Interactive video distribution systems – Video distribution system with upstream communication – Server or headend
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-28
2001-07-17
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Video distribution system with upstream communication
Server or headend
C725S067000, C725S068000, C725S070000, C725S132000, C725S140000, C725S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263506
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a data transmission and reception system, and more particularly a data transmission device, a data reception device, a data transmission and reception system, a data transmission method and a parameter setting method for a data reception device.
In accordance with the development of digital data transmission techniques, digital satellite broadcasting systems based on the picture compression technique known as MPEG2 is finding practical application.
FIG. 1
depicts the structure of an illustrative digital satellite broadcasting system based upon the MPEG2 picture compression technique convention. This illustrative digital satellite broadcasting system includes a satellite broadcasting station
210
having a broadcasting antenna
211
and a broadcasting satellite
220
for receiving broadcast signals sent from satellite broadcasting station
210
via broadcasting antenna
211
. Broadcasting satellite
220
is also configured for retransmission of the received broadcast signals to satellite broadcasting receivers
230
, which are installed in the premises of each service subscriber.
In the digital satellite broadcasting system depicted in
FIG. 1
, various programs furnished by the program purveyor are encoded by an MPEG encoder to form an MPEG transport stream (MPEG-TS). This MPEG-TS is then modulated for satellite broadcasting and is transmitted to broadcasting satellite
220
. Broadcasting satellite
220
then in turn transmits the received MPEG-TS to each satellite broadcasting receiver
230
on the premises of each service subscriber.
Satellite broadcasting receiver
230
acts as a reception terminal. Such a reception terminal, known as an integrated receiver and decoder (IRD) or a set top box (STB), is installed in the premises of each service subscriber. A television receiver
240
and a video tape recorder
250
are connected to satellite broadcasting receiver
230
.
FIG. 2
depicts a block diagram of satellite broadcasting receiver
230
of the illustrative digital satellite broadcasting system depicted in FIG.
1
. Satellite broadcasting receiver
230
includes a station selection unit (tuner)
231
, a demodulator
232
, a data decoder
233
, a descrambler
234
, an MPEG decoder
235
and a video outputting signal processor
236
.
During the operation of satellite broadcasting receiver
230
, the user selects a desired channel to be viewed by using station selection unit (tuner)
231
. The signals of the selected channel are demodulated to MPEG encoded digital signals by demodulator
232
. The MPEG encoded demodulated digital signals are supplied to data decoder
233
and to descrambler
234
.
Typically, the MPEG encoded digital signals are transmitted in scrambled form. Key decoding information for allowing descrambler
234
to descramble the MPEG encoded digital signal is furnished from the service purveyor to each subscriber on an IC card
237
or the like. Data decoder
233
furnishes the key decoding information supplied from IC card
237
to descrambler
234
for descrambling the MPEP encoded digital signal. Descrambler
234
then descrambles the signal, and outputs an unscrambled signal to MPEG Decoder
235
. If the delivered MPEG encoded digital signal is not scrambled, descrambler
234
outputs the signal received from demodulator
232
to MPEG decoder
235
without performing any descrambling processing thereon.
After descrambling, the descrambled MPEG encoded digital signal is supplied to MPEG decoder
235
which decodes the descrambled MPEG digital signal and outputs a decoded signal to video outputting signal processor
236
. The video outputting signal processor is formed of a video encoder, such as an NTSC encoder
361
, a copy protection signal generator
362
, an adder
363
and a D/A converter
364
. Video encoder
361
converts the digital video signals furnished from MPEG decoder
235
into a pre-set standard television system format, such as NTSC system format, by way of example. The resulting formatted signal is converted by D/A converter
364
from digital data to an analog video signal in accordance with the pre-set television system standard. This standard format, analog video signal is then output from video outputting signal processor
236
, and satellite broadcasting receiver
230
(
FIG. 1
) to television receiver
240
and/or video tape recorder
250
.
The digital satellite broadcasting system may include a pay-per-view service, which includes charging the viewer a special fee to permit the viewing of a specified program. In general, if the subscriber selects a pay-per-view program from a program table, which is supplied via the satellite transmission procedure noted above, the program selection information is supplied over a telephone network, for example, from satellite broadcasting receiver
230
to the supervising company. This information may also be transmitted via broadcasting satellite
220
, or other appropriate transmission methods. Upon receipt of a request to view a program, the key decoding information for decoding the program signal is sent to the individual satellite broadcasting receiver
230
of the subscriber via the satellite transmission procedure noted above. This decoding information is used by satellite broadcasting receiver
230
to decode the incoming program as noted above. The subscriber is charged for viewing the program at the same time the signal is supplied to the subscriber.
The pay-per-view program is transmitted having a configuration which, while permitting proper viewing of the program via television receiver
240
, evades recording by video tape recorder (VTR)
250
, by way of example, to ensure proper copyright protection of the transmitted program. To this end a copy protect signal for disabling picture recording is appended to the pay-per-view program. This copy protect signal may be of the type developed by Macrovision Corporation.
Typically, the digital satellite broadcasting system sends various additional data, along with video and audio data, such as the key decoding data for decoding a particular program, a program table, and parameters for instructing the receiving or processing hardware of program satellite broadcasting receiver
230
. Data decoder
233
of satellite broadcasting receiver
230
detects whether a hardware parameter instructing the use of copy protection signal generator
362
of video outputting signal processor
236
is present. If this parameter is detected, the copy protection signal generator is turned on in order to generate the copy protect signal which is then added to the digital video signals by adder
363
pursuant to the pre-set standard television system format.
Referring next to
FIG. 3
, a specific example of data decoder
233
will be further described. Data decoder
233
comprises a 64-bit control code register
332
, a control code analyzer
333
and an other data stream processor
334
. The demodulated signal received from demodulator
232
is furnished via switch
331
to other data stream processor
334
, which extracts information, such as a program table by way of example, to control the display of the program table. However, when a control code is detected in the signal received from demodulator
232
, switch
331
is activated to direct the signal to 64-bit control code register
332
. This control code, which typically is a 64-bit control code, is extracted from the demodulated signal and placed into control code register
332
. The control code is analyzed by control code analyzer
333
in order to properly set the parameters for other hardware items of the system, and for on/off control of the copy protect signal.
Two formats normally are provided for the copy protect signal: a pseudo horizontal synchronization pulse or a color stripe.
As is shown in
FIG. 4
, the pseudo horizontal synchronization pulse copy protect signal system inserts a pseudo horizontal synchronization pulse into the vertical blanking period of a video signal, thereby inducing malfunction of the usual automatic gain
Ezaki Tadashi
Hirai Jun
Kori Teruhiko
Faile Andrew
Frommer William S.
Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP.
Kessler Gordon
Sony Corporation
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