KR20080060778A - Apparatus and method for reconstruction of electronic program guide - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for re-configuring an EPG(Electronic Program Guide) are provided to shorten a search time for a user desired program. A data parsing unit(330) extracts a PSIP(Program and System Information Protocol) section included in a TS(Transport Stream). A data editing unit(340) changes storage positions of an EIT(Event Information) and an EET(Extended Text Table) of the extracted PSIP section. As the program is accessed, a controller(310) searches the EIT and the EET whose storage positions have been changed. The storage positions are changed between an ES(Elementary Stream) of the TS and an MGT(Master Guide Table). The TS is stored in a certain storage medium or provided from a relay center in real time. In addition, the controller transfers corresponding commands to each module to perform functions corresponding to the commands when a control command is inputted to the controller through an input unit(300).

Description

Apparatus and method for reconstruction of Electronic Program Guide

1 is a simplified diagram illustrating the creation of a transport stream according to the prior art.

2 is a simplified diagram of a program and system information protocol according to the prior art.

3 illustrates an electronic program guide reconstruction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating the reconfiguration of an electronic program guide according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 illustrates a reconstructed transport stream according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

300: input unit 310: control unit

320: storage unit 330: data parsing unit

340: data editing unit 350: output unit

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reconfiguring an electronic program guide. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic program guide (EPG) included in at least one transport stream transmitted in real time or a transport stream stored in a predetermined storage medium. Extract the Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) section that you configure, and select the storage location of the Event Information Table (EIT) and Extended Text Table (ETT) among the extracted Program and System Information Protocol sections. Change between the Master Guide Table (MGT) and the Elementary Stream (ES) to access the transport stream's program when the stream's Event Information Table (EIT) and expanded text Electronic program that searches for an extended text table (ETT) A guide reconstruction apparatus and method.

The characteristics of digital broadcasting include multichannel, high quality and multifunctional. Among them, the multifunctionalization of digital broadcasting means that various services using data channels can be provided in addition to video and audio, and digital broadcasting is the biggest feature that can be differentiated from analog broadcasting.

As a variety of information is provided through broadcasting such as multi-channel and multi-functionalization of digital broadcasting, the digital broadcasting receiver provides a menu screen for easily understanding and conveniently using each function. For example, an electronic program guide (EPG) service is proposed to easily select a broadcast program desired by a user among various broadcast programs received through a plurality of channels.

FIG. 1 is a diagram briefly illustrating generation of a transport stream according to the prior art.

In the transport stream according to the prior art, the original picture is MPEG-2 (ISO / IEC 13818-1), and the voice follows the standard of AC 3 (Dolby Digital Sound).

In the figure, the original video and audio (Elementary Stream, hereinafter referred to as ES) are converted to MPEG-2 and AC 3 through the video and audio decoder.

The generated ES is a series of data from the beginning to the end of video and audio, and if it is transmitted to the user device (for example, DTV) as it is, there may be data loss due to noise, or data loss may occur. . Therefore, the ES is divided for smooth transmission, and headers are included in each ES to add connection information and information on whether or not the data is damaged so that the receiving side can receive data smoothly. This is PES (Packetizered Elementary Stream, hereinafter PES) 100.

The PES 100 is a variable packet whose size is not fixed. The PES 100 includes order information for a plurality of PES 100 in the header, and also includes ID information to be ignored when other information is received.

As such, when the PES 100 is generated, the PSI and PSIP sections 110 generated through the Program Specific Information (PSI) and the Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) generators are inserted together into the transport stream multiplexer 120 to transport transport streams. Is converted to 130.

During the conversion through the multiplexer 120, a header is added as in the PES conversion process to generate one transport stream 130.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a program and system information protocol according to the prior art.

The program and system information protocol according to the prior art is obtained through decomposition of the plurality of transport streams generated in FIG.

First, when the transport stream is received, the channel is synchronized with the tuner (not shown) of the receiving device (not shown), and the transport stream 130 of the actual bit stream is decoded through a demodulator (not shown). Get it. A transport demultiplexer (Demux) (not shown) separates the video bit stream, the voice bit stream, and the PSI and PSIP sections 110 from one transport stream 130.

The video bit stream is used to make an image through the MPEG-2 decoder, and the audio bit stream is used to produce the audio. The PSI and PSIP sections 110 are used to construct a program guide database to represent the EPG, the electronic program guide.

Here, the PSI is information included in the MPEG 13818-1 and provides program specification information, that is, information about how to select which program among a plurality of programs and which packet to take and how to decode. The PSI consists of a total of four tables, which are special information transmitted by packets having a PID (Packet Identifier, PID) as '0', and each program describes PMT (Program Map Table, PAT (hereinafter referred to as PAT) having a PID value of PMT) and a separate stream of bits such as a program identification number and a video or audio constituting a program. PMT describing the PID list and sub information, and CAT (Conditional Access Table, hereinafter called CAT) necessary to allow only authorized users to decode and play the scrambled bit string to limit playback. And NIT (Network Information Table), which holds the physical network information of the receiving area.

PSIP, on the other hand, is a small collection of tables designed to handle all transport streams 130 needed for terrestrial broadcasting of digital TV, which is a system and system for all virtual channels carried in each transport stream 130. Contains event level information.

The PSIP has PID values and version values of all tables except STT (System Time Table, STT) 200 and STT 200 expressing information on the current date and time, and EIT ( PID values of the Event Information Table (hereinafter referred to as EIT) (225, 235, 245 and 255) and the Extended Text Table (hereinafter referred to as ETT) (220, 230, 240, 250 and 260). It includes an MGT (Master Guide Table, MGT) 210 that checks for version up so that other tables do not check each version up. The MGT 210 relieves the system by avoiding each version up check.

It has a VCT (Virtual Channel Table, hereinafter VCT) 215 having information on the virtual channel (channel name, channel PTC number, stream component and type), and a viewing grade for the content. The content is not reproduced by comparing the current setting with the setting of the RRT (Rating Region Table, hereinafter referred to as RRT) 205.

EITs 225, 235, 245 and 255 provide at least 3 hours of program content for all channels in VCT 215, while ETTs 220, 230, 240, 250 and 260 provide the program's plot, Includes information used to convey detailed information such as background.

The PSIP section 110 transmits various types of tables of the STT 200, the RRT 205, the MGT 210, and the VCT 215 in a basic transport packet having a base-PID, and in the MGT 210. EITs 225, 235, 245 and 255 are transmitted in transport packets with PIDs defined, and a third type of transformer with PIDs different from EITs 225, 235, 245 and 255 defined in MGT 210 Send ETTs 220, 230, 240, 250, and 260 in port packets.

STT 200, RRT 205, MGT 210 and VCT 215 are transmitted in transport packets with the same PID, EIT-j (225, 235, 245 and 255), ETT-k (220, 230, 240, 250 and 260 are each transmitted in a transport packet with a different PID.

In the PSIP section 110, channel information and guide information for each individual program are multiplexed into transport packets and transmitted. The receiving end receives the program information based on the PSIP information.

From the received transport stream, the packet is demultiplexed with 0xFFB to find the corresponding packet and decoded to obtain the VCT 215. The VCT 215 checks the table_id in the packet and finds that the table is the MGT 210 or the STT 200, the RRT 205, or the VCT 215.

In the prior art EPG search including such information, since the EPG is scattered throughout the transport stream, it takes some time to collect EPG information when searching for information on a program desired by a user. The time used for collecting the EPG information has a problem that the EPG information retrieval time takes similarly when reproducing not only the received transport stream but also the previously stored transport stream.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been invented to solve the above problems and includes a table of program and system information protocol (PSIP) sections constituting an electronic program guide (EPG) in a transport stream stored in a given storage medium or provided in real time from a relay station. Extract the event information table (EIT) and the extended text table (ETT) and change their storage location between the master guide table (MGT) and the original stream (Elementary Stream, ES). It is to search the EIT and ETT where the storage location has been changed, so that a quick search can be made for the EPG search.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other matters not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above object, the electronic program guide reconstruction apparatus of the present invention is a data parser for extracting a program and system information protocol (PSIP) section included in the transport stream, the system extracted from the data parser As the access to the data editing unit and program for changing the storage location of the event information table (EIT) and the extended text table (ETT) of the information protocol section is performed, the event information table whose storage location is changed. (Event Information, EIT) and an extended text table (ETT).

