PROTOCOL OVERHEAD REDUCTION

1 . A method comprising:

processing a data flow comprising a plurality of packets;

identifying, by a processor, static data and dynamic data in packet headers of the plurality of packets;

generating a plurality of protocol packets by removing the static data from the packet headers while retaining the dynamic data;

generating signaling data based on the static data; and

transmitting the signaling data over a logical channel different than a channel over which the protocol packets are transmitted.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a header of each of the plurality of protocol packets comprises a protocol label that associates the header with the signaling data.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the plurality of protocol packets further comprises removing inferable data from the packet headers.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the static data is the same in each of the plurality of packets in the data flow.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the packet headers each comprise a field having dynamic information; and

determining an offset value and a delta value based on the dynamic information; wherein the signaling data comprises the offset value and the dynamic data comprises the delta value.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the signaling data is part of service information or program specific information contained in a transport stream.

7 . An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

process a data flow comprising a plurality of packets;

identify static data and dynamic data in packet headers of the plurality of packets;

generate a plurality of protocol packets by removing the static data from the packet headers while retaining the dynamic data;

generate signaling data based on the static data; and

transmit the signaling data over a logical channel different than a channel over which the protocol packets are transmitted.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a header of each of the plurality of protocol packets comprises a protocol label that associates the header with the signaling data.

9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the generating of the plurality of protocol packets further comprises removing inferable data from the packet headers.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the static data is the same in each of the plurality of packets in the data flow.

11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

determine that the packet headers each comprise a field having dynamic information; and

determine an offset value and a delta value based on the dynamic information; wherein the signaling data comprises the offset value and the dynamic data comprises the delta value.

12 . A computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to at least:

process a data flow comprising a plurality of packets;

identify static data and dynamic data in packet headers of the plurality of packets;

generate a plurality of protocol packets by removing the static data from the packet headers while retaining the dynamic data;

generate signaling data based on the static data; and

transmit the signaling data over a logical channel different than a channel over which the protocol packets are transmitted.

13 . A method comprising:

processing a transport stream that comprises signaling data and a plurality of protocol packets;

parsing, by a processor, the signaling data from the transport stream;

removing a protocol header from each protocol packet to extract dynamic data;

determining static data based on the signaling data; and

reconstructing a plurality of packets based on the static data and the dynamic data, wherein the signaling data is received from a logical channel different than a channel from which the plurality of protocol packets is received.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the reconstructing of the plurality of packets is based on predetermined information indicating a structure of the plurality of packets.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

causing presentation of a service guide; and

receiving selection of a program associated with the plurality of protocol packets.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the reconstructing of the plurality of packets is further based on inferable data.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the signaling data is part of service information or program specific information contained in the transport stream.

18 . An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

process a transport stream that comprises signaling data and a plurality of protocol packets;

parse the signaling data from the transport stream;

remove a protocol header from each protocol packet to extract dynamic data;

determine static data based on the signaling data; and

reconstruct a plurality of packets based on the static data and the dynamic data, wherein the signaling data is received from a logical channel different than a channel from which the plurality of protocol packets is received.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the reconstructing of the plurality of packets is based on predetermined information indicating a structure of the plurality of packets.

20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

cause presentation of a service guide; and

receive selection of a program associated with the plurality of protocol packets.

21 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the reconstructing of the plurality of packets is further based on inferable data.

22 . A computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause an apparatus to at least:

process a transport stream that comprises signaling data and a plurality of protocol packets;

parse the signaling data from the transport stream;

remove a protocol header from each protocol packet to extract dynamic data;

determine static data based on the signaling data; and

reconstruct a plurality of packets based on the static data and the dynamic data, wherein the signaling data is received from a logical channel different than a channel from which the plurality of protocol packets is received.

23 - 24 . (canceled)

25 . A system comprising:

a transmitter comprising:

a first processor; and

a first memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

process a data flow comprising a plurality of packets;

identify static data and dynamic data in packet headers of the plurality of packets;

generate a plurality of protocol packets by removing the static data from the packet headers while retaining the dynamic data;

generate signaling data based on the static data; and

transmit the signaling data over a logical channel different than a channel over which the protocol packets are transmitted; and

a receiver comprising:

a second processor; and

a second memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

process the transport stream;

parse the signaling data from the transport stream;

remove a protocol header from each of the plurality of protocol packets to extract the dynamic data;

determine the static data based on the signaling data; and

reconstruct a plurality of packets based on the static data and the dynamic data, wherein the signaling data is received from a logical channel different than a channel from which the plurality of protocol packets is received.