Author: claimsbot

1. A cooling material which comprises particles that are arranged for generation of surface plasmon resonances having a wavelength or wavelength range within an atmospheric window wavelength range in which the atmosphere of the earth has a greatly reduced average absorption and emission compared with the average absorption and emission in an adjacent wavelength range, whereby the cooling material is arranged for emission of thermal radiation associated with the generated surface plasmon resonances and absorption of radiation originating from the atmosphere is greatly reduced.
2. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the atmospheric window wavelength range includes a minimum of the average absorption of the atmosphere of the earth.
3. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles are arranged so that at least some of the resonant surface plasmons have a wavelength within the wavelength range from 3-5 \u03bcm andor 7.9-13 \u03bcm.
4. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles are arranged so that the majority of the resonant surface plasmons have a wavelength within the wavelength range from 3-5 \u03bcm andor 7.9-13 \u03bcm.
5. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the cooling material is arranged to reflect at least some incident radiation.
6. The cooling material of claim 1 comprising a layer or foil that comprises a component material that is substantially transmissive for a wavelength range inside and outside the atmospheric window wavelength range.
7. The cooling material of claim 6 wherein the layer or foil comprises a polymeric material.
8. The cooling material of claim 7 wherein the particles are embedded in the polymeric material.
9. The cooling material of claim 7 wherein the particles are positioned adjacent the polymeric material.
10. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles have a size that is selected so that the particles have resonant enhancement of surface plasmon absorption within the atmospheric window wavelength range.
11. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles have a shape that is selected so that the particles have resonant enhancement of surface plasmon absorption within the atmospheric window wavelength range.
12. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles have a diameter within the range of 10-100 nm.
13. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles have a diameter of approximately 50 nm.
14. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles have a diameter of less than 50 nm.
15. The cooling material of claim 1 wherein the particles comprise SiC.
16. A method of cooling a material, the cooling material comprising particles, the method comprising:
generating surface plasmons in the particles, the surface plasmons having a resonant enhancement at a wavelength or wavelength range within an atmospheric window wavelength range in which the atmosphere of the earth has low or negligible average absorption and emission compared with the average absorption and emission in an adjacent wavelength range; and
emitting at least a portion of the energy associated with the resonant surface plasmons from the particles in form of radiation having a wavelength within the atmospheric window wavelength range.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the atmospheric window wavelength range includes a minimum of the average absorption of the atmosphere of the earth.
18. The cooling material of claim 16 wherein the particles are arranged so that at least some of the resonant surface plasmons have a wavelength within the wavelength range from 3-5 \u03bcm andor 7.9-13 \u03bcm.
19. The cooling material of claim 16 wherein the particles are arranged so that the majority of the resonant surface plasmons have a wavelength within the wavelength range from 3-5 \u03bcm andor 7.9-13 \u03bcm.
20. The method of claim 16 also comprising the step of reflecting radiation having a wavelength within andor outside the atmospheric window wavelength range.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A light source comprising:
a) a passively Q-switched laser for delivering a pulsed primary beam at a primary wavelength;
b) a fiber amplifier for receiving said primary beam and amplifying said primary beam to produce a pulsed intermediate beam of intermediate pulses at said primary wavelength, said intermediate pulses having a format calibrated for a predetermined frequency conversion efficiency; and
C) a nonlinear element for frequency converting said pulsed intermediate beam in a single pass at said predetermined frequency conversion efficiency to produce a pulsed output beam at an output wavelength.
2. The light source of claim 1, wherein said primary wavelength ranges from 860 nm to 1100 nm.
3. The light source of claim 1, wherein said output wavelength ranges from 430 nm to 550 nm.
4. The light source of claim 1, wherein said fiber amplifier is a cladding-pumped amplifier.
5. The light source of claim 4, wherein said cladding-pumped amplifier has a predetermined core section and a predetermined cladding section.
