Method and apparatus for providing low resolution images in a broadcast system

1. An apparatus for broadcasting information from a headend or hub, the apparatus comprising:

an encoder which is configured to encode information streams to a plurality of full resolution encoded information streams;

a modulator configured to modulate the plurality of full resolution encoded information streams for transmission over a plurality of broadcast carriers;

a transcoder for transcoding the plurality of full resolution encoded information streams to a plurality of low resolution encoded information streams, such that each low resolution encoded information stream corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of full resolution encoded information streams, each low resolution stream having a lower bit rate than the corresponding full resolution encoded information stream,

wherein the transmission of each low resolution stream is time aligned with the transmission of the corresponding full resolution encoded information stream;

a combiner unit configured to aggregate the plurality of low resolution encoded information streams corresponding to the full resolution encoded information streams for modulating onto a single carrier;

the modulator further configured to modulate the aggregated set of low resolution encoded information streams on the single carrier;

a transmission unit for transmitting the modulated streams downstream from the headend or hub,

wherein the full resolution encoded information streams are transmitted via the plurality of broadcast carriers and at least one full resolution encoded information stream is receivable by a first tuner at a user device for demodulating by a first demodulator and decoding by a first decoder, and

wherein the aggregated low resolution encoded information streams that correspond to the full resolution encoded information streams are transmitted, in parallel to transmissions over the plurality of broadcast carriers, via the single carrier, the low resolution encoded information streams receivable by a second tuner at the user device for demodulating by a second demodulator and decoding by a second decoder, such that each of the aggregated low resolution encoded information streams are decoded in parallel to the at least one full resolution encoded information stream and is readily available for display,

wherein the single carrier carrying the aggregated set of low resolution encoded information streams is distinct from a plurality of carriers carrying the corresponding full resolution encoded information streams.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the combined set of low resolution encoded information streams aggregated by the combiner unit contains approximately 100 low resolution encoded information streams.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a low resolution encoded information stream contains a common program clock reference with an encoded full resolution information stream.

4. A method of broadcasting information comprising:

receiving information streams;

encoding the information streams to a plurality of full resolution encoded information streams;

modulating the plurality of full resolution encoded information streams for transmission over a plurality of broadcast carriers such that at least one full resolution encoded information stream is receivable by a first tuner at a user device for demodulating by a first demodulator and decoding by a first decoder;

transcoding the information streams to a plurality of low resolution information stream, such that each low resolution encoded information stream corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of full resolution encoded information streams, each low resolution stream having a lower bit rate than the corresponding full resolution encoded information stream,

wherein the transmission of each low resolution stream is time aligned with the transmission of the corresponding full resolution encoded information stream;

aggregating the plurality of low resolution encoded information streams corresponding to the full resolution encoded information streams for modulating onto a single carrier;

modulating the aggregated set of low resolution encoded information streams onto the single carrier;

transmitting the modulated streams downstream from a headend, wherein the full resolution encoded information streams are transmitted via the plurality of broadcast carriers;

in parallel to transmissions over the plurality of broadcast carriers, transmitting the aggregated low resolution encoded information streams that correspond to the full resolution encoded information streams via the single carrier, the low resolution encoded information streams receivable by a second tuner at the user device for demodulating by a second demodulator and decoding by a second decoder, such that each of the aggregated low resolution encoded information streams are decoded in parallel to the at least one full resolution encoded information stream and is readily available for display,

wherein the single carrier carrying the aggregated set of low resolution encoded information streams is distinct from the plurality of broadcast carriers carrying the corresponding full resolution encoded information streams.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the aggregated low resolution encoded information streams contains approximately 100 low resolution encoded information streams.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein transcoding the information streams includes transcoding a full resolution encoded information stream to a low resolution information stream.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein a low resolution encoded information stream contains a common program clock reference with an encoded full resolution information stream.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising generating a low resolution correlation map which correlates a low resolution stream with a full resolution stream and providing the low resolution map to media access device.

9. An apparatus for providing information contained in a plurality of received information streams, comprising:

a plurality of tuners configured to receive information streams,

wherein at least a first one of the plurality of tuners is configured to receive at least one of a plurality of full resolution information streams transmitted over a plurality of broadcast carriers,

wherein at least a second one of the plurality of tuners is configured to receive an aggregated plurality of low resolution information streams transmitted over a single carrier, each of the low resolution encoded information stream corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of full resolution encoded information streams transmitted over the plurality of broadcast carriers, and a transmission of each low resolution stream is time aligned with the transmission of the corresponding full resolution encoded information stream,

wherein the low resolution information streams are received in parallel to a receipt by the at least first one of the plurality of tuners of the at least one of the plurality of full resolution information streams;

a demodulator configured to demodulate received information streams, the low resolution information streams each having a lower bit rate than the corresponding full resolution encoded information stream,

wherein the plurality of low resolution information streams are received on a single carrier distinct from the plurality of broadcast carriers carrying the full resolution information streams; and

a controller configured, in response to the apparatus receiving a request for information from a channel of the at least a subset of channels, to provide a low resolution stream from the plurality of low resolution information streams from the single carrier for display,

wherein the controller provides the low resolution streams for display until the full resolution stream is tuned to, decoded, and available to replace the display of the low resolution stream.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to provide the plurality of low resolution information streams to a display unit to be simultaneously displayed.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to receive an indication of a user selection of an information stream to be displayed, and to display a low resolution information stream corresponding to the user selection until a full resolution information stream corresponding to the user selection is available for display.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the user selection to provide a selected low resolution information stream to a portable media player, and to provide the selected low resolution information stream to the portable media player without transcoding the low resolution information stream.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of received information streams further include a low resolution correlation map which correlates a low resolution stream with a full resolution stream, whereby the controller switches from a low resolution stream to a full resolution stream without loss of program content presented to a user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to transition a display of a low resolution information stream to a display of a full resolution information stream based on a time stamp contained in each of the low resolution information stream and the full resolution stream.

15. A method of displaying information comprising:

receiving at a first tuner at least one of a plurality of full resolution information streams transmitted over a plurality of broadcast carriers;

in parallel to a receipt of the at least one of the plurality of full resolution information streams transmitted over the plurality of broadcast carriers, receiving at a second tuner over a single carrier a plurality of low resolution information streams each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of full resolution encoded information streams transmitted over the plurality of broadcast carriers, a transmission of each low resolution stream time aligned with the transmission of the corresponding full resolution encoded information stream, and the plurality of low resolution information streams having a lower bit rate than the full resolution encoded information streams,

demodulating the plurality of low resolution information streams from the single carrier;

receiving a request for information from a channel of at least a subset of channels;

decoding at least one low resolution information stream from the plurality of low resolution information streams corresponding to the request;

displaying the at least one low resolution information stream simultaneously; and

decoding at least one full resolution encoded information stream corresponding to both the request and the displayed at least one low resolution information stream,

wherein a controller provides the low resolution streams for display until the full resolution stream is tuned to, decoded, and available to replace the displayed at least one low resolution information stream.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user selection of an information stream to be displayed;

displaying a low resolution information stream corresponding to the user selection until a full resolution information stream corresponding to the user selection is available for display.

17. The method of claim 16 , further including transitioning a display of a low resolution information stream to a display of a full resolution information stream by correlating a low resolution stream with a full resolution stream with a low resolution correlation map, and switching from a low resolution stream to a full resolution stream without loss of program content presented to a user.

18. The method of claim 17 , further including transitioning a display of a low resolution information stream to a display of a full resolution information stream based on time stamps contained in each of the low resolution information stream and the full resolution stream.

19. The method of claim 16 , further including receiving the user selection to provide a selected low resolution information stream to a portable media player, and

providing the selected low resolution information stream to the portable media player without transcoding the low resolution information stream.