Bandwidth efficient communication of user data in digital television data stream

(i9) United States (12) Reissued Patent

Nuber et al.

(54) BANDWIDTH EFFICIENT

COMMUNICATION OF USER DATA IN
DIGITAL TELEVISION DATA STREAM

(75) Inventors: Ray Nuber, Rancho Palos Verdi; Paul Moroney, Olivehain; Chris Hoogenboom, Oxnard, all ol CA (US)

(73) Assignee: General Instrument Corporation,

Horsham, PA (US)

(21) Appl. No.: 09/464,249

(22) Filed: Dec. 16, 1999

Related U.S. Patent Documents

Reissue ol:

(64) Patent No.: 5,699,124

Issued: Dec. 16, 1997

Appl. No.: 08/495,369
Filed: Jun. 28, 1995

(51) Int. CI.7 H04N 7/025; H04N 7/087

(52) U.S. CI 348/465; 348/467; 348/478;

375/240.26

(58) Field of Search 348/465, 467,

348/468, 461, 478, 426.1, 432.1, 427.1; 375/240.26, 242.27; 380/210, 212

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,289,276 A * 2/1994 Siracusa et al 348/467

5,400,401 A * 3/1995 Wasilewski et al 380/9

5,517,250 A 5/1996 Hoogenboom et al.

5,519,780 A * 5/1996 Woo et al 380/49

5,526,427 A * 6/1996 Thomas et al 380/20

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"MPEG-2/DCII Video Decompression Processor," Preliminary Data Sheet, Motorola Microprocessor and Memory Technologies Group, MC68VDP, Motorola, 1994.

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—-Victor R. Kostak

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Barry R. Lipsitz

(57) ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are provided lor communicating VBI user information for digital television. A syntax is provided which allows the transport ol closed captions, non-realtime video, sampled video and AMOL. Nonrealtime video can be used to transport various types ol data, such as a vertical interval test signal (VITS) through the system at lull resolution. The provision in the syntax ol a count lor each type ol VBI user information enables the adjustment ol a digital television data stream to accommodate variable amounts and types ol such information without space being reserved in advance. The provision ol a priority number in the syntax enables decoders to discard VBI user information priorities which are not supported by the particular decoder.

46 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets