Method and system for devices efficiently sharing information regarding the content of a digital television bit-stream

Abstract

A method and system for efficiently allowing a controller device to receive information from a tuner device regarding the content of a digital television bit-stream. The present invention first receives a digital television bit-stream at a tuner device. The digital television bit-stream comprises video, audio, and data information, as well as tables that describe the content of the bit-stream. Next, to obtain a table, a controller device sets a value specifying a desired table in an attribute field of a command. Next, the controller sets at least one flag in a flag field of the command. The setting of the flag indicates the table which is being requested. Additionally, because a single attribute field may hold different types of information, the flags indicate which type of information is in the attribute field for this issuance of the command. The controller, then issues the command to the tuner, which determines what table is being requested, based upon the flags set. The tuner then returns that table to the controller.

1 . A method of providing information related to a digital media bit-stream, said method comprising:
 accessing a command requesting data associated with a first table from said digital media bit-stream, said command comprising:
 an attribute field associated with a plurality of attributes, wherein a first attribute of said plurality of attributes is associated with said first table, and wherein a second attribute of said plurality of attributes is associated with a second table; and 
 a flag field operable to assign said first attribute to said attribute field, said flag field further operable to associate said first attribute field with said first table; 
   accessing said data associated with said first table from said digital media bit-stream, wherein said data comprises information associated with said first attribute; and   communicating said data to a device issuing said command.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 executing said command; and   in response to an execution of said command, accessing said data associated with said first table from said digital media bit-stream.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first table is associated with information selected from a group consisting of system information and event information. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first table is selected from a group consisting of a rating region table, an event information table, and an extended text table. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first table is selected from a group consisting of a system time table, master guide table, terrestrial version channel table, and a cable version channel table. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said command comprises a direct select data command. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said command further comprises a second attribute field associated with a third attribute and a fourth attribute, wherein said flag field is further operable to assign said third attribute to said second attribute field, and wherein said flag field is further operable to associate said third attribute field with said first table. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first attribute is selected from a group consisting of a most significant bit, a second most significant bit, a third most significant bit, and a least significant bit. 
   
   
       9 . A data structure for identifying requested information from a digital media bit-stream, said data structure comprising:
 an attribute field associated with a plurality of attributes, wherein a first attribute of said plurality of attributes is associated with said first table, and wherein a second attribute of said plurality of attributes is associated with a second table; and   a flag field operable to assign said first attribute to said attribute field, said flag field further operable to associate said first attribute field with said first table; and   wherein said attribute field and said flag field are for requesting data from said digital media bit-stream associated with said first table.   
   
   
       10 . The data structure of  claim 9 , wherein said attribute field and said flag field further comprise executable information for accessing said data associated with said first table from said digital media bit-stream. 
   
   
       11 . The data structure of  claim 9 , wherein said first table is associated with information selected from a group consisting of system information and event information. 
   
   
       12 . The data structure of  claim 9 , wherein said first table is selected from a group consisting of a rating region table, an event information table, and an extended text table. 
   
   
       13 . The data structure of  claim 9 , wherein said first table is selected from a group consisting of a system time table, master guide table, terrestrial version channel table, and a cable version channel table. 
   
   
       14 . The data structure of  claim 9 , wherein said attribute field and said flag field comprise a direct select data command. 
   
   
       15 . The data structure of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a second attribute field associated with a third attribute and a fourth attribute; and   wherein said flag field is further operable to assign said third attribute to said second attribute field, and wherein said flag field is further operable to associate said third attribute field with said first table.   
   
   
       16 . The data structure of  claim 9 , wherein said first attribute is selected from a group consisting of a most significant bit, a second most significant bit, a third most significant bit, and a least significant bit. 
   
   
       17 . A system comprising:
 a first device operable to access a digital media bit-stream;   a second device coupled to said first device, said second device for generating a command requesting data associated with a first table from said digital media bit-stream, said command comprising:
 an attribute field associated with a plurality of attributes, wherein a first attribute of said plurality of attributes is associated with said first table, and wherein a second attribute of said plurality of attributes is associated with a second table; and 
 a flag field operable to assign said first attribute to said attribute field, said flag field further operable to associate said first attribute field with said first table; and 
   wherein said first device, in response to accessing said command, is operable to access said data associated with said first table from said digital media bit-stream, wherein said data comprises information associated with said first attribute, and wherein said first device is further operable to communicate said data to said second device.   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said first device comprises a tuner operable to receive and decode a digital television signal. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said second device comprises a controller for issuing commands to said first device, and wherein said second device is further operable to process information received from said first device. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said first device is further operable to execute said command, and wherein said first device, in response to an execution of said command, is further operable to access said data associated with said first table from said digital media bit-stream. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said first table is associated with information selected from a group consisting of system information and event information. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said first table is selected from a group consisting of a rating region table, an event information table, an extended text table, a system time table, master guide table, terrestrial version channel table, and a cable version channel table. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said command further comprises a second attribute field associated with a third attribute and a fourth attribute, wherein said flag field is further operable to assign said third attribute to said second attribute field, and wherein said flag field is further operable to associate said third attribute field with said first table. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said first attribute is selected from a group consisting of a most significant bit, a second most significant bit, a third most significant bit, and a least significant bit.