International Business Machines Corporation

Chuck Hong Ngai

Eric M Foster

Dennis P Cheney

Bryan J Lloyd

David Allen Hrusecky

Gerald J Watkins

David Coupe

Ronald S Svec

Raymond E Losinger

Dennis E Franklin

Wai Man Lam

Steven Bradford Herndon

Francesco A Campisano

Daniel J Buerkle

Mark Louis Ciacelli

Edward R Wassel

Charles Francis Marino

Vincent Charles Conzola

James Edward Phillips

Charles John Stein

Jeffery Dean Carr

Mark E Burger

Steven L George

John William Urda

John David Myers

Richard T Pfeiffer

Techniques are provided for re-mapping and interleaving transport packets of multiple transport streams for processing by a single transport demultiplexor. At least one PID re-map table is employed having re-map values indexed by n possible PID values of transport packets associated with at one transport stream of the multiple transport streams. The n possible PID values is less than or equal to the number of PID values which can be handled by the single transport demultiplexor, and is less than all possible PID values of transport packets within the multiple transport streams. The PID values within at least one transport stream are compared with the n possible PID values of the PID re-map table, and when a match is found, the table is indexed using the matching entry and a re-map value is generated therefrom. The re-map value replaces the original PID value within the transport packet.

Re-mapping and interleaving transport packets of multiple transport streams for processing by a single transport demultiplexor

An apparatus, circuit arrangement, program product and method of scaling an image horizontally partition a source image into a plurality of partitions, with each partition having a width that is no greater than the width of a line buffer used to scale the image. By partitioning an image into a plurality of partitions, the overall width of the scaled image is not constrained by the width of the line buffer. As a result, in many instances line buffers that are significantly smaller than conventional full-width line buffers may be used to generate scaled images that are substantially wider than may be generated by conventional buffers. Moreover, when implemented in hardware, the line buffers typically occupy significantly less real estate on an integrated circuit, thus reducing both cost and power consumption.

Image scaling employing horizontal partitioning

A command list controller for controlling hardware based on an instruction received from a central processing unit (CPU) is provided. Specifically, the controller of the present invention retrieves hardware and controller commands from memory based on one or more instructions received from the CPU. All hardware commands will be forwarded to the hardware for execution, while all controller commands will be executed by the controller. Controller commands that the controller of the present invention is capable of executing include, among others, event wait commands and sublist execution commands.

Command list controller for controlling hardware based on an instruction received from a central processing unit

A digital video decoder system, method and article of manufacture are provided having integrated scaling capabilities for presentation of video in full size or a predetermined reduced size, while at the same time allowing for reduced external memory requirements for frame buffer storage. The integrated system utilizes an existing decimation unit to scale the decoded stream of video data when the system is in scaled video mode. Display mode switch logic oversees switching between normal video mode and scaled video mode, wherein the switching occurs without perceptual degradation of a display of the decoded stream of video data. Scaled decoded video frames are buffered in a frame buffer which is partitioned depending upon whether the digital video decoding system is in normal video mode or scaled video mode. In scaled video mode, the frame buffer accommodates both full size I and P frames, as well as scaled I, P & B frames. The full size I and P frames are used to support future decode operations, while the scaled I, P & B frames are retrieved for display.

MPEG video decoder with integrated scaling and display functions

Method, system and computer products are provided for re-mapping and interleaving transport packets of multiple transport streams for processing by a single transport demultiplexor. The re-mapping and interleaving technique ensures unique identification of transport packets associated with multiple transport streams to be multiplexed onto a transport channel for demultiplexing by a single transport demultiplexor. At least one PID re-map table is employed having re-map values indexed by n possible PID values of transport packets associated with at one transport stream of the multiple transport streams. The n possible PID values is less than or equal to the number of PID values which can be handled by the single transport demultiplexor, and is less than all possible PID values of transport packets within the multiple transport streams. The PID values of transport packets within at least one transport stream are compared with the n possible PID values of the PID re-map table, and when a match is found, the table is indexed using the matching entry and a re-map value is generated therefrom. The re-map value replaces the original PID value within the transport packet to be forwarded for interleaving.

In a transport stream demultiplexor device receiving an input transport stream comprising a plurality of data packets and including a filter device for removing one or more predetermined packets to form a partial transport stream, a real-time data remultiplexing system and method comprising: a device for detecting presence of a gap in the partial transport stream where predetermined packets have been removed and generating a signal indicating the gap location; a device for directly retrieving packet data having new content from a memory storage device, and storing the retrieved packet data into a staging buffer device for queued storage prior to insertion into the partial transport stream; and, a multiplexor device responsive to the flag for pulling a queued data packet from the staging buffer device and inserting the pulled packet into the gap as the partial transport stream is being transported on a real-time basis. Advantageously, the retrieving device enables concurrent re-filling of the staging buffer as queued data is pulled from the buffer so as to enable remultiplexing of high bandwidth/high data content streams.