6. The light source of claim 4, wherein said cladding-pumped amplifier has a length of less than 2 m.
7. The light source of claim 1, wherein said passively Q-switched laser comprises a saturable absorber Q-switch.
8. The light source of claim 7, wherein said saturable absorber Q-switch is set such that said pulsed primary beam comprises primary pulses with a duty cycle ranging from 0.01% to 1%.
9. The light source of claim 7, wherein said saturable absorber Q-switch is set such that said pulsed primary beam comprises primary pulses having a pulse width and having an interpulse separation of at least 100 times said pulse width.
10. The light source of claim 7, wherein said saturable absorber Q-switch is set to operate said passively Q-switched laser at a primary pulse repetition rate of at least 100 kHz.
11. The light source of claim 1, wherein said nonlinear element comprises at least one nonlinear optical crystal.
12. The light source of claim 11, wherein said at least one nonlinear optical crystal comprises a borate.
13. The light source of claim 12, wherein said borate is selected from the group consisting of LBO and BBO.
14. The light source of claim 1, wherein said predetermined conversion efficiency is at least 10%.
15. The light source of claim 14, wherein said predetermined conversion efficiency is about 50%.
16. A display system having a light source comprising:
a) a passively Q-switched laser for delivering a pulsed primary beam at a primary wavelength;
b) a fiber amplifier for receiving said primary beam and amplifying said primary beam to produce a pulsed intermediate beam with intermediate pulses at said primary wavelength said intermediate pulses having a format corresponding to a predetermined frequency conversion efficiency; and
c) a nonlinear element for frequency converting said pulsed intermediate beam in a single pass at said predetermined conversion efficiency to produce a pulsed output beam at an output wavelength.
17. The display system of claim 16, further comprising:
a) a plurality of display pixels being refreshed at a refresh rate;
b) a synchronizing mechanism for synchronizing output pulses of said pulsed output beam with said refresh rate.
18. The display system of claim 17, wherein said synchronizing mechanism synchronizes said pulses at an integer multiple of said refresh rate.
19. The display system of claim 16, wherein said primary wavelength ranges from 860 nm to 1100 nm.
20. The display system of claim 16, wherein said output wavelength ranges from 430 nm to 550 nm.
21. The display system of claim 16, wherein said fiber amplifier is a cladding-pumped amplifier.
22. The display system of claim 21, wherein said cladding-pumped amplifier has a predetermined core section and a predetermined cladding section.
23. The display system of claim 21, wherein said cladding-pumped amplifier has a length of less than 2 m.
24. The display system of claim 16, wherein said passively Q-switched laser comprises a saturable absorber Q-switch.
25. The display system of claim 24, wherein said saturable absorber Q-switch is set such that said pulsed primary beam comprises primary pulses with a duty cycle ranging from 0.01% to 1%.
26. The display system of claim 24, wherein said saturable absorber Q-switch is set such that said pulsed primary beam comprises primary pulses having a pulse width and an interpulse separation of at least 100 times said pulse width.
27. The display system of claim 24, wherein said saturable absorber Q-switch is set to operate said passively Q-switched laser at a primary pulse repetition rate of at least 100 kHz.
28. The display system of claim 16, wherein said nonlinear element comprises at least one nonlinear optical crystal.
29. The display system of claim 28, wherein said at least one nonlinear optical crystal comprises a borate.
30. The display system of claim 29, wherein said borate is selected from the group consisting of LBO and BBO.
31. The display system of claim 16, wherein said predetermined conversion efficiency is at least 10%.
32. The display system of claim 31, wherein said predetermined conversion efficiency is about 50%.

1. A method for manufacturing a foam panel comprising the steps of:
leading a first facing from a first facing supply to a foam lay down area;
laying liquid foam reactants on the first facing;
leading a second facing from a second facing supply over the liquid foam reactants;
allowing the foam to expand between the facings to form a foam panel;
removing at least one of the facings from the foam; and
applying a coating to one or both faces of the foam from which the facing(s) has (have) been removed.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coating is applied in-line.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the coating is applied in a liquid form, preferably the coating is a paint.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the paint contains non-gas permeable flake-like particles or platelets such as metal or glass flakes, preferably aluminium flakes, and nanocomposites.
