SIGNALING METHODS AND APPARATUS
A reception apparatus and method for provider signaling. The method includes receiving a portion of a broadcast stream including low level signaling (LLS) information. The LLS information includes a provider count field. The method further includes extracting using circuitry a value of the provider count field. The provider count field identifies the number of different providers that provide LLS information in the portion of the broadcast stream. In addition, the method includes determining the number of providers based on the value of the provider count field and processing the portion of the broadcast stream to extract the LLS information until the LLS information for each of the different providers is extracted based on the determined number of providers.
1 . A method of a reception apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving a portion of a broadcast stream including low level signaling (LLS) information, the LLS information including a provider count field;
extracting, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, a value of the provider count field, the provider count field identifying the number of different providers that provide LLS information in the portion of the broadcast stream;
determining the number of providers based on the value of the provider count field; and
processing the portion of the broadcast stream to extract the LLS information until the LLS information for each of the different providers is extracted based on the determined number of providers.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the LLS information is a LLS table that includes a service list table, a rating region table, or system time information.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein
the LLS table includes at least a provider ID, and
the provider count field identifies the provider count minus one.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of processing comprises:
for each LLS table retrieved from the portion of the broadcast stream,
comparing the number of retrieved LLS tables with the number of providers; and
continuing to wait for one or more additional LLS tables in the portion of the broadcast stream when the number of retrieved LLS tables is less than the determined number of providers.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a digital television broadcast that includes the portion of the broadcast stream.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the broadcast stream is a stream of IP packets, the portion of the broadcast stream being identified by a predetermined PLP ID, IP address and port number.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the LLS information is carried in the payload of the IP packets.
8 . A reception apparatus, comprising:
circuitry configured to
receive a portion of a broadcast stream including low level signaling (LLS) information, the LLS information including a provider count field,
extract a value of the provider count field, the provider count field identifying the number of different providers that provide LLS information in the portion of the broadcast stream,
determine the number of providers based on the value of the provider count field, and
process the portion of the broadcast stream to extract the LLS information until the LLS information for each of the different providers is extracted based on the determined number of providers.
9 . The reception apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the LLS information is a LLS table that includes a service list table, a rating region table, or system time information.
10 . The reception apparatus of claim 9 , wherein
the LLS table includes at least a provider ID, and
the provider count field identifies the provider count minus one.
11 . The reception apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
for each LLS table retrieved from the portion of the broadcast stream,
compare the number of retrieved LLS tables with the number of providers; and
continue to wait for one or more additional LLS tables in the portion of the broadcast stream when the number of retrieved LLS tables is less than the determined number of providers.
12 . The reception apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
receive a digital television broadcast that includes the portion of the broadcast stream.
13 . The reception apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the broadcast stream is a stream of IP packets, the portion of the broadcast stream being identified by a predetermined PLP ID, IP address and port number.
14 . The reception apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the LLS information is carried in the payload of the IP packets.
15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-readable instructions therein which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for provider signaling, the method comprising:
receiving a portion of a broadcast stream including low level signaling (LLS) information, the LLS information including a provider count field;
extracting a value of the provider count field, the provider count field identifying the number of different providers that provide LLS information in the portion of the broadcast stream;
determining the number of providers based on the value of the provider count field; and
processing the portion of the broadcast stream to extract the LLS information until the LLS information for each of the different providers is extracted based on the determined number of providers.