Method and apparatus for securing digital video recording

• US 20020067829A1
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ficco, Michael
• Original Assignee: Ficco, Michael
• Inventors: Ficco, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/210
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

An approach is provided for storing and retrieving digital audio/video data. A system bus of fixed width transfers data bits. The data bits form a bit pattern. An interface is coupled to system bus and is configured to alter the bit pattern of the data bits, according to a prescribed scheme. A hard disk drive is coupled to the interface and is configured to store the altered data bits. The approach has particular applicability to a digital set-top box for a direct satellite television system.

Claims

1. A method for storing and retrieving digital data within a hardware platform, the method comprising:

receiving data bits across a bus of a fixed width, the data bits forming a bit pattern;

altering the bit pattern of the data bits according to a prescribed scheme;

storing the altered data bits;

restoring the altered data bits to the bit pattern; and

outputting the restored data bits.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the altering step comprises:

inverting a portion of the data bits on the fixed width bus, according to the prescribed scheme.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the altering step further comprises:

selectively scrambling the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the altering step comprises:

scrambling the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the altering step and the restoring step are performed by a hard disk drive interface.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is unique to the hardware platform.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is relatively unique to the hardware platform in that the prescribed scheme may be utilized by another hardware platform.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is based upon a serial number of the hardware platform.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a random number upon power-up of the hardware platform,

wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is based upon the random number.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the altered bits in the step of altering are stored in a hard disk drive.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bus in the receiving step is a serial bus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the interface is configured to invert a portion of the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the interface is further configured to selectively scramble the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the interface is configured to scramble positions of the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is a digital set-top box.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the prescribed scheme is unique to the apparatus.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the prescribed scheme is relatively unique to the apparatus in that the prescribed scheme may be utilized by another apparatus.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the prescribed scheme is based upon a serial number of the apparatus.

20. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the system bus and configured to generate a random number during power-up of the apparatus,

wherein the prescribed scheme is based upon the random number.

21. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the fixed width of the data bits is 16 bits.

22. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the system bus is a serial bus.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the interface is configured to invert a portion of the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the interface is further configured to selectively scramble the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein the interface is configured to scramble the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein the prescribed scheme is unique to the system.

28. The system according to claim 23, wherein the prescribed scheme is relatively unique to the system.

29. The system according to claim 23, wherein the prescribed scheme is based upon a serial number of the system.

30. The system according to claim 23, wherein the set-top box further comprises:

a processor coupled to the system bus and configured to generate a random number during power-up of the system,

wherein the prescribed scheme is based upon the random number.

31. The system according to claim 23, wherein the fixed width of the data bits is 16 bits.

32. The system according to claim 23, wherein the bus is a serial bus.

12. An apparatus for storing and retrieving digital video data, comprising:

a system bus configured to transfer data bits of a fixed width, the data bits forming a bit pattern;

an interface coupled to system bus and configured to alter the bit pattern of the data bits according to a prescribed scheme; and

a hard disk drive coupled to the interface and configured to store the altered data bits.

23. A system for storing and retrieving digital audio/video data, comprising:

a satellite antenna configured to receive audio/video signals; and

a set-top box coupled to the satellite antenna, the set-top box comprising,

a receiver configured to output data bits corresponding to the received audio/video signals,

a fixed width bus coupled to the receiver and configured to transfer data bits, the data bits forming a bit pattern,

an interface coupled to the bus and configured to alter the bit pattern of the data bits according to a prescribed scheme, and

a hard disk drive coupled to the interface and configured to store the altered data bits.

33. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for storing and retrieving digital video data within a hardware platform, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving data bits across a bus of a fixed width, the data bits forming a bit pattern;

altering the bit pattern of the data bits according to a prescribed scheme;

storing the altered data bits;

restoring the altered data bits to the bit pattern; and

outputting the restored data bits.

34. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the altering step comprises:

inverting a portion of the data bits on the fixed width bus, according to the prescribed scheme.

35. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the altering step further comprises:

selectively scrambling positions of the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

36. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the altering step comprises:

scrambling positions of the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

37. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the altering step and the restoring step are performed by a hard disk drive interface.

38. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is unique to the hardware platform.

39. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is relatively unique to the hardware platform in that the prescribed scheme may be utilized by another hardware platform.

40. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is based upon a serial number of the hardware platform.

41. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

generating a random number upon power-up of the hardware platform,

wherein the prescribed scheme in the step of altering is based upon the random number.

42. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the altered bits in the step of altering are stored in a hard disk drive, the fixed width of the data bits being 16 bits.

43. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the bus in the receiving step is a serial bus.

44. An apparatus for storing and retrieving digital video data within a hardware platform, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving data bits across of a bus of a fixed width, the data bits forming a bit pattern;

means for altering the bit pattern of the data bits according to a prescribed scheme;

means for storing the altered data bits;

means for restoring the altered data bits to the bit pattern; and

means for outputting the restored data bits.

45. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the means for altering comprises:

means for inverting a portion of the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

46. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the means for altering further comprises:

means for selectively scrambling the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

47. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the means for altering comprises:

means for scrambling the data bits according to the prescribed scheme.

48. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the prescribed scheme is unique to the hardware platform.

49. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the prescribed scheme is relatively unique to the hardware platform in that the prescribed scheme may be utilized by another hardware platform.

50. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the prescribed scheme is based upon a serial number of the hardware platform.

51. The apparatus according to claim 44, further comprising:

means for generating a random number upon power-up of the hardware platform,

wherein the prescribed scheme is based upon the random number.

52. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the altered bits are stored in a hard disk drive, the fixed width of the data bits being 16 bits.

53. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the bus is a serial bus.