5. A method as claimed in 4 wherein the paint is a leafing or non-leafing paint.
6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the coating is of low gas permeability, especially to CO2, O2, N2 andor H2O.
7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the coating is applied by any one or more of the following:
a calendering roll;
passing the panel with the facing(s) removed, through a curtain of the coating material;
spray coating; or applied
electrostatically.
8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including the step, after applying the coating, of curing the coating on the foam, preferably the curing is carried out in-line, preferably by heating andor by application of radiation, preferably by localised application of heat andor radiation, most preferably the coating is cured in an oven.
9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the method includes the step after coating, of passing the coated panels through an accumulator.
10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including the step, before or after coating, of turning the panel to lie on an edge thereof.
11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including the step, after coating of cutting the panel to a desired length.
12. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11 including the step, after at least partial curing of the coating, of cutting the panel to a desired length.
13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein both facings are removed from the foam, preferably one or both facings isare peeled from the foam and coiled onto a take-off reel for re-use either as the first or second facing supply.
14. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein an upper facing is coiled onto an upper facing recycle coil to provide a facing supply for the second facing, and a lower facing is coiled onto a lower facing recycle coil to provide a facing supply for the first facing, preferably the upper facing recycle coil is delivered to a second facing feeding station, and the lower facing recycle coil is delivered to a first facing feeding station.
15. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first andor second facings are removed from the foam core after at least partial curing of the foam core.
16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first andor second facings are removed from the core in advance of cutting of the foam to a desired length.
17. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein release means is provided between the inner face of the first andor second facing and the foam core, preferably the release means is provided on the inner face of the first andor second facing.
18. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first facing is selected from:
polyolefin films (such as polypropylene, high or medium density polyethylene, low or linear low density, polyethylene), poly halogenated polyolefins (such as polytetrafluoro ethylene), waxed paper and waxed plastic films, other suitably treated paper, plastic, metal foil or glass films and facings and combinations thereof such that the facing can be continuously removed from the foam without significant damage to either facing or foam during or just following the production process.
19. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the second facing is selected from:
polyolefin films (such as polypropylene, high or medium density polyethylene, low or linear low density polyethylene), poly halogenated polyolefins (such as polytetrafluoro ethylene), waxed paper and waxed plastic films, other suitably treated paper, plastic, metal foil or glass films and facings and combinations thereof such that the facing can be continuously removed from the foam without significant damage to either facing or foam during or just following the production process.
20. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the foam is selected from polyurethane, polyisocyanurate and phenolic, preferably having significant cellular structure for use in thermal andor acoustic insulation applications.
21. A foam panel manufactured by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20 wherein one face is free from a facing.
22. A foam panel manufactured by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20 wherein both faces are free from a facing.
23. A foam panel manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
leading a first facing from a first facing supply to a foam lay down area;
laying liquid foam reactants on the first facing;
leading a second facing from a second facing supply over the liquid foam reactants;
allowing the foam to expand between the facings to form a foam panel;
removing one of the facings from the foam; and
applying a coating to the face of the foam from which the facing has been removed.
24. A foam panel manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
leading a first facing from a first facing supply to a foam lay down area;
laying liquid foam reactants on the first facing;
leading a second facing from a second facing supply over the liquid foam reactants;
allowing the foam to expand between the facings to form a foam panel;
removing both facings from the foam; and
applying a coating to both faces of the foam from which the facings have been removed.
25. A foam panel as claimed in any of claims 21 to 24 wherein at least one of the faces of the panel from which the facing has been removed is coated with a coating material, preferably paint.
26. A foam panel comprising a foam core having a first face and a second face, at least one of the faces having a coating applied thereto.
27. An underfloor insulation panel comprising a foam core having a first face and a second face, at least one of the faces having a coating applied thereto.
28. An insulation liner panel comprising a foam core having a first face and a second face, at least one of the faces having a coating applied thereto.
