Method for generating and processing transition streams

1. A method for generating a transition stream for transitioning from a first transport stream to a second transport stream in a substantially seamless manner, said method comprising the steps of:

decoding a portion of said first transport stream including at least a target out-frame representing a last image frame of said first transport stream to be presented;

decoding a portion of said second transport stream including at least a target in-frame representing a first image frame of said second transport stream to be presented;

processing, using a pixel domain process, at least one of said decoded image frames; and

encoding a plurality of said decoded image frames, including said target out-frame and said target in-frame, to produce said transition stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pixel domain process comprises at least one of a morph, fade, wipe, dissolve, push, reveal, black-frame, freeze-frame and chroma-keying pixel domain process.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

extracting, from said first and second transport streams, audio data associated with said video frames used to form said transition stream; and

inserting, into said transition stream, said extracted audio data.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

extracting, from said first and second transport streams, non-video data associated with said video frames used to form said transition stream; and

inserting, into said transition stream, said extracted non-video data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said non-video data comprises at least one of audio data, meta-data, data essence, ancillary data and auxiliary data.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of:

processing, using an audio domain process, at least a portion of said extracted audio data.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of:

processing, using an non-video domain process, at least a portion of said extracted non-video data.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein said step of encoding said plurality of decoded image includes the step of transport encoded said encoded plurality of image frames, said method further comprising the steps of:

reserving a plurality of transport packets within said transition stream, said reserved packets not being utilized to store encoded image information;

utilizing at least a portion of said reserved plurality of transport packets to store said extracted audio data.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein said step of encoding said plurality of decoded image includes the step of transport encoded said encoded plurality of image frames, said method further comprising the steps of:

reserving a plurality of transport packets within said transition stream, said reserved packets not being utilized to store encoded image information;

utilizing at least a portion of said reserved plurality of transport packets to store said extracted non-video data.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein said first transport stream and said second transport stream are multiplexed into respective first and second multiple program transport streams, said method further comprising the step of:

determining, for each multiple program transport stream including a transport stream to be processed, a maximum extent of all image frames to be included in a transition stream; and

demultiplexing each multiple program transport stream to accommodate its respective determined maximum extent.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said step of determining said image data extent includes the step of determining a maximum extent of all non-video data associated with image frames to be included in a transition stream, said maximum extent comprising a combination of the image data extent and the non-video data extent.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein first portion of said first transport stream to be decoded is determined according to the steps of:

decoding, in display order, said out-frame and all preceding frames from said out-frame to a prior I-frame;

in the case of said out-frame comprising a B-frame, defining the frame immediately preceding said prior I-frame in transmission order as a final first transport stream frame in said transition stream;

in the case of said out-frame not comprising a B-frame, defining said out-frame as said final first transport stream frame in said transition stream.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first portion of said second transport stream to be decoded is determined according to the steps of:

decoding, in display order, said in-frame and all non-I-frames following said in-frame up to a next I-frame.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of indexing each of said first and second transport streams, said step of indexing comprising the steps of:

parsing a transport layer of a stream to be indexed to identify packets associated with at least one of sequence headers, picture headers and predefined splicing syntax;

determining, for each frame in said stream to be indexed, at least one of a picture number, a picture coding type, a start of frame transport packet number, an end of frame transport packet number, a presentation time stamp (PTS) and a decode time stamp (DTS).

15. The method of claim 4 , wherein said determinations for each frame are stored in a meta file for subsequent use in generating a transition stream.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second transport streams are associated with a respective video buffering verifier (VBV) parameter, said method further comprising the step of:

determining if a difference exists between said from-stream VBV parameter and said to-stream VBV parameter; and

adapting, in response to said determination, step of re-encoding.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said step of adapting comprises the steps of:

increasing a rate control bit allocation in response to a determination that said from-stream VBV parameter exceeds said to-stream VBV parameter by a first threshold level; and

decreasing said rate control bit allocation in response to a determination that said to-stream VBV parameter exceeds said from-stream VBV parameter by a second threshold level.

18. A method for generating a transition stream for transitioning from a first transport stream to a second transport stream in a substantially seamless manner, said method comprising the steps of:

decoding a portion of said first transport stream including at least a target out-frame representing a last image frame of said first transport stream to be presented, said decoded portion including non-video data associated with at least one decoded image frame of said first transport stream;

decoding a portion of said second transport stream including at least a target in-frame representing a first image frame of said second transport stream to be presented, said decoded portion including non-video data associated with at least one decoded image frame of said second transport stream;

encoding a plurality of said decoded image frames, including said target out-frame and said target in-frame, to produce said transition stream; and

inserting, into said transition stream, said extracted non-video data.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said non-video data comprises at least one of audio data, meta-data, data essence, ancillary data and auxiliary data.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of:

processing, using a pixel domain process, at least a portion of said extracted audio data.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said pixel domain processing comprises at least one of a morph, fade, wipe, dissolve, push, reveal, black-frame and freeze-frame pixel domain process.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of:

processing, using an non-video domain process, at least a portion of said extracted non-video data.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein said step of encoding said plurality of decoded image includes the step of transport encoded said encoded plurality of image frames, said method further comprising the steps of:

reserving a plurality of transport packets within said transition stream, said reserved packets not being utilized to store encoded image information;

utilizing at least a portion of said reserved plurality of transport packets to store said extracted non-video data.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein said generated transition stream is constrained to a pre-determined number of image frames.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein each of said first and second transport streams are associated with a respective video buffering verifier (VBV) parameter, said method further comprising the step of:

determining if a difference exists between said from-stream VBV parameter and said to-stream VBV parameter; and

adapting, in response to said determination, step of re-encoding.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said step of adapting comprises the steps of:

increasing a rate control bit allocation in response to a determination that said from-stream VBV parameter exceeds said to-stream VBV parameter by a first threshold level; and

decreasing said rate control bit allocation in response to a determination that said to-stream VBV parameter exceeds said from-stream VBV parameter by a second threshold level.