate monitoring unit that monitors the flow rate of the multiplexed packet, and a multiplexing target when the flow rate is out of an allowable range. Additional information creating means for creating additional information to be output to a packet organization control unit that excludes some or all of the programs of the input ports according to priorities from multiplexing targets, and adding the created additional information An additional information packetizing means for converting into an information packet, an additional information packet storing means for storing the converted additional information packet, and an additional information packet storing means. An additional information repetitive output means for periodically extracting the stored additional information packet; a packet from the input port after passing through the additional information deleting means; and the additional information packet extracted from the packet storage means. And multiplexing means for multiplexing.

With such a configuration, the multiplexing device creates an additional information packet based on the content of the additional information packet instead of the additional information packet input from the input port, and periodically outputs the packet.

[0059]

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a multiplexing apparatus using the present invention. Portions denoted by reference numerals 31 to 38 in the drawing have the same functions and configurations as those denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG. That is, packets input from each input port are temporarily stored in the FIFO buffers 31 to 34. P
The SI / SI packet is stored in the FIFO buffer 35. In the present embodiment, there is a FIFO buffer 39 for flowing a telop. FIFO buffers 31 to 35 and 3
From 9, the packet presence flag is transmitted to the control circuit 37, and the control circuit 37 controls the selector 38 to sequentially fetch the packets from the FIFO buffer where the packets exist, thereby performing time division multiplexing. If there is no packet in any of the FIFO buffers, the selector 38 extracts a null packet from the null packet generation circuit 36. These time division multiplexing processes are performed in the same manner as in the related art.

Since a transport stream in which a plurality of programs are combined is input from the input port, it is necessary to delete unnecessary packets and select only those packets to be multiplexed and output. This focuses on the PID of the packet and omits the designation.

It is necessary to determine the organization of the packets after multiplexing so that they can be unified as a whole, and to generate PSI / SI packets accordingly. The part that determines this organization and generates PSI / SI packets is the packet organization unit 69. The packet organizing unit 69 sends the PID value instructions S9 to S9 to the unnecessary packet deleting units 61 to 64.
12. Instructions S13 to S16 for PID values before and after rewriting to PID rewriting units 65 to 68, and instructions S5 to S8 for PID values of PCR packets to PCR packet detecting units 71 to 74. The packet organizing section 69 has a PSI
It also has a function of creating a / SI packet and sending it to the FIFO buffer 35. Further, in order to determine the organization of packets to be output, it is necessary to know the organization of the packets to be input. Therefore, the packet organizing unit 69 inputs the transport streams S1 to S4 input to each input port.

In this embodiment, the flow rate of the packets input to the FIFO buffers 31 to 34 is measured by the packet flow rate measuring units 75 to 78. This measurement is a measurement of a flow rate of a packet to be multiplexed among packets included in the transport stream input to each input port. Therefore, the position to be measured need not be limited to between the PID rewrite units 65 to 68 and the FIFO buffers 31 to 34. For example, the unnecessary packet deleting units 61 to 64
Alternatively, the measurement may be performed between the PID rewrite units 65 to 68. The measurement of the flow rate can be performed by counting the number of packets passing during a predetermined period. The predetermined period can be set to a predetermined period (for example, 0.1 second).
An interval at which a certain event occurs, such as an interval at which a PCR packet having an ID value passes, may be used.

The packet flow rate after multiplexing is measured by the packet flow rate measuring section 79. In this measurement, the flow rate is measured for packets other than the null packet. The flow rate measurement is
This can be implemented by counting the number of packets other than the null packet that passes during the predetermined period. Also, since the amount of transmission of all packets including the null packet is always constant, the version numbers included in the bull header are different. The table header is stored in the header memory 87, and the header comparison unit 86 compares the table header with the table header of the newly obtained table. As a result, the difference between the version numbers is detected and notified to the table information extractor 82, and when the same table is sent, the subsequent processing can be omitted. Of course, it is also possible to store the entire table without paying attention to the version number and detect a change from the previous one.

The table information extractor 82 extracts information related to PSI / SI from the table thus obtained, and sends it to the PSI / SI information editing unit 91. In addition, PAT
For other tables, first obtain the PAT to know the PID value of the table, and then
Acquire tables other than T. This process is performed by the table information extractor 82. The detailed contents of each table are sent from the table information extractor 82 to the packet editing control unit 8.
0 can be read.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the PID configuration table (list of elementary streams input to each input port) obtained by the table information extractor 82. The management host computer 51 provided outside the multiplexer instructs the packet organization control unit 80 which of the input programs should be output. Packet organization control unit 8
0 tells the PSI / SI information editing unit 91 which program to output, and the PSI / SI information editing unit 91 assigns PID values to be added to the packets included in the multiplexed transport stream so as not to overlap. Set forth in PI without duplication
In order to assign a D value, for example, a serial number may be assigned. FIG. 4 shows a list of PID values to be attached to packets to be output. In this table, the broadcast program numbers are also renumbered by serial numbers. PM for each elementary stream
Since T exists, the number of PMT packet columns is increased as compared with the table in FIG. When the ECM or SI is specified from the management host computer via the packet organization control unit 80, the PID value to be assigned to the ECM or SI is also determined.
The PID configuration tables of FIGS. 3 and 4 are stored in the PID configuration table 92 in FIG.

Each table such as PAT, PMT, NIT, and CAT is created in accordance with the configuration of the multiplexed transport stream, and the packet generator 93 sends the packet format in accordance with the instruction of the PSI / SI information editing unit 91. Convert to Of course, in addition to these tables, if other information (for example, a list of programs broadcast on the entire cable television required for NIT) is required in addition to the generation of the PSI / SI packet, the packet editing control unit 80 From PSI / S
The information is transmitted to the I information editing unit 91. The packets thus obtained are stored in packet memories 94 to 94 provided for each table.
96 temporarily.

An ECM packet containing key information for descrambling may be received from outside the multiplexer through the key information interface 100 and stored in the packet memory 97 via the packet editing control unit 80. Without using a dedicated key information interface,
The key information may be received from the management host computer 51.

PSI stored in packet memories 94 to 97
The / SI packet is periodically extracted by the packet memory selector 99 in accordance with the instruction of the PSI / SI output timer 98, and sent out to the FIFO buffer 35 shown in FIG. 1 (S17). The frequency of sending PSI / SI packets is, for example, once every 100 milliseconds for PAT packets,
For all programs, PMT packets are defined once every 100 milliseconds, CAT packets once every second, NIT packets once every second, and ECM packets once every 20 seconds.

On the other hand, the PID configuration table 92 is read by the packet editing control unit 80, and issues instructions to the PCR packet detecting unit, unnecessary packet deleting unit, and PID rewriting unit provided at each input port (S5 to S5). S16).

Next, the operation of the packet editing unit will be described sequentially. <1> Startup Operation (1) The stream selector 81 is set so as to select the transport stream S1 of the input port # 1. (2) For the PAT packet, 0x0000 is specified as the PID value to the PID filter 83, and 0x00 is specified as the TID value to the table filter 84. (3) Collect the PAT packets and set the PA
Play T. (4) The header comparing unit 86 extracts the table header including the PAT version number and stores it in the table header unit 87. (5) The table information extractor 82 extracts the program broadcast number identification of the program included in the transport stream S1 of the input port # 1 and the PID value of the PMT packet from the PAT.

(6) The table information extractor 82 sends the PID value of the PMT packet to the PID filter 83,
The TID value of the packet is sent to the table filter 84. (7) The PMT packet is extracted through the PID filter 83 and the table filter 84, and
T is played. (8) The table header including the PMT version number is:
The data is taken out by the header comparing section 86 and the table header section 87
To memorize it. (9) The above (6) to (8) are performed for each program to obtain information on PID values of all programs included in one input port.

(10) In the same manner as in the above (6) to (9), other tables necessary for the program composition are reproduced. Also, a table header is stored. (11) The above processes (1) to (10) are performed for each input port to obtain information on PID values of all programs included in all input ports. (12) PID of the packet required for the program to be output
The value is determined by the PSI / SI information editing unit 91, a PID configuration table is created, and stored in the PID configuration table 92. (13) The PSI / SI packet to be output is generated by the packet generator 93 and stored in the packet memories 94 to 96. (14) The packet editing control unit 80 checks the PCR of each input port.
Packet detectors 71 to 74, unnecessary packet deleting units 61 to
64, and instructs the PID rewriting units 65 to 68 (S13 to S16).

(15) The ECM packet including the key information is written in the packet memory 97. (16) The PSI / SI output timer 98 is set and the PSI / SI
The SI packet is output periodically. After that, it will be in operation.

<2> Operating State During operation, it is necessary to constantly monitor the input transport stream for changes in the program configuration and the like, and to change the output PMT and the like as necessary. The change can be detected efficiently by comparing the version number included in the table header with the previous value. The processing is shown below. (17) The stream selector 81 is switched. (18) The PID value of the table to be monitored is
And the TID value (and section number if necessary) is set in the table filter 84. (19) After the table to be monitored is reproduced by the table reproducing section 85, the version number obtained this time and the table header section 8
7 is compared with a previous version number stored in the header comparison unit 86.

(20) If there is no change in the version number, (18) and (19) are performed for the remaining tables related to the program editing for the input port. After that, the process goes to (17) to process the next input port. If the version number changes, go to (21). (21) Perform (18) and (19) on the input port to obtain all the tables whose version numbers have changed in the remaining tables related to program editing. (22) P for all tables where the version number has changed
The PID configuration table is re-created by taking into account the SI / SI information editing unit 91. After that, the multiplexing apparatus is made to correspond to the latest table state by performing the setting of the related part again. Then go to (17) (another input port).

In (19), the version number may be compared with the previous version number when the version number is obtained, instead of comparing the version number after reproducing the entire table. Then, if the version numbers are the same, the reception of the next table can be started promptly by omitting the reception of the rest of the table.

Next, how to use the result of measuring the packet flow will be described. Needless to say, there is a limit on the maximum flow rate of packets that can be output, so it is necessary to determine the program organization so as to fall within this limit. It is desirable to organize programs so that they fall within about 80% of the maximum flow rate with some margin. For that purpose, it is necessary to first measure the flow rate of packets relating to a desired program included in the transport stream input from each input port. For the measurement, a stream selector 101, a PID filter 102, and a packet flow rate measuring unit 103 are provided in FIG. The packet editing control unit 80 indicates an input port to be measured to the stream selector 101, and indicates the PID value of the packet to be measured to the PID filter 102. Then, the packet flow rate measuring unit 10
3, the flow rate of the packet is measured.

One program is composed of packets having different PID values, such as video packets, audio packets, and PCR packets. PID filter 102
In this case, it is preferable to specify a plurality of PID values and extract a packet corresponding to a desired program so that the total flow rate of the packets of the program is known at a time. Further, when a plurality of programs included in one transport stream are to be multiplexed, the PID values of all the packets constituting the plurality of programs are designated to the PID filter 102, and the plurality of programs can be multiplexed. It is preferable to know the total flow rate of the packets at once.

When the apparatus is started, the flow rate of the program packet to be multiplexed is determined by the stream selector 101, P
The ID filter 102 and the packet flow rate measuring unit 103 sequentially measure and calculate the total (sum), and the packet editing control unit 80 checks whether or not there is a margin for the maximum flow rate. If there is no room, that is, if it is out of the allowable range, a warning is given to the operator managing the program via the management host computer 51. Alternatively, a display device (display, warning indicator light, etc.), a printing device (printer), or an audio output device (speaker, buzzer, chime, etc.) is provided in the packet editing control unit 80, and when an abnormality occurs, the multiplexing is performed. The warning device may warn the operator with the output of light, text, or sound. Also, priorities are set for programs, and the packet organization control unit 80
It is also good to make room by excluding programs with low priority from the multiplex output. If the result of measuring the flow rate of each program packet is out of the range that can be considered normal, the management host computer 5
Of course, it is also possible to warn 1.

In order to contribute to the study of program scheduling, it is also useful for the packet editing control unit 80 to notify the operator of the flow rate of each multiplexed program packet measured by the packet flow rate measurement unit 103. Notification to the operator
It may be via the management host computer 51,
A display device (display, indicator light, etc.) or a printing device (printer) may be provided in the packet editing control unit 80. The format for notifying the flow rate includes a direct value of the flow rate (for example, the number of packets per second), a ratio to the maximum flow rate that can be output from the output port (for example, percentage), and a maximum flow rate that can be output from the output port. And in various forms such as a pie chart. Also, the notified flow rate is
In addition to the flow rates of the individual program packets, the total sum of the flow rates of the program packets for each input port, the total flow rate of the program packets to be multiplexed, the total flow rate of the program packets of the predetermined high-priority programs, Various embodiments are possible. The operator who manages the program can consider a less wasteful programming based on these flow rates.
Needless to say, when the multiplexing apparatus is used for services such as cable television, it is businessly desirable to multiplex and provide more programs within a reasonable range.
In particular, if both the flow rates of the individual program packets and the sum thereof are notified, both the program packets occupying a large proportion of the output flow rate and the margin for the output flow rate can be known at a time, and the programming can be studied efficiently, which is preferable. It is.

On the other hand, if an abnormality occurs in the flow rate of the input packet during the operation of the apparatus, it is not desirable to leave it unattended. It is considered that whether the flow rate was too low or too high, an abnormality occurred in the path to the input port. Therefore, if the packet flow monitoring unit 104 deviates from the range in which each packet flow can be considered normal, that is, the allowable range, it is desirable to notify the host computer 51 of a warning via the packet editing control unit 80. If an abnormality that causes an excessive flow rate is left, the FIFO buffers 31 to 35, 3 shown in FIG.
9 may cause an adverse effect on all programs due to overflow or the like. Therefore, an embodiment in which some programs are positively terminated when there is an abnormality is also preferable.

In FIG. 1, the flow rate of packets input through one input port is measured by the packet flow rate measuring units 75 to 78 collectively without discriminating individual programs. Therefore, if the input packet flow rate is out of the range considered to be normal, the input port is terminated in units of input ports (not individual programs). In order to terminate the input, the unnecessary packet deleting units 61 to 61 shown in FIG.
64 is instructed to delete all packets. Also, since the organization of the packet changes, the packet editing control unit 80 shown in FIG.
1 to re-create the PID configuration table 92, and the PSI / S
It goes without saying that the contents of the I packet are changed. In addition,
An embodiment is also possible in which the number of packet flow measuring units is prepared by the number of programs, the flow rate of packets input for each program is measured, an abnormality is detected, and only that program is stopped.

Also, if the flow rate of the output packet is increased and there is no room for the maximum flow rate, and the maximum flow rate is exceeded, the FIFO buffer 3 shown in FIG.
Overflow occurs at 1 to 35 and 39, which adversely affects all programs. Therefore, an embodiment in which some programs are positively terminated if the margin for the maximum flow rate is exceeded is also preferable.
That is, if the value falls outside the allowable range, the input is terminated in port units or program units. The termination is performed by the instruction from the packet editing control unit 80 to the unnecessary packet deleting units 61 to 64 shown in FIG. 1 as described above. If the input is to be terminated in port units, an instruction is issued to the packet deletion unit (any of 61 to 64) of the input port to be terminated to delete all packets. If you want to end the program,
The packet deletion units (61 to 61) do not pass through the program.
64) is instructed to delete the packet of the program as well. Because the organization of the packet changes,
The packet editing control unit 80 shown in FIG. 2 controls the PSI / SI information editing unit 91 to recreate the PID configuration table 92,
The contents of the SI / SI packet are changed as described above.