29. A panel as claimed in any of claims 26 to 28 wherein the coating is a paint.
30. A foam panel as claimed in any of claims 26 to 29 wherein the foam core is of polyurethane, polyisocyanurate or phenolic material.

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 for transmitting a program bearing systems layer signal comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of the program, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) maintaining a dynamically updated model that relates an ES bit rate of the elementary stream in the system layer segments of the plurality to a SYS bit rate of ones of the systems layer segments of the systems layer stream,
(b) generating a first target value related to a target for one of the ES or SYS bit rates,
(c) generating from the model and first target value, a second target value related to a target for the other of the ES and SYS bit rates, and
(d) controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit the elementary stream and systems layer segments at bit rates corresponding to the first and second target values.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of repeating steps (b)-(d) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
(e) determining a third value representing the actual bit rate of the elementary stream, and a fourth value representing the actual bit rate of ones of the systems layer segments, produced as a result of the step of controlling, and
(f) updating the model according to the third and fourth values.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of repeating steps (b)-(f) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the systems layer signal includes a transport stream and wherein the plurality of sequential system layer segments comprises a sequence of transport packets.
6. A method for transmitting a program bearing systems layer signal comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of the program, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the program carried in the transport stream comprising at least a first elementary stream and a second elementary stream that is different from the first elementary stream, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) generating a first target value representing a target for an aggregate bit rate of at least first ones of the systems layer segments in the transport stream comprising segments of the first elementary stream of the program, and of at least second ones of the systems layer segments in the systems signal comprising segments of the second elementary stream of the program,
(b) allocating a portion of the first target value to the first ones of the systems layer segments that comprise segments of the first elementary stream of the program,
(c) maintaining at least a first dynamically updated model that relates an ES bit rate of the first elementary stream of the program, to a SYS bit rate of at least the first ones of the systems layer segments that comprise segments of the first elementary stream,
(d) generating, from the portion of the first target value allocated to the first ones of the systems layer segments and the model, a second target value representing a target for the ES bit rate of the first elementary stream of the program, and
(e) controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit at least the first elementary stream at a bit rate corresponding to the second target value.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising repeating steps (a), (b), (d) and (e) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:
(f) determining a third value representing the actual bit rate of the first elementary stream, and a fourth value representing the actual bit rate of at least the first ones of the systems layer segments that comprise segments of the first elementary stream, of the sequential segments of systems layer information generated as a result of the step of controlling, and
(g) updating the model according to the third and fourth values.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising repeating steps (f) and (g) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein the systems layer signal includes a transport stream, wherein the plurality of sequential system layer segments comprises a sequence of transport packets, wherein the first elementary stream of the program must be delivered at a specific predefined schedule and wherein at least one of the elementary streams of the program represents a video or audio signal.
11. A method for transmitting a program bearing system layer signal comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of the program, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the program carried in the systems layer signal comprising a plurality of different elementary streams, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) maintaining a dynamically updated model that relates an ES bit rate, which is an aggregate bit rate of a plurality of the elementary streams of the program, to a SYS bit rate of at least ones of the systems layer segments in the systems layer signal comprising the plurality of elementary streams of the program,
(b) generating a first target value representing a target for the SYS bit rate,
(c) generating from the first target value and the model a second target value representing a target for the ES bit rate,
(d) allocating a portion of the second target value to each of the plurality of elementary streams, and
(e) controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit each of the plurality of elementary streams at a bit rate corresponding to a respective portion of the second target value allocated to the corresponding one of the elementary streams.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of repeating steps (b)-(e) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:
(f) determining a third value representing the actual aggregate bit rate of the plurality of the elementary streams of the program, and a fourth value representing the actual bit rate of the ones of the systems layer segments in the systems layer signal generated as a result of the step of controlling, and
(g) updating the model according to the third and fourth values.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of repeating steps (f) and (g) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein the systems layer signal includes a transport stream, wherein the plurality of sequential system layer segments comprises a sequence of transport packets, wherein the program signal includes at least one elementary stream which must be delivered at a specific predefined schedule and wherein at least one of the elementary streams represents a video or audio signal.
16. A method for transmitting a systems layer signal bearing at least a first program and a second program that is different from the first program, wherein the systems layer signal comprises a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of one of the first and second programs, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any of the elementary streams, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) generating a first target value representing a mux-wide target for an aggregate bit rate for segments of the systems layer signal bearing elementary stream data of the first program and systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the second program,
(b) allocating a portion of the first target value to the systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the first program,
(c) maintaining at least a first dynamically updated model that relates a SYS bit rate of the systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the first program, to an ES bit rate of the elementary stream data of the first program,
(d) generating, from the portion of the first target value allocated to the systems layer segments bearing the first program and the model, a second target value representing a target for an ES bit rate of one elementary stream of the first program, and
(e) controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit elementary stream data of the first program at a bit rate corresponding to the second target value.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first program has at least one particular elementary stream,
wherein the ES bit rate, to which the model relates the SYS bit rate, corresponds to the bit rate of only the one particular elementary stream of the first program,
wherein the step of generating the second target value comprises:
allocating a fraction of the portion of the first target value to only those systems layer segments bearing the one particular elementary stream of the first program, and
using the model, that relates the ES bit rate of only the one particular elementary stream to the SYS bit rate of the systems layer segments that carry it, and the allocated fraction of the first target value, to generate the second target value.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first program comprises a plurality of elementary streams,
wherein the ES bit rate, to which the model relates the SYS bit rate, corresponds to an aggregate ES bit rate of the plurality of elementary streams of the first program, and
wherein the step of generating the second target value comprises:
using the model, that relates the aggregate ES bit rate of the plurality of elementary streams of the first program to the SYS bit rate of the systems layer segments that carry them, and the first portion, to generate a third target value of the aggregate bit rate of the systems layer segments that carry the plurality of the elementary streams of the first program, and
allocating a fraction of the third target value as the second value.
19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of repeating steps (a), (b), (d) and (e) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:
(f) determining a third value representing the actual bit rate of the at least one elementary stream of the first program, and a fourth value representing the actual bit rate of the systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the first program, of the sequential segments of systems layer information generated as a result of the step of controlling, and
(g) updating the model according to the third and fourth values.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of repeating steps (f) and (g) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
22. The method of claim 16 wherein the systems layer signal includes a transport stream, wherein the plurality of sequential system layer segments comprises a sequence of transport packets, wherein the at least one elementary stream of the first program must be delivered at a specific predefined schedule and wherein at least one of the elementary streams of the first program represents a video or audio signal.
23. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
(f) maintaining at least a second model that relates a SYS bit rate of the systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the second program, to an ES bit rate of the elementary stream data of the second program,
(g) generating, from a portion of the first target value allocated to the systems layer segments bearing the second program and the second model, a third target value representing a target for an ES bit rate of one elementary stream of the second program, and
(h) controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit elementary stream data of the second program at a bit rate corresponding to the third target value.
24. A method for transmitting a systems layer signal bearing a plurality of programs comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of one of the programs, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) maintaining a dynamically updated model that relates a SYS bit rate of at least the systems layer segments comprising a plurality of elementary streams of a plurality of the programs, to an ES bit rate which is an aggregate bit rate of the plurality of elementary streams of the plurality of programs,
(b) generating a first target value representing a target for the SYS bit rate,
(c) generating, from the first target value and the model, a second target value representing a target for an aggregate bit rate of the plurality of elementary streams of the plurality of programs,
(d) allocating at least a first portion of the second target value to a plurality of the elementary streams of a particular one of the programs,
(e) allocating at least a second portion of the first portion of the second target value to a particular one of the plurality of the elementary streams of the particular one program, and
(f) controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit at least the particular one of the plurality of elementary streams of the particular one of the programs at a bit rate corresponding to the second portion of the first portion of the second target value.
