Data tunneling via closed captioning
View Patent ↗An example apparatus that processes DTVCC data has a demultiplexer that extracts DTVCC data packets from a DTV signal. A parser parses the DTVCC data packets by: passing normal DTVCC data to a CC decoder; detecting ancillary data in the DTVCC data packets; and separating the ancillary data from the DTVCC data for output to an ancillary data process. An apparatus that processes DTVCC data has an ancillary data packager that packages data ancillary to DTV data for insertion into the DTVCC data packets. A DTVCC data packager receives CC data into DTVCC data packets and packages the ancillary data together with the DTVCC data into DTVCC data packets. A multiplexer multiplexes the DTVCC data packets from the DTVCC data packager with non-CCDTV data to produce DTV signal data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
1. A method of packaging ancillary data for digital television (DTV) content provider, the method carried out by the DTV content provider, comprising:
providing a digital representation of the video content;
packaging closed caption data to form a part of the video content; and
where the closed caption data comprises:
a data element that signifies the presence of ancillary data, where the data element comprises an undefined extended_service_number for the closed caption data, and
the ancillary data; and
where neither the data element nor the ancillary data are displayed as closed caption data.
2. The method according to claim 1 , where the data element comprises defining closed caption data to be invalid.
3. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors, carry out a method of packaging ancillary data for digital television (DTV) content provider, the method carried out by the DTV content provider, comprising:
providing a digital representation of the video content;
packaging closed caption data to form a part of the video content; and
where the closed caption data comprises:
a data element that signifies the presence of ancillary data, where the data element comprises an undefined extended_service_number for the closed caption data, and
the ancillary data; and
where neither the data element nor the ancillary data are displayed as closed caption data.
4. The storage medium according to claim 3 , where the data element further comprises a character or sequence of characters that are not found in normal closed caption text.
5. The storage medium according to claim 3 , where the data element further comprises a pair of data elements that define the start and end of the ancillary data.
6. The storage medium according to claim 3 , where the ancillary data comprises XML code.
7. The storage medium according to claim 3 , where the closed caption data further comprises a window definition that defines a hidden window, where the hidden window is defined to have transparent text over a transparent background.
8. The storage medium according to claim 3 , where the closed caption data further comprises a window definition that defines a hidden window, where the hidden window is defined as a window with a visible attribute set as false.
9. The storage medium according to claim 3 , where the closed caption data further comprises a window definition that defines a hidden window, where the hidden window is a window that is defined as hidden.
10. An apparatus that processes DTV closed caption data, comprising:
a demultiplexer that extracts DTVCC data packets from a DTV signal;
a parser that receives the DTVCC data packets and parses the data packets by:
passing normal DTVCC data to a closed caption decoder;
detecting a data element that signifies the presence of ancillary data, where the data element comprises an undefined extended service number for the closed caption data;
detecting the ancillary data in the DTVCC data packets; and
separating the ancillary data from the DTVCC data for output to an ancillary data process.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , where the data element further comprises a character or sequence of characters that are not found in normal closed caption text.
12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , where the data element further comprises defining closed caption data to be invalid.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , where the ancillary data comprises XML code.
14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , where the closed caption data further comprises a window definition that defines a hidden window, where the ancillary data resides in the hidden window.
15. The method according to claim 1 , where the data element further comprises a character or sequence of characters that are not found in normal closed caption text.
16. The method according to claim 1 , where the data element further comprises a pair of data elements that define the start and end of the ancillary data.
17. The method according to claim 1 , where the ancillary data comprises XML code.
18. The method according to claim 1 , where the closed caption data further comprises a window definition that defines a hidden window, where the hidden window is defined to have transparent text over a transparent background.
19. The method according to claim 1 , where the closed caption data further comprises a window definition that defines a hidden window, where the hidden window is defined as a window with a visible attribute set as false.
20. The method according to claim 1 , where the closed caption data further comprises a window definition that defines a hidden window, where the hidden window is a window that is defined as hidden.