Method and system of processing multiple playback streams via a single playback channel
View Patent ↗A system and method for processing multiple streams over a single playback channel includes a receiving device and a tuner module having a first tuner and a second tuner. The first tuner has a first device node within the receiving device associated therewith. The second tuner has a second device node within the receiving device associated therewith. A multiplexer has a playback device module associated therewith. A tuner driver configures the playback device module for a first multiplexer channel and a second multiplexer channel. The tuner module communicates a first tuner signal and a second tuner signal to the receiving device. The playback device communicates first data signals from the first tuner through the first multiplexer channel to a first destination. The playback device communicates second data signals from the second tuner through the second multiplexer channel to a second destination.
1. A method comprising:
establishing a first device node for a first tuner and a second device node for a second tuner within a receiving device;
configuring a playback device module associated with a multiplexer for a first virtual multiplexer channel and a second virtual multiplexer channel of a single hardware channel;
generating a first tuner signal;
generating a second tuner signal;
communicating the first tuner signal to the playback device with a first packet identifier associated with the first virtual multiplexer channel;
communicating the second tuner signal to the playback device with a second packet identifier associated with the second virtual multiplexer channel;
communicating the first tuner signal from the playback device through the first virtual multiplexer channel to a first destination in response to the first packet identifier; and
communicating the second tuner signal from the playback device through the second virtual multiplexer channel to a second destination in response to the second packet identifier.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating second data and communicating first data comprise communicating the first data and the second data to a transport portion.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to generating a first tuner signal and generating a second tuner signal, connecting a tuner module having a first tuner and a second tuner to the receiving device.
4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising detecting the tuner module at the receiving device.
5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein detecting comprises detecting the tuner module at a driver associated with the tuner module.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein establishing a first device node for a first tuner and a second device node for a second tuner within a receiving device comprises establishing a first device node for a first tuner and a second device node for a second tuner within a satellite television receiving device.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating first data signals comprises communicating first transport data signals and wherein communicating second data signals comprises communicating second transport data signals.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving content from a controller of the receiving device.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising forming a request block having a data portion and a session portion;
communicating a request block from a tuner module to a multiplexer driver of the receiving device;
in response to a context associated with the session portion, configuring the playback device module to settings of the context;
enabling first channels associated with the first virtual multiplexer channel at the playback device module;
disabling second channels for the second virtual multiplexer channel at the playback device; and
communicating data through the playback device using the first virtual multiplexer channel.
10. A method comprising:
forming a request block having a data portion and a session portion;
communicating the request block from a tuner module to a multiplexer driver of a receiving device;
in response to a context associated with the session portion, configuring a playback device to settings of the context having packet identifier channels associated therewith;
enabling a first packet identifier channel associated with a first virtual multiplexer channel of a single hardware channel at the playback device, said first packet identifier channel having a stream associated therewith;
disabling a second packet identifier channel associated with a second virtual multiplexer channel of the single hardware channel at the playback device; and
communicating the stream through the first virtual multiplexer channel to the playback device.
11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein configuring a playback device comprises configuring the first virtual multiplexer channel and the second virtual multiplexer channel using a Universal Serial Bus driver.
12. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising prior to communicating data, creating a playback descriptor for the data;
communicating the descriptor to a first destination; and
triggering an interrupt when the data is finished processing at the playback device.
13. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising communicating second data after triggering.
14. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the context comprises packet identifier channels and transport type.
15. A system comprising:
a receiving device;
a tuner module having a first tuner and a second tuner;
said first tuner having a first device node within the receiving device associated therewith;
said second tuner having a second device node within the receiving device associated therewith;
a multiplexer having a playback device module associated therewith;
a tuner driver configuring the playback device module for a first virtual multiplexer channel and a second virtual multiplexer channel over a single hardware channel;
said tuner module communicating a first tuner signal and a second tuner signal to the playback device with a respective first packet identifier associated with the first virtual multiplexer channel and a second packet identifier associated with the second virtual multiplexer channel;
said playback device communicating first data signals from the first tuner through the first virtual multiplexer channel to a first destination in response to the first packet identifier; and
said playback device communicating second data signals from the second tuner through the second virtual multiplexer channel to a second destination in response to the second packet identifier.
16. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the first tuner and second tuner communicate with the receiving device through a universal serial bus.
17. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the tuner driver comprises a universal serial bus driver.
18. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the first tuner and second tuner comprise high definition tuners.
19. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the receiving device comprises a satellite television receiving device.