25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of repeating steps (b)-(f) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
26. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:
(g) determining a third value representing the actual aggregate bit rate of the plurality of elementary streams of the plurality of programs, and a fourth value representing the actual bit rate of at least the systems layer segments comprising the plurality of elementary streams of the plurality of the programs, of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal generated as a result of the step of controlling, and
(h) updating the model according to the third and fourth values.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of repeating steps (g) and (h) during each of a plurality of successive time intervals.
28. The method of claim 24 wherein the systems layer signal includes a transport stream, wherein the plurality of sequential system layer segments comprises a sequence of transport packets, wherein the particular one of the plurality of elementary stream of the particular one of the plurality of programs must be delivered at a specific predefined schedule and wherein at least one of the elementary streams of the plurality of programs represents a video or audio signal.
29. A method for processing a digital program bearing systems layer signal comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a systems layer signal comprising sequentially disposed systems layer segments, each of at least some of the systems layer segments comprising a segment of an elementary stream and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, and
(b) for each of a plurality of successive time intervals:
(i) dynamically determining a first value that relates a bit rate of one or more elementary streams to a bit rate of particular ones of the systems layer segments containing the one or more elementary streams, and
(ii) varying the bit rate of the one or more elementary streams, or the particular systems layer segments, as a function of the determined first value.
30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of:
(c) measuring a second value that depends on the actual bit rate of the one or more elementary streams whose bit rate is varied during a particular one of the time intervals,
(d) measuring a third value that depends on the bit rate, during the same particular time interval, of the particular ones of the systems layer segments, containing the one or more elementary streams, and
(e) dynamically determining the first value as a function of the second and third values.
31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of:
(f) using an unknown parameter vector, modeling the relationship of the bit rate of at least one of the one or more elementary streams to the bit rate of system layer segments containing the corresponding at least one of the one or more elementary streams,
(g) using the second and third values to estimate the unknown parameter vector, and
(h) determining the first value from a function applied to the estimate of the parameter vector.
32. A system for transmitting a program bearing systems layer signal comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of the program, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the system comprising:
a rate controller for maintaining a dynamically updated model that relates an ES bit rate of the elementary stream in the system layer segments of the plurality to a SYS bit rate of ones of the systems layer segments of the systems layer stream, for generating a first target value related to a target for one of the ES or SYS bit rates, and for generating from the model and first target value, a second target value related to a target for the other of the ES and SYS bit rates, and
a rate shaper for controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit the elementary stream and systems layer segments at bit rates corresponding to the first and second target values.
33. A system for transmitting a program bearing systems layer signal comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of the program, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the program carried in the transport stream comprising at least a first elementary stream and a second elementary stream that is different from the first elementary stream, the system comprising:
a rate controller for generating a first target value representing a target for an aggregate bit rate of at least first ones of the systems layer segments in the transport stream comprising segments of the first elementary stream of the program, and of at least second ones of the systems layer segments in the systems signal comprising segments of the second elementary stream of the program, for allocating a portion of the first target value to the first ones of the systems layer segments that comprise segments of the first elementary stream of the program, for maintaining at least a first dynamically updated model that relates an ES bit rate of the first elementary stream of the program, to a SYS bit rate of at least the first ones of the systems layer segments that comprise segments of the first elementary stream, and for generating, from the portion of the first target value allocated to the first ones of the systems layer segments and the model, a second target value representing a target for the ES bit rate of the first elementary stream of the program, and
a rate shaper for controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit at least the first elementary stream at a bit rate corresponding to the second target value.
34. A system for transmitting a program bearing system layer signal comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of the program, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the program carried in the systems layer signal comprising a plurality of different elementary streams, the system comprising:
a rate controller for maintaining a dynamically updated model that relates an ES bit rate, which is an aggregate bit rate of a plurality of the elementary streams of the program, to a SYS bit rate of at least ones of the systems layer segments in the systems layer signal comprising the plurality of elementary streams of the program, for generating a first target value representing a target for the SYS bit rate, for generating from the first target value and the model a second target value representing a target for the ES bit rate, and for allocating a portion of the second target value to each of the plurality of elementary streams, and
a rate shaper for controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit each of the plurality of elementary streams at a bit rate corresponding to a respective portion of the second target value allocated to the corresponding one of the elementary streams.