System and method for remultiplexing of a filtered transport stream with new content in real-time

Copy protection is provided at a mass storage device provided in or connected to a decoder for receiving digital transmissions of audio and video program material by virtual scrambling of blocks of data. Non-sequential storage locations for blocks of data are defined in accordance with a key and the file allocation table is encrypted and stored. Thus blocks of data remain intact and need not be decrypted upon playback, reducing processing time, while the program is effectively protected from reassembly without decryption of the file allocation table. The key(s) may be maintained internally within the decoder and need not be shared, thus avoiding a need for user identification and/or authentication. Software for encryption, including keys may be downloaded to the decoder through the same transmission link used for transmission of data files that may be encrypted in response to control signals or flags transmitted with data files to be protected.

File table copy protection for a storage device when storing streaming content

A transport demultiplexor system and queue remultiplexing methodology includes: a packet buffer for receiving data packets belonging to an input transport stream, each packet having a corresponding identifier identifying a program to which the packet belongs; a data unloader device for pulling successive packets from the packet buffer for storage in a memory storage device, and writing the pulled packets into contiguous address locations in the memory; and, a remultiplexor mechanism for generating an address offset associated with a next data packet pulled from the packet buffer to be stored in memory and writing it to a new memory location that is offset from a memory location assigned to a previously pulled packet, the offset defining a memory gap in the memory storage device capable of being filled new data content.

System and method for remultiplexing of a filtered transport stream

Two data streams derived from a transmitted data stream are remultiplexed with a coarser granularity for storage in data blocks which assure that corresponding portions of each of the two data streams are made available in the same data block. The data streams are buffered in queues from which sub-blocks are transferred as buffer sections having sizes corresponding to relative bit rates therein in the order the sub-blocks are filled, preferably using bytes to interrupt processing. Thus, the sub-blocks will be grouped into data blocks in accordance with the correspondence of the data streams such as the time correspondence of audio and video data. As applied to digital video data transmissions, a system time clock (STC) value is stored in a sub-block header and/or a data block header and, using a look-up table or other arrangement for estimating a storage location, a data block can be retrieved from storage in accordance with a target STC value.

Remultiplexing audio/video PES streams from an MPEG transport system

A video decoder for decoding data at a high rate uses a plurality of slower slice decoders. A common memory is shared by all slice decoders drastically reducing storage requirements of individual decoders. Slices are allocated to decoders optimally in response to busy signals providing improved performance over known methods. HDTV signals are decoded using a plurality of ordinary television resolution decoders. Multiple data streams are also decoded.

High definition television decoder

Data corrupted or lost in transmission over a lossy digital transmission link is replaced and/or omitted from data presented in connection with storage to and read out from a mass storage device. Different procedures are used to conceal artifacts corresponding to errored data based upon valid data preceding and following the error in a data stream and a size of the error.

Processing errors in MPEG data as it is sent to a fixed storage device

Multiple scaled videos are created using a single video decoder. A plurality of digital video data streams may be displayed in scaled or full-size on a video display. A viewer may select one or more of the scaled videos for display using a remote control. Downsampled frames may be scrolled into view using the remote control. A viewer may select a video to view in real time at full size or in scaled format.

System for creating multiple scaled videos from encoded video sources

A memory interface for an integrated system is presented which allows simultaneous, transparent access to multiple external memories coupled thereto. The memory interface resides within a functional unit of the integrated system and includes multiple memory ports, at least one of which is coupled to dedicated memory and one port to shared memory. The dedicated memory comprises private memory for the functional unit, while the shared memory is common memory coupled to the functional unit and other functional units of the integrated system. The memory interface has a controller for forwarding memory fetch requests generated by requesting units within the functional unit to the proper memory port as determined at system initialization. A lookahead request generator is employed for generating speculative lookahead fetch requests within the memory interface using information on received memory fetch requests and known memory access patterns. The lookahead fetch requests retrieve data from external memory in anticipation of actual memory fetch requests being generated.

Memory interface for functional unit of integrated system allowing access to dedicated memory and shared memory, and speculative generation of lookahead fetch requests

Growing community of inventors

Endwell, NY, United States of America

Chuck Hong Ngai