Methods and apparatus for constructing a program association table when reducing multiplexed data streams

1. A method for constructing a program association table (PAT) when reducing a multiplexed data stream, comprising the steps of:

receiving at a transcoder an inbound multiplexed data stream having an all-inclusive PAT, a plurality of predefined multiplexed data stream subgroups, and a plurality of hidden PATs, each hidden PAT identified by a unique packet identifier (PID) and associated with an allowable predefined combination of said multiplexed data stream subgroups;

selecting one hidden PAT corresponding to a desired combination of multiplexed data stream subgroups;

determining the PID makeup of the desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination from the selected hidden PAT;

discarding one or more of the all-inclusive PAT, unused hidden PATs, and any subgroups not contained in the desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination;

re-mapping the selected hidden PAT to a predetermined PID; and

outputting the re-mapped PAT from the transcoder with the desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the predetermined PID comprises the PID of the all-inclusive PAT.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said predetermined PID comprises PID 0X0000.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:

the all-inclusive PAT, the unused hidden PATs, and any of the subgroups not contained in the desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination are discarded.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream comprises a plurality of multiplexed data streams.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the plurality of multiplexed data streams are from a plurality of sources.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sources comprises two or more satellite feeds.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream is carried on a multiphase carrier having an I phase and a Q Phase.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein a first plurality of subgroups are carried in the I phase and a second plurality of subgroups are carried in the Q phase.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the all-inclusive PAT comprises:

an all-inclusive I phase PAT carried in the I phase and corresponding to all services carried in the I phase; and

an all-inclusive Q phase PAT carried in the Q phase and corresponding to all services carried in the Q phase.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream is an MPEG data stream.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream is carried on one of a high data rate QPSK carrier or VSB carrier.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transcoder outputs an intermediate frequency data stream having a maximum data rate of about 27 Mbps.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transcoder outputs an intermediate frequency data stream having a maximum data rate of about 38.8 Mbps.

15. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising the steps of constructing the inbound multiplexed data stream at an encoder.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the step of constructing the inbound multiplexed data stream comprises the steps of:

creating the all-inclusive PAT and the hidden PATs at the encoder; and

combining the all-inclusive PAT and the hidden PATS with the multiplexed data stream subgroups to create the inbound multiplexed data stream.

17. Apparatus for constructing a program association table (PAT) when reducing a multiplexed data stream, comprising:

a transcoder for receiving an inbound multiplexed data stream having an all-inclusive PAT, a plurality of predefined multiplexed data stream subgroups, and a plurality of hidden PATs, each hidden PAT identified by a unique packet identifier (PID) and associated with an allowable predefined combination of said multiplexed data stream subgroups; and

a processor associated with said transcoder; wherein:

said processor is coupled to receive from the transcoder said all-inclusive PAT and said hidden PATs for each multiplexed data stream subgroup combination;

the processor is configured to select one hidden PAT corresponding to a desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination;

the processor determines the PID makeup of the desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination from the selected hidden PAT;

the processor discards one or more of the all-inclusive PAT, unused hidden PATs, and any subgroups not contained in the desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination;

the processor causes the transcoder to re-map the selected hidden PAT to a predetermined PID; and

the transcoder outputs the re-mapped PAT with the selected multiplexed data stream subgroup combination.

18. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the predetermined PID comprises the PID of the all-inclusive PAT.

19. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein said predetermined PID comprises PID 0X0000.

20. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein:

the processor discards the all-inclusive PAT, the unused hidden PATs, and any of the subgroups not contained in the desired multiplexed data stream subgroup combination.

21. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream comprises a plurality of multiplexed data streams.

22. Apparatus in accordance with claim 21 , wherein the plurality of multiplexed data streams are from a plurality of sources.

23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the plurality of sources comprises two or more satellite feeds.

24. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream is carried on a multiphase carrier having an I phase and a Q phase.

25. Apparatus in accordance with claim 24 , wherein a first plurality of subgroups are carried in the I phase and a second plurality of subgroups are carried in the Q phase.

26. Apparatus in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the all-inclusive PAT comprises:

an all-inclusive I phase PAT carried in the I phase and corresponding to all services carried in the I phase; and

an all-inclusive Q phase PAT carried in the Q phase and corresponding to all services carried in the Q phase.

27. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream is an MPEG data stream.

28. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the inbound multiplexed data stream is carried on one of a high data rate QPSK carrier or VSB carrier.

29. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the transcoder outputs an intermediate frequency data stream subgroup having a maximum data rate of about 27 Mbps.

30. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the transcoder outputs an intermediate frequency data stream subgroup having a maximum data rate of about 38.8 Mbps.

31. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 , further comprising an encoder for constructing the inbound multiplexed data stream.

32. Apparatus in accordance with claim 31 , wherein:

the encoder creates the all-inclusive PAT and the hidden PATs; and

the encoder combines the all-inclusive PAT and the hidden PATs with the multiplexed data stream subgroups to create the inbound multiplexed data stream.

33. A method for creating a multiplexed data stream which is to be reduced, comprising:

receiving a plurality of multiplexed data stream subgroups;

creating an all-inclusive PAT describing all the services contained in the plurality of data stream subgroups;

defining a plurality of data stream subgroup combinations;

creating for each defined combination of data stream subgroups a hidden PAT identified by a unique PID, each hidden PAT describing the services contained in said defined combination of data stream subgroups;

combining said all-inclusive PAT, said hidden PATs, and said data stream subgroups to create a multiplexed data stream.

34. Apparatus for creating a multiplexed data stream which is to be reduced, comprising:

an encoder; and

a processor associated with the encoder;

wherein:

the encoder receives a plurality of multiplexed data stream subgroups;

the processor generates an all-inclusive PAT describing all the services contained in the plurality of data stream subgroups;

the processor defines a plurality of data stream subgroup combinations;

the processor creates for each defined combination of data stream subgroups a hidden PAT identified by a unique PID, each hidden PAT describing the services contained in said defined combination of data stream subgroups; and

the encoder combines said all-inclusive PAT, said hidden PATs, and said data stream subgroups to create a multiplexed data stream.