Other

Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Damien Kessler

David L McNamara

Gregor Said Jackson

Mario Udo Brotz

A digital television autoprogramming and tuning method and apparatus. In a digital television which can tune both MPEG 2 and PSIP format signals, a method of tuning uses one or more tables of information populated during an autoprogramming process. For MPEG 2 channels, the physical channel equals the major channel number and can be directly tuned. For PSIP channels, the major channel indexes a TSID which is used to determine a physical channel. If the TSID does not correspond to the correct program, the correct TSID is determined from the Program Specific Information in the data transport streamand the system re-tunes to the correct physical channel. The autoprogramming process sequentially steps through each physical channel and populates the autoprogramming tables with information about each channel it finds, saving only a single TSID for a given major PSIP channel.

Autoprogramming for digital television

A method and apparatus for building and maintaining a database in a digital television receiver from information received in MPEG and PSIP tables uses the MPEG tables as a master to facilitate creating, updating, and deleting the database. Each database entry is encapsulated in a memory chain control structure such that freeing memory does not require consideration of the specific content of data in the database.

Method and apparatus for maintaining a digital television receiver database

An improved architecture for a set-top box that effects a reduction in memory requirements includes a front-panel board and a DTV board subject to a reset sequence and having a non-volatile memory associated therewith for storing values including a power-state value. The improved architecture eliminates the need for a non-volatile memory associated with the front-panel board by querying the power-state variable in the non-volatile memory associated with the DTV board and effecting a boot-up sequence when the power-state variable is set to ON and by effecting a reset in response to certain detected conditions.

Memory utilization for set top box

A flash memory initialization sequence in a DTV set-top box of the type having a program-controlled microprocessor associated with a front panel board and a DTV board for processing at least part of an audio/visual television signal in which the sequence, upon application of start-up power, determines whether or not a selected file exists indicative of at least a partial formatting of the flash memory and causes the main DTV application to execute in the event the selected file exists. Conversely, where the selected file is not detected, the initialization sequence runs an initialization routine that at least formats a portion of the flash memory, thereafter creates the selected file indicative of the desired formating of the flash memory, and returns control to re-determine whether or not the selected file exists to cause the main DTV application to then execute.

Flash memory initialization in a DTV set-top box

A method and apparatus for building and maintaining a database in a digital television receiver from information received in MPEG and PSIP tables uses the MPEG tables as a master to facilitate creating, updating, and deleting the database. Each database entry is encapsulated in a memory chain control structure such that freeing memory does not-require consideration of the specific content of data in the database.

A digital television autoprogramming and tuning method and apparatus. In a digital television which can tune both MPEG 2 and PSIP format signals, a method of tuning uses one or more tables of information populated during an autoprogramming process. For MPEG 2 channels, the physical channel equals the major channel number and can be directly tuned. For PSIP channels, the major channel indexes a TSID which is used to determine a physical channel. If the TSID does not correspond to the correct program, the correct TSID is determined from the Program Specific Information in the data transport stream and the system re-tunes to the correct physical channel. The autoprogramming process sequentially steps through each physical channel and populates the autoprogramming tables with information about each channel it finds, saving only a single TSID for a given major PSIP channel.

Channel control for digital television

A closed caption decoder includes circuitry for processing closed caption according to the Electronic Industries Association EIA-708 and EIA-608 standards. The EIA-708 memory buffers ( ) store caption data both for the EIA-708 and the EIA-608 standards. Therefore, the decoder memory requirements are reduced.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Damien Kessler