35. A system for transmitting a systems layer signal bearing at least a first program and a second program that is different from the first program, wherein the systems layer signal comprises a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of one of the first and second programs, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any of the elementary streams, the system comprising:
a rate controller for generating a first target value representing a mux-wide target for an aggregate bit rate for segments of the systems layer signal bearing elementary stream data of the first program and systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the second program, for allocating a portion of the first target value to the systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the first program, for maintaining at least a first dynamically updated model that relates a SYS bit rate of the systems layer segments bearing elementary stream data of the first program, to an ES bit rate of the elementary stream data of the first program, and for generating, from the portion of the first target value allocated to the systems layer segments bearing the first program and the model, a second target value representing a target for an ES bit rate of one elementary stream of the first program, and
a rate shaper for controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit elementary stream data of the first program at a bit rate corresponding to the second target value.
36. A system for transmitting a systems layer signal bearing a plurality of programs comprising a plurality of sequential segments of systems layer information, each of at least some of the systems layer segments of the plurality comprising a segment of an elementary stream representing at least part of one of the programs, and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, the system comprising:
a rate controller for maintaining a dynamically updated model that relates a SYS bit rate of at least the systems layer segments comprising a plurality of elementary streams of a plurality of the programs, to an ES bit rate which is an aggregate bit rate of the plurality of elementary streams of the plurality of programs, for generating a first target value representing a target for the SYS bit rate, for generating, from the first target value and the model, a second target value representing a target for an aggregate bit rate of the plurality of elementary streams of the plurality of programs, for allocating at least a first portion of the second target value to a plurality of the elementary streams of a particular one of the programs, and for allocating at least a second portion of the first portion of the second target value to a particular one of the plurality of the elementary streams of the particular one program, and
a rate shaper for controlling the generation of the sequential segments of the systems layer signal in an attempt to transmit at least the particular one of the plurality of elementary streams of the particular one of the programs at a bit rate corresponding to the second portion of the first portion of the second target value.
37. A system for processing a digital program bearing systems layer signal comprising:
a rate shaper capable of receiving a systems layer signal comprising sequentially disposed systems layer segments, each of at least some of the systems layer segments comprising a segment of an elementary stream and a segment of information specific to the systems layer but not any elementary stream, and
a rate controller for, during each of a plurality of successive time intervals, dynamically determining a first value that relates a bit rate of one or more elementary streams to a bit rate of particular ones of the systems layer segments containing the one or more elementary streams,
wherein the rate shaper is also for, during each of a plurality of successive time intervals, varying the bit rate of the one or more elementary streams, or the particular systems layer segments, as a function of the determined first value.
38. A signal generated by the method of claim 1.
39. A receiver comprising an input capable of receiving the signal of claim 38.
40. A method comprising the step of receiving at a receiver input the signal of claim 38.
41. A signal generated by the method of claim 6.
42. A receiver comprising an input capable of receiving the signal of claim 41.
43. A method comprising the step of receiving at a receiver input the signal of claim 41.
44. A signal generated by the method of claim 11.
45. A receiver comprising an input capable of receiving the signal of claim 44.
46. A method comprising the step of receiving at a receiver input the signal of claim 44.
47. A signal generated by the method of claim 16.
48. A receiver comprising an input capable of receiving the signal of claim 47.
49. A method comprising the step of receiving at a receiver input the signal of claim 47.
50. A signal generated by the method of claim 24.
51. A receiver comprising an input capable of receiving the signal of claim 50.
52. A method comprising the step of receiving at a receiver input the signal of claim 50.
53. A signal generated by the method of claim 29.
54. A receiver comprising an input capable of receiving the signal of claim 53.
55. A method comprising the step of receiving at a receiver input the signal of claim 53.