The determination as to which input port or program should be terminated can be made by setting priorities for the input ports or programs in advance and selecting from those with lower priorities. Alternatively, a part of a packet (for example, only an audio packet) constituting one program may be cut off. The policy for determining whether the priority is high or low may be determined according to the service policy of a cable television company or the like that uses the multiplexing device. For example, a program that is expected to have a high audience rating or a program that requires a special fee for viewing is set to a high priority.

When a program is terminated, a telop indicating a malfunction such as "Please wait" may be played instead of the video packet instead of the program. The part for flowing the telop is the packet memory 10 shown in FIG.
5. The telop output timer 106. To send a telop, the contents of the telop are first converted into packets (telop packets) and stored in the packet memory 105. Then, the telop output timer 106 is set to periodically transmit the telop packet from the packet memory 105 to the FIFO buffer 39 shown in FIG. Then
The telop packet is output from the output port through the multiplexing by the selector 38. The packet memory 105
Is connected to the packet memory selector 99,
The transmission of the telop packet may be controlled by the PSI / SI output timer 98. Then, the telop output timer 106 and the FIFO buffer 3 shown in FIG.
9 can be omitted, which is preferable in that the configuration can be simplified.

In order for a receiving device connected to the output port to receive a telop packet instead of a video packet of a program to be aborted, the PID of the telop packet
The value may be matched with the PID value of the video packet of the program to be discontinued. Alternatively, the PID value of the telop packet is set so as not to overlap with the PID values of other packets, and the PID value of the video packet of the program described in the PMT of the program to be discontinued is set to the PI of the telop packet.
It is better to change to D value. The latter method is more preferable in that even if there are a plurality of programs to be discontinued, only one type of PID value is required for the prepared telop packet. Needless to say, P
The reason for changing the contents of the MT is that the packet editing control unit 80 shown in FIG.
This is performed by recreating the configuration table 92 and changing the contents of the PMT packet.

Now, in FIG. 2, since there is only one packet flow rate measuring unit 103, when a plurality of transport streams are to be measured, they must be measured sequentially. Therefore, the measurement takes time. Therefore, in order to reduce the measurement time, a plurality of packet flow rate measuring units 10
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which No. 3 is prepared. In FIG. 5, two sets of stream selectors 101 and 111, PID filters 102 and 112, and packet flow rate measuring units 103 and 113 are shown.
There is. From the packet editing control unit 80, the transport stream and the PID value relating to the flow rate to be measured are designated to the stream selectors 101 and 111 and the PID filters 102 and 112, respectively. As a result, two measurements can be performed in parallel at a time, and the measurement time can be reduced.

In FIG. 2, the table reproducing section 85
Since there is only one, when reproducing the contents of a plurality of tables, it is necessary to switch the objects to be obtained and sequentially process them. Therefore, it takes time to process all the tables. For example, if the NIT table is transmitted once every 10 seconds, the worst case is to wait 10 seconds to reproduce the contents of the NIT table. Then, during this time, the contents of other tables cannot be reproduced. That is, the multiplexing apparatus has poor response to a change in the table. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which a plurality of table reproducing units are provided so that the contents of a plurality of tables can be reproduced in parallel.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has two stream selectors (81, 131), two sets of PID filters (83 and 121, 132 and 136) and table filters (84, 122, 133) respectively. 137), a table reproducing unit (85 and 123, 134 and 138), and a header comparing unit (86 and 124, 135 and 139). Therefore, a total of four tables can be reproduced in parallel. Each header comparison unit (86, 124, 135,
The header information referred to by 139) is collected in one header memory 87. Therefore, even if the same table is reproduced by the table reproducing unit 85 at a certain time and compared by the table reproducing unit 134 at another time, the contents of the header at both times can be correctly compared. The control of each of these parts is performed based on an instruction received from the packet editing control unit 80 by the table information extractor 82. In addition,
In FIG. 5, the processing after the table information extraction unit 82,
The right part of the packet editing control unit 80 is the same as that in FIG.

Various tables can be used to reproduce which table at a time. For example, two different transport streams at one time are
It is also possible to select at 31. Also, one transport stream is streamed at a time to the stream selectors 81 and 131.
And the 4 included in this transport stream.
Table playback units 85, 123, and 13
4, 138. In this multiplexer,
As shown in FIG. 7, a transport stream created independently is often given to each input port. Then, it is often the case that the programming of the transport stream changes (that is, the contents of many tables included in the transport stream change simultaneously) only for one input port at a time.

Therefore, normally (when there is no change in the table), by setting the stream selectors 81 and 131 to different transport streams, the change in the table is monitored in parallel for a plurality of input ports, and the change in the table is performed. If there is, the remaining tables of the input port are acquired in parallel (the stream selectors 81 and 131 are set to the transport stream of the input port, and the remaining tables are obtained by using the table reproducing units 85, 123, 134 and 138). Are reproduced in parallel), it is efficient because frequent monitoring of the input port and quick reproduction of the table can be realized.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a multiplexing apparatus which can be used when one or more programs are input from a plurality of input ports. This device inputs one or more programs from one input port and some PSI
It is also possible to replace the / SI packet (for example, a NIT packet) and output it (this is called a pass-through mode). For example, when a satellite broadcast is received and transmitted to a cable television as it is, most of the packets may be transmitted as it is. However, since the NIT packet has a portion corresponding to the network (satellite broadcasting or cable television), it is necessary to replace the NIT packet. The operation in the pass-through mode will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which the multiplexer shown in FIG.
The case where the operation is performed in the pass-through mode in which the transport stream is input from only 1 is shown. Packet organization unit 6
9 may be as shown in FIG. In FIG.
The path from the input ports # 2, # 3,..., #N to the selector 38 does not substantially function, and is shown by broken lines. The remainder is shown in solid lines as it functions substantially.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 will be described in the case where NIT packets are replaced. The unnecessary packet deleting unit 61
Delete T packets and null packets. On the other hand, the packet editing unit 69 acquires this NIT packet. The NIT packet matched to the output destination is created by the packet organizing unit 69, passes through the FIFO buffer 35, and passes through the selector 38.
Are time-division multiplexed. FI in time division multiplexing
When there is no packet in the FO buffers 31 to 39, the null packet is extracted from the null packet generation circuit 36 and output as time-division multiplexing, as in the case of FIG. The transmission frequency of the NIT packet is the PSI shown in FIG.
/ SI timer 98. That is, the content and frequency of the NIT packet to be transmitted can be freely set by the multiplexing device independently of the NIT packet included in the input transport stream.

Changing the frequency of NIT packets can be particularly beneficial depending on the cable television application. For example, the transmission frequency of the NIT packet may be at least once every 10 seconds according to the standard. On the other hand, in order to receive a cable TV at each home, a set-top box (which sets a desired program from a transport stream transmitted from a cable and converts the selected program into a signal suitable for the TV receiver). Because it is a device to be placed, it is called by such a name). The cost of this set-top box is important because it is distributed to many homes by cable television companies. Therefore, in order to save the circuit configuration, the transmission frequency of the NIT packet is increased, for example, the frequency may be increased once or more per second. Since the multiplexing apparatus can freely set the transmission frequency of the PSI / SI packet, it is possible to create a transport stream suitable for such a case.

As can be seen from the above description, the additional information in the claimed invention is PAT, PMT, NIT
Etc., and the additional information packet is implemented by a PSI / SI packet.

The first aspect of the present invention is implemented as follows. That is, the PID filter 83 shown in FIG.
/ SI packet is selected. The table reproducing unit 85 reproduces the table. PSI / SI information editor 91 is PID
Create a bill of material. Packet generator 93 is PSI / SI
Convert to packets. The PSI / SI output timer 98 periodically multiplexes the PSI / SI packet. The selector 38 shown in FIG. 1 multiplexes the packet from the input port and the PSI / SI packet and outputs the multiplexed packet. Note that, when FIG. 5 is used as a part of the packet organization unit 69, the invention of claim 1 is similarly implemented.

The invention of claim 2 is implemented by rewriting the PID of the program packet by the PID rewriting units 65 to 68 shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with the instruction of the packet editing control unit 80 shown in FIG.

The invention according to claim 3 is implemented as follows. That is, the packet flow rate measuring units 75 to 7 shown in FIG.
8 measures the input packet flow. The packet flow monitor 104 shown in FIG. 2 monitors this flow. When the flow rate is out of the allowable range, the unnecessary packet deleting units 61 to 64 exclude the program packet from the multiplexing target according to the instruction of the packet editing control unit 80, while the PSI / SI editing unit 91 sets the packet generator. 93 recreates the PSI / SI packet. The selector 38 shown in FIG. 1 multiplexes the PSI / SI packet and the non-excluded program packet and outputs the result.

The invention according to claim 4 is implemented as follows. That is, the packet flow measuring unit 79 shown in FIG. 1 measures the flow rate of the output packet. The packet flow monitor 104 shown in FIG. 2 monitors this flow. When the flow rate is out of the allowable range, the unnecessary packet deleting units 61 to 64 exclude the program packet from the multiplexing target according to the instruction of the packet editing control unit 80, while the PSI / SI editing unit 91 sets the packet generator. 93 recreates the PSI / SI packet. The selector 38 shown in FIG. 1 multiplexes the PSI / SI packet and the non-excluded program packet and outputs the result.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a telop packet is further provided as a failure notification packet in the selector 38 shown in FIG.
Is multiplexed and output through

According to the invention of claim 6, the additional information selecting means is implemented by the PID filter 83 shown in FIG. The additional information deleting unit includes an unnecessary packet deleting unit 61 shown in FIG.
６４64. The additional information reproducing means is implemented by the table reproducing unit 85 shown in FIG. The additional information creating unit is implemented by the PSI / SI information editing unit 91. The additional information packetizing means is implemented by the packet generator 93. The additional information packet storage means includes a packet memory 94.
~ 96. The additional information repetitive output means includes a PSI
/ SI output timer 98. The multiplexing means
This is performed by the selector 38 shown in FIG. When FIG. 5 is used as a part of the packet organizing unit 69, it goes without saying that each unit is similarly implemented.

In the invention according to claim 7, the packet identifier rewriting means comprises a PID rewriting unit 65-6 shown in FIG.
8 is performed. The packet identifier management means is implemented by the packet editing control unit 80 shown in FIG. 2 or FIG.

In the invention of claim 8, the input flow rate measuring means is provided in the packet flow rate measuring section 103 shown in FIG.
Are performed by the packet flow rate measuring units 103 and 113 shown in FIG. The flow rate notifying unit is configured so that the packet organization control unit 80 shown in FIG. 2 or 6 notifies the operator via the management host computer 51 or the packet organization control unit 8
This is carried out by a display device or a printing device provided at 0.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the input flow rate measuring means is provided in the packet flow rate measuring section 103 shown in FIG.
Are performed by the packet flow rate measuring units 103 and 113 shown in FIG. The flow rate warning means is provided by the packet formation control unit 80 shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 6 to warn the operator via the management host computer 51 or the packet formation control unit 8
0 is implemented by a display device or an audio output device.

In the tenth aspect, the input flow rate monitoring means is implemented by the packet flow rate measuring units 75 to 78 shown in FIG. 1 and the packet flow rate monitoring unit 104 shown in FIG. The packet organization control means is implemented by the packet organization control unit 80 shown in FIG. The additional information creating means includes:
This is performed by the PSI / SI information editing unit 91. The additional information packetizing means is implemented by the packet generator 93. The additional information packet storage means is implemented by the packet memories 94 to 96. The additional information repetition output means is implemented by a PSI / SI timer 98.
The multiplexing means is implemented by the selector 38 shown in FIG.

In the eleventh aspect, the output flow rate monitoring means is implemented by the packet flow rate measuring section 79 shown in FIG. 1 and the packet flow rate monitoring section 104 shown in FIG. The packet organization control unit includes a packet organization control unit 8 shown in FIG.
Performed by 0. The additional information creating means includes PSI /
This is performed by the SI information editing unit 91. The additional information packetizing means is implemented by the packet generator 93. The additional information packet storage means includes a packet memory 94.
~ 96. The additional information repetitive output means includes:
Implemented by the PSI / SI timer 98. The multiplexing means is implemented by the selector 38 shown in FIG.

In the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the abnormality notification packet sending means is implemented by the packet memory 105 and the telop output timer 106 shown in FIG.

According to the thirteenth aspect, the additional information selecting means is implemented by the PID filter 83 shown in FIG.
The additional information deleting unit includes an unnecessary packet deleting unit 6 shown in FIG.
1 is performed. The additional information reproducing means is implemented by the table reproducing unit 85 shown in FIG. The additional information creating means is P
This is performed by the SI / SI information editing unit 91. The additional information packetizing means is implemented by the packet generator 93. The additional information packet storage means is implemented by the packet memories 94 to 96. The additional information repetition output means is implemented by a PSI / SI output timer 98. The multiplexing means is implemented by the selector 38 shown in FIG. When FIG. 5 is used as a part of the packet organizing unit 69, it goes without saying that each unit is similarly implemented.

[0116]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an additional information packet can be created based on the contents of the additional information packets input from a plurality of input ports, and can be periodically output. Therefore, it is not necessary to limit the number of input ports to which the additional information packet is input to one, and it is possible to output the additional information packet at a timing independent of the input timing.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the packet identifiers are re-assigned so that duplication of packet identifiers does not occur even when multiplexing is performed, so that confusion of packets after multiplexing does not occur. In addition, there is no need to set an encoder or another multiplexing device at a stage prior to multiplexing so that duplication of packet identifiers does not occur.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, if an abnormality occurs in the flow rate of the input packet, a part or all of the program of the input port can be automatically excluded. For example, if the FIFO buffer for multiplexing temporarily overflows due to an abnormality in some programs, a problem that program packets are lost occurs for other programs. However, the automatic exclusion allows other programs to recover from this hindrance.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the flow rate of the output packet is out of the allowable range, the program having a low priority can be automatically excluded. For example, when the flow rate of the output packet is out of the allowable range, the F
All IFO buffers temporarily overflow,
A problem that a program packet is lost may occur in all programs. However, by automatically excluding programs with low priorities, it is possible to prevent other programs from being affected.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the viewer of the program can be notified that an abnormality has occurred. Therefore, the viewer can know that the abnormality has occurred at the stage of the multiplexing program provider, not at his or her own receiving device, and the anxiety of the viewer is reduced.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, an additional information packet can be created based on the contents of the additional information packet instead of the additional information packet input from a plurality of input ports, and can be output periodically. Therefore, it is not necessary to limit the number of input ports to which the additional information packet is input to one, and it is possible to output the additional information packet at a timing independent of the input timing.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the packet identifiers are re-assigned so that duplication of the packet identifier does not occur even when multiplexing is performed. Therefore, even when multiplexing is performed, packet confusion does not occur. Also,
It is not necessary to set an encoder or another multiplexer prior to the multiplexer according to the present invention so that duplicate packet identifiers do not occur.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to further notify the individual flow rates of the program packets to be multiplexed and / or the total of the flow rates. Therefore, the operator of the multiplexing apparatus according to the present invention can check the multiplexing allowance, and can use the multiplexing allowance to increase the number of programs to be multiplexed if the allowance is large.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a warning is issued if the total sum of the flow rates of the program packets to be multiplexed is out of an allowable range. Therefore, the operator of the multiplexing apparatus according to the present invention does not overlook the overcoming of programming.

