U.S. Philips Corporation

Other

Philips Electronics North America Corporation

Ronald W Saeijs

Wilhelmus Jacobus Van Gestel

Jurgen F Rosengren

Cornelis Hermanus Van Berkel

Imran A Shah

Takashi Sato

Rudolf H Bloks

Thomas A Suters

Albert M Rijckaert

Eric H Persoon

Onno Eerenberg

Guy J Roberts

Makoto Asano

Cornelis Niessen

Joanne H Westerink

Jurgen H Geerlings

Michiel J Van Der Korst

Fre J Jorritsma

Maria E Roncken

A program is selected from a plurality of programs in an MPEG transport stream for recording on a record carrier. The presence of a program clock reference (PCR) value in a packet in the stream is detected. The packet identifier for the packet is retrieved and stored. Clock reference signals of subsequent packets with a packet identifier equal to the stored packet identifier, are retrieved. The program clock references are used to synchronize a clock counter. Each recorded packet is time stamped according to the clock counter. If clock reference signal is not received within 100 ms, then a packet with a PCR value with a different packet identifier is retrieved and the stored packet identified is replaced by the different packet identifier.

Method and apparatus for recording digital information signals in which,

A recording arrangement is provided for recording trick mode information in portions of tracks, so as to enable a trick mode during reproduction in a reproducing arrangement. The recording arrangement includes an input terminal (11) for receiving the digital video signal, a trick play signal generating unit (80) for deriving a trick play signal from the digital video signal, and an error correction encoding unit (26,28,81). The error correction encoding unit is adapted to carry out an error correction encoding step on the digital video signal and the trick play signal, such that an additional error correction encoding step is carried out on the trick play data.

Recording and reproduction of a trick mode video signal

A data bus system comprises a number of stations which are interconnected via a bus. The bus has a limited data transmission capacity available. From a transmitter station a resource control station reads which part of the available transmission capacity is required for the relevant transmitter. The resource control station allocates the required transmission capacity to the relevant transmitter station if adequate transmission capacity is available; it is only in that case that transmission by the relevant transmitter station is enabled.

Data bus system with resource control compensating for limited

A method of transmitting timing critical data via an asynchronous channel without changing any datum to be transmitted. The timing critical data can be an MPEG transport stream. The asynchronous channel can be a computer or telephone network, a digital storage media such as a digital VCR, or a digital interface. The method involves tagging each transmission unit of the data stream, before inputting to the channel, with timing information, and using the timing information at the output end of the channel to recreate the proper data timing. Various schemes are described for packing the timing information tags with each or a plurality of transmission units.

Apparatus and methods for transmitting an MPEG information signal, and a

A device for deriving an ancillary signal from a compressed digital video signal (e.g. MPEG), wherein the ancillary signal includes selected parts of the main signal, for example, the DC coefficients of I-pictures, or the unscrambled parts, which parts can be used for display in a (multi-) picture-in-picture television receiver, or as an 'appetizer' in order to encourage the user to pay a subscription fee, is described. The ancillary signal can separately be recorded in digital video recorders so as to assist the user in finding the beginning of a scrambled program on tape. The ancillary signal can also be generated at the transmitter end and transmitted at a low bit rate. A decoder for decoding such an ancillary signal is considerably simpler and less expensive than a full-spec MPEG decoder. A decoding method is also described.

Method and apparatus for multiplexing and transmitting

A first digital information signal, such as a digital video signal, is recorded in MPEG encoded form in the form of first packets in first track portions (TP.sub.1) on a record carrier. Program information contained packets (P.sub.0 ') are also recorded in the first track portions. In a subsequent editing step, an additional information signal, such as an audio signal, is MPEG encoded into second packets and recorded in second track portions (TP.sub.2) of the tracks. In order to enable a reproduction of the video signal and the additional audio signal in a later reproduction step, the program information contained packets (P.sub.0 ') recorded in the first track portions are such that the program information indicates that the first packets and at least the second packets belong together.

Recording/reproducing apparatus for storing a digital information signal

A recording apparatus, for recording an information signal in at least one track on a record carrier. The information signal comprises packets (P.sub.i) that may occur irregularly as a function of time in the serial datastream of the information signal. The apparatus comprises an input terminal for receiving the information signal, a channel encoding unit for channel encoding the information signal into a channel encoded information signal and a writing unit for writing the channel encoded information signal in said at least one track on the record carrier. The channel encoded information signal comprises frames of information. A frame of information may be recorded in a group of n subsequent tracks (Tr0 to Tr11), when the recording apparatus is a recording apparatus of the helical scan type, where n is an integer larger than 1. The apparatus further comprises a time stamp generator unit for generating time stamps (TS.sub.i) having a relation to the moment of occurrence of a packet comprised in the information signal received. Further, a combining unit is present for combining a packet and its corresponding time stamp so as to obtain a composite packet (P.sub.i '). The time stamp generator unit comprises a counter for generating subsequent cycles of subsequent count values, said cycles coinciding in time with the recording of subsequent frames in said at least one track on the record carrier. In response to the detection of the occurrence of a packet in said information signal, a time stamp for said packet is generated, which time stamp has a specified relationship to the count value of said counter means at said moment of occurrence of said packet.

Apparatus for recording and reproducing an information signal comprising

A data bus system has a number of stations which are interconnected via a bus. The bus has a limited data transmission capacity available. From a transmitter station a resource control station reads which part of the available transmission capacity is required for the relevant transmitter. The resource control station allocates the required transmission capacity to the relevant transmitter station if adequate transmission capacity is available. Only if adequate transmission capacity is available is transmission by the relevant transmitter station enabled.

A recording arrangement for recording trick mode information in portions of tracks includes at least two recording heads (A, B). Trick mode information recorded in the portions in the tracks enable a trick mode during reproduction in a reproducing arrangement having reading heads (50) for reading the trick mode information from the tracks, the reading heads including at least a first and a second reading head (A,B) located at the circumference of a head drum, and where the transport speed of the record carrier (40) in the said trick mode being n times the nominal transport velocity during normal play reproduction where n is an integer and comprises a divisor number p larger than 1. The trick mode information is recorded in such a way that in a group of 2p tracks (T.sub.2 to T.sub.7) the trick mode information is recorded in a portion of a first (T.sub.2), second (T.sub.3) and a third track (T.sub.5) in said group of 2p tracks, the first and second tracks (T.sub.2,T.sub.3) being neighboring tracks, the trick mode information stored in the portion (P.sub.1) of the first track (T.sub.2) being different from the trick mode information stored in the portion (P.sub.2) of the second track (T.sub.3), the trick mode information stored in the portion (P.sub.3) of the third track (T.sub.5) being equal to at least part of the trick mode information which is stored in the portion (P.sub.2) of one of the first and second tracks (T.sub.3).

An apparatus of the helical scan type for reproducing a digital video signal from slant tracks (T) on a record carrier, the digital video signal having been recorded in first track portions (TP1) of the tracks. In an edit mode, the digital video signal is reproduced from the first track portions and a corresponding digital audio signal is recorded in second track portions (TP2) of the tracks. The apparatus includes at least one read head (RH) for reading the digital video signal recorded in the first track portions of the tracks and at least one write head (WH) for writing the second channel signal in the second track portions. The read head (RH) and the write head (WH) are positioned on a rotatable head drum at such a location relative to each other that when the read head reads the digital video signal from a first track portion of a first track (T.sub.i+24), the write head writes the second channel signal in a second track portion in a second track (T.sub.i), the second track being spaced a specified number (24) of tracks away from the first track.

Recording/reproducing apparatus of the helical scan type

MPEG2-based transmission systems transmit a large number of digital television programs in a single physical channel. Disclosed herein is a 'Channel Navigation System' which allows a user to get an overview of the digital programs provided, and to easily select a desired program. The method of the invention includes the transmission (in a separate program of a transport stream) of a video stream representing a mosaic picture, the sub-pictures of which are miniature versions of the video stream of other programs in that transport stream. The method further includes the transmission of information which links the position of each sub-picture within the mosaic picture with the program number from which the sub-picture is derived. The user selects a desired program by merely `pointing and clicking` its miniature version in the mosaic picture.

Arrangement and method for transmitting and receiving mosaic video

A method of transmitting timing critical data via an asynchronous channel without changing any datum to be transmitted. The timing critical data can be an MPEG transport stream. The asynchronous channel can be a computer or telephone network, a digital storage media such as a digital VCR, or a digital interface. The method involves tagging each transmission unit of the data stream, before inputting to the channel, with timing information, and using the timing information at the output end of the channel to recreate the proper data timing, Various schemes are described for packing the timing information tags with each or a plurality of transmission units.

Recording and reproducing an MPEG information signal using tagged timing

The invention proposes a testing method and associated arrangement for electronic circuitry that combines functional components that are interconnected by handshake channels. Various of such channels are now provided with an inbreaking junction and an outbreaking switch as a test component pair. The junction has two passive ports and one active port. The switch has one passive port and two active ports that are selected through a passive control port. In this way inbreaking into and outbreaking from the channel is rendered feasible. Now inbreaking is done on a first channel, and outbreaking on a second channel, so that thereby all components are tested that lie between the first channel's junction and the second channel's switch.

Method for testing an integrated circuitry and an integrated circuit

During recording of an MPEG information signal on a record carrier (40), transport packets (P.sub.k) are stored in signal blocks in a track (1) on the record carrier (40). x transport packets of the MPEG information signal are stored in the second block sections (SB) of y signal blocks, where x and y are integers, x.gtoreq.1 and y&gt;1, more specifically, y&gt;x. Further, third block sections (TB) are present in one or more of the second block sections in the y signal blocks of a group for storing additional information, which additional information relates to the specific application of recording and reproducing the MPEG information signal on/from the record carrier.

Recording and reproducing an MPEG information signal on/from a record

A write-acknowledge circuit includes a write detector and a bistable element. The write detector has two write inputs, two complementary inputs and an acknowledge output, and is constituted by only two transistors which are connected in series. The complementary inputs are the control inputs of the two transistors and the acknowledge output is output from their common connection point. The write inputs are respectively coupled to the two remaining terminals of the two transistors and also to the two respective inputs of the bistable element. The complementary inputs are coupled crosswise to the outputs of the bistable element. The write signals represent a 1-bit variable encoded according to the Double-Rail Encoding method. Four-phase handshake signalling is used for the write signals. The acknowledge output is activated by the complementary inputs to the write detector in response to a write signal on either of the two write inputs, the acknowledge signal denoting that the write signal has been processed by the write-acknowledge circuit and so can be permitted to return to a rest value.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Ronald W Saeijs