In order to achieve the above object, the electronic program guide reconstruction method of the present invention comprises the steps of extracting a program and system information protocol (PSIP) section included in the transport stream, the event information of the extracted system information protocol section Changing the storage location of the table (Event Information (EIT)) and the extended text table (ETT) and the event information table (Event Information, EIT) whose storage location has changed as access to the program is performed; Searching for an extended text table (ETT).

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

3 is a diagram illustrating an electronic program guide reconstruction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The electronic program guide reconstruction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may reconstruct and store an EPG included in a currently received transport stream, or may reconstruct and reproduce an EPG for a previously stored transport stream.

An electronic program guide (EPG) reconstruction device as shown may be formed in a storage device (not shown) such as a DTV (not shown) capable of receiving digital broadcasts or a PVR capable of storing digital broadcasts, and the input unit 300. ), A controller 310, a storage 320, a data parser 330, a data editor 340, and an output 350.

First, the input unit 300 may be an input unit 300 formed on a conventional remote controller (not shown) or a digital TV (DTV) to receive a control command input by a user.

The transport stream in the electronic program guide reconstruction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a transport stream provided in real time from a relay station, a transport stream previously stored in a storage unit 320 which is a predetermined storage medium, and a predetermined connection medium, for example. For example, it may include a transport stream stored in a device (not shown) connected to IEEE 1394, USB, Blutooth, and PS2.

That is, the storage unit 320 may be formed inside or outside the electronic program guide reconstruction device, and when formed outside, the storage unit 320 may be connected to the aforementioned connection medium. Herein, the connection medium is one example, but is not limited thereto.

The user may input a control command such as play, pause, stop, and record for the transport stream through the input unit 300. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, when a control command corresponding to playback of the transport stream is input, The PSIP of the EPG included in the transport stream will be edited and reconfigured.

In other words, the PSIP is edited when access (playback or storage) to a program included in the transport stream is performed.

When a predetermined control command is input through the input unit 300, the controller 310 transmits the command to each unit (or module) included in the apparatus so as to perform a function corresponding to the playback command.

The controller 310 includes a memory including predetermined information, in which a control command that can be preset by a user can be pre-recorded.

The control command preset by the user may include a command to reconfigure the PSIP of the EPG when playing or storing the transport stream, as mentioned in the input unit 300.

The controller 310, when a play command for the transport stream is input, separates the PES stream and the PSIP section from at least one of the above-described transport streams, and uses an event information table (EIT) for reconstructing the EPG in the PSIP section. The extended text table (ETT) is extracted through the data parser 330.

Extraction of the EIT and ETT of the data parsing unit 330 is configured by using a master guide table (MGT) section and then using the PID (Packet Identifier) values of the EIT and ETT designated by the MGT.

The MGT section is constructed first because the MGT has PID values of EIT and ETT that are not determined.

On the other hand, STT, MGT, RRT and VCT constituting the PSIP has the same PID value and can be extracted using the Table_id of the PSIP, in the embodiment of the present invention, only EIT and ETT are parsed and the EPG is reconstructed using them.

As such, the EIT and the ETT extracted from the data parser 330 are transferred to the data editor 340.

The data editing unit 340, which has received the EIT and the ETT, performs data editing by changing storage locations for the tables.

Editing storage locations for EITs and ETTs is to insert EITs and ETTs that are inserted in at least one transport stream at predetermined time intervals at specific locations.

That is, data editing in one embodiment of the present invention is to place the EIT and ETT inserted at an arbitrary position in the transport stream in front of the transport stream currently being played, thereby enabling a quick search during playback. In this case, the forward position is to change the storage location of the EIT and the ETT included in the at least one transport stream between the MGT and the elementary stream (ES).

As such, when the PSIP constituting the EPG of the transport stream is edited, the corresponding stream may be stored in the storage unit 320 by the control unit 310, or in a display processor (not shown) together with an image stream decoded in a conventional manner. It may be synthesized and displayed through the output unit 350. Here, the output unit 350 means a conventional display screen.

That is, the electronic program guide reconstruction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is included in an arbitrary transport stream when playing a transport stream currently being received, extracts EIT and ETT among PSIPs constituting the EPG, and stores corresponding tables for each transport stream. By changing the storage location between the MGT and the ES, the EPG can be quickly searched during transport stream reproduction, thereby reducing the time required for EPG search.

4 is a flowchart illustrating reconstruction of an electronic program guide according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The electronic program guide reconstruction according to an embodiment of the present invention is a flowchart for reconstructing the PSIP of the EPG when access (eg, playback) to at least one transport stream of the currently received transport stream is performed.

First, it is determined whether a transport stream exists in the storage unit 320 mentioned in FIG. 3 (S400).

If there is a transport stream in the storage unit 320, it is determined whether EPG reconstruction for the transport stream is performed (S420).

The determination of whether to reconfigure the EPG is determined as an input of a control command corresponding to a reproduction input through the input unit 300 or a control command corresponding to storage.

However, it is assumed that the EPG reconstruction determination according to an embodiment of the present invention is made in correspondence with a playback command of the transport stream.

When playback of the transport stream starts, the PSIP constituting the EPG is extracted from at least one transport stream of the plurality of transport streams included in the transport stream through the data parser 330 (S430). PSIP extraction in the present step (S430) is to extract the EIT and ETT included in the PSIP as mentioned in Figure 3, as described above in Figure 3 will be omitted herein.

When the EIT and the ETT included in the PSIP are extracted (S430), the data editing unit 340 changes the storage location of the EIT and the ETT (S440).

The change of the insertion position is also referred to in FIG. 3 described above, and detailed description can be made through FIG. 5 to be described later.

When the storage positions of the EIT and the ETT are changed (S440), it is determined whether the insertion position is changed (S450), and the EPG including the reconstructed PSIP is stored in the storage unit 320 (S460).

In the storage step (S460) of the reconfigured PSIP, if the transport stream that is currently being played is a transport stream that is received and played in real time, the video stream may be synthesized and displayed on the DTV without a separate storage step (S460). When the playback and recording are simultaneously performed, the transport stream including the reconfigured PSIP may be stored in the storage 320.

On the other hand, in the case of the pre-stored transport stream, since the transport stream is not provided in real time, the EPG reconstructed by reconstructing the EPG for the transport stream at once can be stored.

The EPG including the PSIP reconstructed through such editing enables the user to quickly search and display EPG information when performing access to a transport stream pre-stored in the storage unit 320 or a transport stream provided in real time from a relay station.

5 shows a reconstructed transport stream according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the reconstructed transport stream 500 includes an MGT 510 including the PIDs of a plurality of EITs and ETTs 520 of the PSIP tables constituting the EPG, and the EITs and ETTs 520 having changed insertion positions. The video stream and the audio stream 530 decoded in a conventional manner may be included.

In a typical transport stream, a PSIP including a plurality of EITs and a plurality of ETTs is inserted at an arbitrary time and inserted at an arbitrary position in one transport stream. The data parsing unit 330 described in FIG. Editing is performed by parsing the EIT and ETT in the PSIP section interspersed in one transport stream and changing the insertion position of the corresponding tables through the data editing unit 340.

That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the insertion position of the EIT and ETT 520 of the PSIP inserted at any time before and after the video or audio stream 530 is interposed between the MGT 510 and the video or audio stream 530. Editing allows the EIT and ETT 520 to be searched first during playback of the stream.

According to the apparatus and method for reconfiguring an electronic program guide of the present invention as described above, there is an advantage in that an EPG retrieval time may be shortened in a receiving transport stream by reconfiguring the electronic program guide of a transport stream currently being received. The advantage is that you can save the guide.

In addition, the retrieval of the program desired by the user is shortened by reconfiguring the electronic program guide.

Claims (5)

A data parser configured to extract a program and system information protocol (PSIP) section included in the transport stream; A data editing unit for changing a storage location of an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT) among the extracted system information protocol sections; And And a controller for searching for an event information table (ETT) and an extended text table (ETT) in which the storage location is changed as the access to the program is performed. The method of claim 1, The storage location change, And a change is made between the original stream (ES) and a master guide table (MGT) of the transport stream. The method of claim 1, The transport stream is, At least one of a transport stream stored in a predetermined storage medium or provided in real time from a relay station. Extracting a Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) section included in the transport stream; Changing a storage location of an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT) in the extracted system information protocol section; And Searching for an event information table (ETT) and an extended text table (ETT) in which the storage location is changed as access to the program is performed. The method of claim 4, wherein The data editing step, And reconfigure the storage location of an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT) between an original stream (ES) and a master guide table (MGT) of the transport stream.

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