In a network transporting data streams containing data of different content types, it may be desirable to examine a data stream to determine if content modifications are necessary to ensure compatibility with receiver capability, downstream transmission capacity, or any other constraints. Content modifications may also be desirable to enhance network throughput by employing data transcoding to change encoding methods or trans-rating to change encoding rates. In addition to content inspection and potential modifications, other content-management features may include personalization of communicated data and providing useful information to a receiver regarding data content or even conditions of a communications path.
The content types may include video signals, audio signals, still images, animation, or text. Modifications applicable to different content types may be based on different criteria. Furthermore, modifications applied to a single content type may be based on multiple interrelated conditions rendering the process of content management a challenging task. There is a need, therefore, for an apparatus for efficiently handling content management and facilitating real-time, virtually instantaneous, content examination and, where needed, content modifications.