According to the tenth aspect, if an abnormality occurs in the flow rate of the input packet, a part or all of the program of the input port can be automatically excluded. For example, FIFO for multiplexing due to some program abnormalities
If all the buffers temporarily overflow, a problem that a program packet is lost occurs for other programs.
However, the automatic exclusion allows other programs to recover from this hindrance.

According to the eleventh aspect, if the flow rate of the output packet is out of the allowable range, a program with a low priority can be automatically excluded. For example, when the flow rate of the output packets is out of the allowable range, all of the FIFO buffers for multiplexing temporarily overflow, and a problem that program packets are lost may occur for all programs. However, by automatically excluding programs with low priorities, it is possible to prevent other programs from being affected.

According to the twelfth aspect, it is possible to notify the viewer of the program that an abnormality has occurred.
Therefore, the viewer is told that the abnormality is not his own receiving device,
The situation that occurred at the stage of the multiplexing program provider can be known, and the anxiety of the viewer is reduced. Further, since the abnormality notification packet is received by re-creating the additional information, the abnormality notification packet can be shared by a plurality of programs.

According to the thirteenth aspect, an additional information packet can be created based on the content of the additional information packet instead of the additional information packet input from the input port, and can be output periodically.
For this reason, the additional information packet can be output at a frequency that matches the convenience of the output destination.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a multiplexing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a packet organization unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a PID configuration table of an input packet;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a PID configuration table of a packet to be output.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the packet editing unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a multiplexer in a pass-through mode.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a multiplexing device according to the related art.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of an MPEG2 packet.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of assigning a PID value to a packet.

FIG. 10 shows (a) PAT, (b) PMT,
FIG. 3C is a diagram showing the configuration of NIT.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating how to use a multiplexing device for a cable television.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Microphone 12 Television camera 13 Movie film 14 Video tape 15 Video disk 16, 17, 18, 19 Encoder 20, 50 Multiplexer 21 Modulator 22, 52 ... Antennas 23, 24, 25, 26 Null packet deletion unit 29 Management host computer 30 PSI / SI generator 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39 FIFO buffer 36 Null packet Generation circuit 37 Control circuit 38 Selector 41 Local clock 42 PCR counter 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 Detector 48 PCR correction circuit 51 Management host computer 53 Demodulation Unit 54: Transmission line coding 61, 62, 63, 64: Unnecessary packet deletion unit 65, 66, 67, 68 PI Rewriting unit 69 Packet organizing unit 70 PCR value rewriting unit 71, 72, 73, 74 PCR packet detecting unit 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 103, 113 Packet flow rate measuring unit 80 Packet editing control unit 81, 101, 111, 131 Stream selector 82 Table information extractor 83, 102, 112, 132, 136 PID filter 84, 122, 133, 137 Table filter 85, 123 134, 138 table reproducing sections 86, 124, 135, 139 header comparing section 87 header memory 91 PSI / SI information editor 92 PID configuration table 93 packet generators 94 95 96, 97, 105 Packet memory 98 PSI / SI output timer 99 Packet Mori selector 100 ...... key information interface 104 ...... packet flow monitoring unit 106 ...... telop output timer

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Tomoyuki Funada 1-3-1 Shimaya, Konohana-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka F-term in Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Osaka Works 5C063 AA20 AB03 AB07 CA23 CA40 5K030 HA08 HB02 HB16 JA01 JL02 LA07 LD07 5K034 CC03 EE03 EE11 HH01 HH02 HH06 9A001 CC09 EE07 JJ19 KK56

