A method and apparatus for managing error/status information generated in the demultiplexing, processing, and handling of data packets from a video transport stream. Error/status information is organized into control fields of error/status packets. The error/status packets are sent to dedicated error/status buffers of bulk system memory where they can be accessed by a system processor during the reconfiguration and decoding of video programming.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/093,646, filed Mar. 8, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,408, and entitled "ERROR/STATUS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT," and which is incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.
A network interface connectable to a packet-based data network on which a plurality of different types of payload data are distinguished by network-based packet header data; comprises: a plurality of data handling nodes; and a routing arrangement responsive to a packet identifier for routing data packets between the data handling nodes; in which: one of the data handling nodes is a network processor for receiving data packets from and transmitting data packets to the packet-based network; the network processor being operable: a) in the case of a data packet received from the data network, to detect the type of payload data from the network-based packet header data; to remove the network-based packet header data from the packet; and to associate with the packet an identifier which specifies a route across the routing arrangement to a target data handling node and a data handling operation to be carried out by the target data handling node; and b) in the case of a data packet received from another data handling node and having an associated packet identifier, to detect the type of payload data from the packet identifier; to remove the packet identifier; to apply network-based packet header data in dependence on the packet identifier; and to launch the data packet onto the network.
