1. An information recording apparatus for encoding video information and audio information to system stream and recording the system stream to a recording medium,
the system stream being allowed to have a first format (TS),
the information recording apparatus comprising:
a first encoding section operable to encode video information and audio information in a predetermined encoding manner according to the first format (TS) to generate a video elementary stream and an audio elementary stream;
a second encoding section operable to perform system-encoding by multiplexing the video elementary stream and the audio elementary stream to generate the system stream according to the first format (TS); and
a control section operable to control the first encoding section and the second encoding section, wherein
the first format (TS) has a packet structure segmented in first packets,
a second format (PS) has a pack structure segmented in packs,
the pack is larger than the first packet in size,
the first format (TS) is allowed to have a constrained format used for converting the system stream from the first format (TS) to the second format (PS),
the control section controls the first and second encoding sections so that each encoding is done according to the constrained format,
the first packet stores segmented data of a second packet,
the second packet stores video information or audio information, the second packet storing the audio information including at least one audio frame, and
according to the constrained format constraint rules are defined, the constraint rules are that
a predetermined number of the first packets storing either the video information or the audio information is grouped and managed as a multiplexing unit in the system stream,
a total data size of the first packets in the multiplexing unit is equal to or smaller than a data size of the pack,
the multiplexing unit is a processing unit to convert the first format (TS) to the second format (PS),
continuous complete data block units are included in continuous reference presentation time for video information and audio information, and contain a plurality of the multiplexing units,
the continuous reference presentation time includes at least one data block unit,
encode information that indicates a presentation of the video information including continuous complete data block units always starts at a top field and ends at a bottom field in display order is included in management information for managing data stored in the recording medium, and
a first one of complete audio frames in the multiplexing unit including only the audio information is always regarded as a first one of audio frames in a payload of the second packet, wherein the first format is MPEG-TS, the second format is MPEG-PS and the second packet is a PES packet.
2. An information recording method including encoding video information and audio information to system stream and recording the system stream to a recording medium,
the system stream being allowed to have a first format (TS),
the first format (TS) being allowed to have a constrained format used for converting the system stream from the first format (TS) to a second format (PS),
the information recording method comprising:
encoding video information and audio information in a predetermined encoding manner according to the first format (TS) to generate a video elementary stream and an audio elementary stream; and
performing system-encoding by multiplexing the video elementary stream and the audio elementary stream to generate the system stream according to the first format (TS), wherein
the first format (TS) has a packet structure segmented in first packets,
the second format (PS) has a pack structure segmented in packs,
the pack is larger than the first packet in size,
the first packet stores segmented data of a second packet,
the second packet stores video information or audio information, the second packet storing the audio information including at least one audio frame,
according to the constrained format constraint rules are defined, the constraint rules are that
a predetermined number of the first packets storing either the video information or the audio information is grouped and managed as a multiplexing unit in the system stream,
a total data size of the first packets in the multiplexing unit is equal to or smaller than a data size of the pack,
the multiplexing unit is a processing unit to convert the first format (TS) to the second format (PS),
continuous complete data block units are included in continuous reference presentation time for video information and audio information, and contain a plurality of the multiplexing units,
the continuous reference presentation time includes at least one data block unit,
encode information that indicates a presentation of the video information including continuous complete data block units always starts at a top field and ends at a bottom field in display order is included in management information for managing data stored in the recording medium, and
a first one of complete audio frames in the multiplexing unit including only the audio information is always regarded as a first one of audio frames in a payload of the second packet, wherein the first format is MPEG-TS, the second format is MPEG-PS and the second packet is a PES packet.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a user device, a bootstrap message from a high level device;
obtaining, by the user device, system data from a system address contained in the received bootstrap message;
determining, by the user device, a service group in which the user device is deployed;
determining, by the user device from the obtained system data, a sub-system address corresponding to the determined service group; and
obtaining, by the user device, sub-system data from the sub-system address.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises the user device scanning a Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) spectrum of the high level device for the bootstrap message.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving at the user device comprising a set-top box.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the system data comprises the user device joining a multicast group.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the system data comprises obtaining the system data from a controller.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the system data comprises obtaining the system data from a controller comprising a Digital Network Control System (DNCS).
7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the system data comprises obtaining the system data comprising a file correlating service group IDs to bridge IDs.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the service group comprises determining the service group comprising a logical entity that segments a population of user devices into groups that share a same low level device
9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the service group comprises determining the service group comprising a logical entity that segments a population of user devices into groups that share a same low level device comprising a video on-demand (VOD) QAM device.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the sub-system address corresponding to the determined service group comprising querying the obtained system data with the determined service group to find the sub-system address comprising a multicast group from which the sub-system data is obtained.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the sub-system data comprises obtaining the sub-system data comprising command data.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the sub-system data comprises obtaining the sub-system data comprising command data comprising at least one of the following: a program guide; a channel line-up; and an updated code image.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the high level device, the bootstrap message including the system address.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting comprises continuously inserting the bootstrap message into at least one output of the high level device.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting, by the high level device, comprises transmitting, by the high level device comprising a broadcast (QAM) device.
16. A method comprising:
receiving, by a low level device, a descriptor message from a controller, the descriptor message including a sub-system address;
transmitting, by the low level device, the descriptor message including the sub-system address;
receiving, at a user device, the descriptor message from the low level device; and
obtaining, by the user device, sub-system data from the sub-system address.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving comprises receiving the descriptor message corresponding to a service group associated with the low level device.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting comprises transmitting by the low level device comprising a video on-demand (VOD) quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) device.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving, at the user device, comprises receiving, at the user device comprising a set-top box (STB) deployed in a service group corresponding to the low level device.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein obtaining the sub-system data comprises obtaining the sub-system data comprising command data.
21. An apparatus comprising:
a memory storage; and
a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:
receive a bootstrap message;
obtain system data from a system address contained in the received bootstrap message;
determine a service group in which the apparatus is deployed;
determine, from the obtained system data, a sub-system address corresponding to the determined service group; and
obtain, by the user device, sub-system data from the sub-system address.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing unit being operative to receive comprises the processing unit being operative to scan a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) spectrum of a high level device for the bootstrap message.
23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing unit being operative to obtain the system data comprises the processing unit being operative to join a multicast group.
24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing unit being operative to obtain the sub-system data comprises the processing unit being operative to obtain the sub-system data comprising command data.
25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing unit being operative to obtain the sub-system data comprises the processing unit being operative to obtain the sub-system data comprising command data comprising at least one of the following: a program guide; a channel line-up; and an updated code image.