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program and an additional information packet including additional information related to the program packet are input from a plurality of input ports, and an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet is created. A multiplexing method for multiplexing the packet from the input port and outputting the multiplexed packet, wherein the packet has a packet identifier indicating the type of the packet, and the additional information is a plurality of pieces of additional information having the same packet identifier. Selecting the additional information packet from the packet from the input port based on a packet identifier; reproducing the additional information from the selected additional information packet; Based on the additional information, create additional information corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet, and attach the created additional information. Into an additional information packet,
A multiplexing method characterized by periodically multiplexing, multiplexing a packet from the input port and the additional information packet, and outputting the multiplexed packet. 2. The multiplexing method according to claim 1, wherein:
Further, a program packet input from the input port and subject to multiplexing, in which duplication of a packet identifier occurs after multiplexing, is performed after multiplexing after re-attaching the packet identifier. A multiplexing method characterized by creating additional information according to a subsequent packet identifier. 3. Multiplexing for inputting a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program from a plurality of input ports, creating an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet, multiplexing the packet with the program packet, and outputting the multiplexed packet. Monitoring the flow rate of packets input from the input port to be multiplexed, and when the flow rate is out of an allowable range, a part or all of the programs of the input port are multiplexed. Multiplexing, wherein the additional information packet is re-created corresponding to the composition of the packet after the exclusion, and the program packet of the program not excluded and the additional information packet are multiplexed and output. Method. 4. Multiplexing for inputting a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program from a plurality of input ports, creating an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet, multiplexing the packet with the program packet, and outputting the multiplexed packet. Monitoring the flow rate of the output packets, and when the flow rate is out of the allowable range, excludes the input program from the multiplexing target according to the priority, and corresponds to the packet organization after the exclusion. A multiplexing method, wherein the additional information packet is re-created, and a program packet of a program not excluded and the additional information packet are multiplexed and output. 5. The multiplexing method according to claim 3, further comprising, when a program is excluded from the multiplexing target, an abnormality notification packet is multiplexed instead of the excluded program. A multiplexing method characterized by including. 6. A program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program and an additional information packet including additional information relating to the program packet are input from a plurality of input ports, and an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet is created. A multiplexing device for multiplexing and outputting the packet from the input port, wherein the packet is provided with a packet identifier indicating a type of the packet, and the additional information is a plurality of additional information having the same packet identifier. An additional information selecting means for selecting the additional information packet from the packet from the input port based on a packet identifier; and transmitting the selected additional information packet from a target to be multiplexed. Additional information deleting means to be excluded; and additional information reproduction for reproducing additional information from the selected additional information packet. A step, additional information creating means for creating additional information corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed program packet based on the reproduced additional information, and additional information for converting the created additional information into an additional information packet. Packetizing means; additional information packet storage means for storing the converted additional information packet; additional information repetitive output means for periodically extracting the additional information packet stored in the additional information packet storage means; A multiplexing device comprising: multiplexing means for multiplexing a packet from the input port after passing through additional information deleting means and the additional information packet extracted from the packet storage means. 7. The multiplexing device according to claim 6, wherein:
Further, the input port has a packet identifier rewriting means for rewriting a packet identifier, the additional information creating means creates additional information according to the packet identifier, the additional information creating means and the packet identifier rewriting means And a packet identifier management means for instructing correspondence between the packet identifiers before and after rewriting. 8. A multiplexing device for inputting a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program from a plurality of input ports, multiplexing the output, and measuring a flow rate of the program packet to be multiplexed. A multiplexing apparatus, comprising: means for notifying the flow rate and / or the total sum of the flow rates. 9. A multiplexing device for inputting a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program from a plurality of input ports, multiplexing and outputting the multiplexed program packet, wherein an input flow rate measurement for measuring a flow rate of the program packet to be multiplexed. Means for calculating a sum of the flow rates and issuing a warning if the sum is out of an allowable range. 10. A multiplex that inputs a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program from a plurality of input ports, creates an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet, multiplexes the packet with the program packet, and outputs the multiplexed packet. In the multiplexing device, input flow monitoring means for monitoring the flow rate of a packet to be multiplexed which is input from each input port, and when the flow rate is out of an allowable range, a part or all of the program of the input port is broadcasted. Packet organization control means for excluding from multiplexing targets; additional information creating means for creating additional information in accordance with the program composition after the exclusion; and additional information packetizing for converting the created additional information into additional information packets Means, additional information packet storage means for storing the converted additional information packet, and before being stored in the additional information packet storage means. Additional information repetitive output means for periodically extracting the additional information packet; and multiplexing means for multiplexing a program packet of a program not excluded and the additional information packet extracted from the additional information packet storage means. A multiplexing device, characterized in that: 11. Multiplexing means for inputting a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program from a plurality of input ports, creating an additional information packet corresponding to the organization of the multiplexed packet, multiplexing with the program packet, and outputting the multiplexed packet. In the multiplexing device, output flow rate monitoring means for monitoring the flow rate of the multiplexed packet, and when the flow rate is out of the allowable range, priority is given to a part or all of the programs of the input port to be multiplexed. Packet organization control means for excluding from multiplexing according to the order; additional information creating means for creating additional information in accordance with the program composition after the exclusion; and additional information for converting the created additional information into additional information packets Packetizing means, additional information packet storage means for storing the converted additional information packet, and stored in the additional information packet storage means. Additional information repetitive output means for periodically extracting the additional information packet, and multiplexing means for multiplexing a program packet of a program not excluded and the additional information packet extracted from the additional information packet storage means. A multiplexing device comprising: 12. The multiplexing device according to claim 10, further comprising an abnormality notification packet transmitting means for periodically including the abnormality notification packet in the output of the multiplexing. A multiplexing device that, when excluded from the target, periodically outputs an abnormality notification packet, recreates the additional information, and causes a receiver to receive the abnormality notification packet instead of the excluded program. . 13. A multiplexer for inputting and outputting a program packet obtained by digitally encoding a program and an additional information packet including additional information relating to the program packet from one input port, wherein the packet includes a packet. The additional information is divided into a plurality of additional information packets and transmitted. The additional information selection selects the additional information packet to be replaced based on the packet identifier. Means, additional information deleting means for excluding the selected additional information packet from multiplexing targets, additional information reproducing means for reproducing additional information from the selected additional information packet, and reproducing the reproduced additional information. An additional information creating means for creating additional information to be output, and an additional information converting means for converting the created additional information into an additional information packet Information packetization means, additional information packet storage means for storing the converted additional information packet, additional information repetition output means for periodically extracting the additional information packet stored in the additional information packet storage means, A multiplexing device comprising: a multiplexing unit that multiplexes a packet from the input port after passing through the additional information deleting unit and the additional information packet extracted from the packet storage unit.