Method and system for devices efficiently sharing information regarding the content of a digital television bit-stream
View Patent ↗A method and system for efficiently allowing a controller device to receive information from a tuner device regarding the content of a digital television bit-stream. The present invention first receives a digital television bit-stream at a tuner device. The digital television bit-stream comprises video, audio, and data information, as well as tables that describe the content of the bit-stream. Next, to obtain a table, a controller device sets a value specifying a desired table in an attribute field of a command. Next, the controller sets at least one flag in a flag field of the command. The setting of the flag indicates the table which is being requested. Additionally, because a single attribute field may hold different types of information, the flags indicate which type of information is in the attribute field for this issuance of the command. The controller, then issues the command to the tuner, which determines what table is being requested, based upon the flags set. The tuner then returns that table to the controller.
1. An electronic system comprising:
a first device for accessing a multimedia bit stream;
a second device coupled to said first device and for generating a command requesting a table describing information in said multimedia bit stream, said command comprising:
a plurality of attribute fields comprising:
a table field for specifying a table identifier; and
a multi-purpose field for specifying a select attribute related to a requested table, said select attribute selected from among a plurality of possible attributes; and
a flag field for identifying said select attribute from said plurality of possible attributes held by said multi-purpose field; and
in response to receiving said command, wherein said first device is operable to:
determine if said flag field indicates a rating region table is requested, and if so, use ratings information in said multi-purpose field to provide said rating region table;
determine if said flag field indicates an event information table is requested, and if so, use event information in said multi-purpose field to provide said event information table; and
determine if said flag field indicates an extended text table is requested, and if so, use extended text information in said multi-purpose field to provide said extended text table.
2. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said first device comprises a tuner for receiving and decoding a digital television signal.
3. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said second device comprises a controller for issuing commands to said first device and processing information received from said first device.
4. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said second device is operable to set a flag indicating said table field is valid.
5. The electronic system of claim 4 , wherein said second device is further operable to set a value in said table field.
6. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said first device is further operable to provide a table identified by said table identifier in said table field if said flag field indicates a table identification is requested.
7. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said second device is further operable to set said flag field to specify which one of the plurality of attributes said multi-purpose field holds.
8. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said command is a direct select data command.
9. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said multi-purpose field is for specifying an attribute for one of a rating region table, an event information table, and an extended text table.
10. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said table identifier is operable to specify at least one of a master guide table, a terrestrial virtual channel table, a cable virtual channel table, a system time table, a rating region table, an event information table, and an extended text table.
11. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of attribute fields relate to at least one of programming information, rating information related to at least one geographic region, and an extended text message related to said bit stream.