Interface module and decoder for host

• US 20030012377A1
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmarDTV S.A. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: SmarDTV S.A. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Guenebaud, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,403,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43607 Interfacing a plurality of external cards, e.g. through a DVB Common Interface [DVB-CI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interface module for a host (2) such as a digital television decoder, permitting the processing of information coming from the host (2) in a conditioned manner subject to a conditional access system (11), comprising authorization means (7) by which the user justifies his access rights.

The module has

at least one means (8) for identifying the authorization means (7);

means (10) for storing a plurality of conditional access systems (11),

processing means (9) adapted to process the information coming from the host (2) utilizing the conditional access system (11) corresponding to the authorization means (7) identified by the identification means (8), permitting to exploit a plurality of conditional access systems (11) within the same module

The invention also relates to a decoder and a method adapted to be performed by the interface module

For use in digital television decoders

Claims

1. Interface module (1) for a host (2) such as a digital television decoder, permitting the processing of information from the host (2) in a manner subject to a conditional access system (11) comprising authorization means (7) whereby the user justifies his access rights, characterized by the fact that it further has:

at least one means (8) for identifying the authorization means (7),

means (10) for storing a plurality of conditional access systems (11) integrated into the module (1) and not into the authorization means (7);

processing means (9) adapted to process the information from the host (2) utilizing the conditional access system (11) corresponding to the authorization means (7) identified by the identification means (8) permitting to exploit a plurality of conditional access systems (11) within the same module.

2. Interface module (1) in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that

the authorization means (7) comprise at least one reader (6) for chip cards whereon the data relating to the access rights of the user are stored.

3. Interface module (1) according to any of claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that

the conditional access systems (11) are constituted by programmed instruction sets adapted to be executed by the processing means (9) for the processing of information

4. Interface module (1) according to any of claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized by the fact that

the storing means (10) are formed by a non-volatile memory.

5. Interface module (1) according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that

the processing of information is a decoding operation.

6. Interface module (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the fact that

the authorization means (7) comprise at least one reader of biometric data the identity of which corresponds to the user'"'"'s access rights.

7. Digital television signal decoder integrating at least one interface module (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6.

8. Method of processing information coming from a host (2) in a conditioned manner subject to a conditional access system (11), adapted to be performed by the interface module (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein authorization means (7) are used by which the user justifies his access rights, characterized by the fact that

a plurality of conditional access systems (11) are stored;

the authorization means (7) are identified;

the information coming from the host (2) are processed utilizing the conditional access system (11) corresponding to the authorization means (7) as identified.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that

programmed instruction sets adapted to be executed to process information, are used as the conditional access system (11).

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that

one or a plurality of conditional access systems (11) are stored by downloading from a server center