Decentralized method for generating an MPEG-2 multiprogram transport stream

1 . A method for generating a multi-program transport stream comprising:

generating an empty bitstream comprising null packets;

providing the empty bitstream to a first contributor wherein the first contributor replaces a null packet with a program packet resulting in a modified bitstream; and

providing the modified bitstream to a second contributor.

2 . A method for generating a multi-program transport stream comprising:

generating an empty bitstream comprising null packets;

generating a CID map comprising contributor ID's;

labeling the null packets with a contributor ID;

providing the empty bitstream to a first contributor wherein the first contributor replaces a null packet labeled with the contributor ID for the first contributor with a program packet resulting in a modified bitstream; and

providing the modified bitstream to a second contributor.

3 . A method for generating a multi-program transport stream comprising:

generating an empty bitstream comprising null packets;

labeling the null packets with a contributor encoding rate;

providing the empty bitstream to a first contributor wherein the first contributor replaces a null packet labeled with a contributor encoding rate that corresponds to an encoding rate for the first contributor with a program packet resulting in a modified bitstream; and

providing the modified bitstream to a second contributor.

4 . A method for controlling transmission rates of a contributor comprising:

determining a number of packets a contributor is behind in transmission; and

increasing packet transmission in the contributor for the number of packets determined.

5 . A method for controlling transmission rates of a contributor comprising:

determining a number of packets a contributor is ahead in transmission; and

decreasing packet transmission in the contributor for the number of packets determined.

6 . A method for generating a CID map comprising:

sorting SPTS rates of contributors in a table;

assigning a CID to an SPTS rate;

determining a fraction of MPTS for an SPTS rate;

determining a number of table entries for an SPTS rate based on the fraction;

determining an ideal distance between table entries for an SPTS rate based on the fraction; and

inserting the CID corresponding to the SPTS rate into the table based on the number of table entries and the ideal distance between table entries.

7 . A method for back channel management comprising:

generating, by a null packet generator, a bitstream comprising null packets;

labeling the null packets with an address of the null packet generator;

receiving the bitstream by a contributor; and

transmitting, by the contributor, a message to the address of the null packet generator wherein the message comprises contributor data.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the contributor data comprises a bit rate.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the contributor data comprises a PMT PID and a program number.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the null packet generator uses the bit rate information to create a CID Map.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the null packet generator uses the PMT PID and program number to generate a Program Map table describing its audio and video streams and includes this PMT in the null packet generator SPTS output.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

displaying, by the null packet generator, received contributor messages.

13 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

reporting, by the null packet generator, system configuration errors based on the received contributor messages.

14 . A system for generating a multi-program transport stream comprising:

a null packet generator wherein the null packet generator generates a bitstream comprising null packets; and

a contributor operatively coupled to the null packet generator wherein the contributor receives the bitstream and replaces a null packet with a program packet.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the null packet generator is a contributor.

16 . An apparatus for generating a multi-program transport stream comprising:

a means for receiving a bitstream having a null packet;

a processor configured to identify packet transmission opportunities in the bitstream; and

a packet generator operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the packet generator is configured to replace a null packet in a received bitstream with a program packet when a packet transmission opportunity is identified by the processor.

17 . A method for synching contributors comprising:

generating, by a first contributor, a first clock used at the first contributor's bitstream output to generate an output clock; and

deriving, by a second contributor, a second clock from the first contributor output clock.

18 . A method for synching contributors comprising:

generating, by a first contributor, a first clock used at the first contributor's bitstream output to generate an output clock;

re-clocking, by a second contributor, the bitstream to a second clock internal to the second contributor; and

adjusting a stuffing byte character between bitstream packets.