Personal video recorder with secure recording, storage and playback control

• US 20030046592A1
• Filed: 08/28/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Woodruff, Wayne D.
• Application Number:
  US09/941,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046592A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00137 involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00152 involving a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

Personal Video Recorders permit a user to digitally record Multi-media programming for subsequent replay by a user. The present invention comprises a PVR device that has the added facility of secure recording, and playback mechanisms that operate in response to the input of at least one unique user authorization instruction, thereby preventing minors or other unauthorized users from the unauthorized recording, storage and playback of Multi-media programs.

Claims

1. A method for the secure recording and playback of Multi-media programming by a recording device comprising:

inputting a recording authorization instruction into a recording device, said authorization instruction operating to authorize activation of a recording mechanism component of said recording device;

recording said at least one Multi-media program;

inputting a playback authorization instruction into said recording device, said playback authorization instruction operative to authorize the activation of a playback mechanism component of said recording device; and

playing back said at least one Multi-media program.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said recording authorization instruction and said playback authorization instruction are identical.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said recording authorization instruction comprises a first password.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one Multi-media program comprises one of Cable broadcasts, Satellite broadcasts and television programs broadcast in at least one of UHF, VHF, HDTV transmission formats.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said recording device includes a storage component comprising a hard disk.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said playback authorization instruction comprises a second password.

7. The method according to claim 1 further including a step of designating a specific Multi-media program as restricted.

8. The method according to claim 7 further including a step of playing back said restricted Multi-media program upon receipt of said playback authorization instruction.

9. A method for the secure recording and playback of Multi-media programming by a recording and playback device comprising:

designating specific Multi-media programs as restricted, said restricted Multi-media programs requiring at least one of a playback authorization instruction and a recording authorization instruction to authorize said recording device to one of record and playback said restricted Multi-media programs;

inputting said recording authorization instruction into said recording device, said recording authorization instruction operative to authorize activation of a recording mechanism component of said recording device;

recording at least one of said restricted Multi-media programs; and

inputting a playback authorization instruction into said recording device, said playback authorization instruction operative to authorize activation of a playback mechanism component of said recording device.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said recording authorization instruction and said playback authorization instruction are identical.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein said recording authorization instruction comprises a first password.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein said playback authorization instruction comprises a second password.

13. A device for the secure recording of Multi-media programs comprising:

a programmable recording device, said recording device having

     1) a recording mechanism and

     2) a playback mechanism, said recording mechanism adapted to record Multi-media programs, said playback mechanism adapted to playback recorded Multi-media programs; and

a programming control interface, said programming control interface operative to selectively

     1) activate said recording mechanism in response to a first user authorization instruction, and

     2) selectively activate said playback mechanism in response to a second user authorization instruction, wherein

     1) recording of said Multi-media programs requires said first user authorization instruction to be entered into said programming control interface thereby activating said recording mechanism and permitting said Multi-media programs to be recorded, and

     2) playback of said recorded Multi-media programs requires said second user authorization to be entered into said programming control interface thereby activating said playback mechanism and permitting said recorded Multi-media programs to be played.

14. The device according to claim 13 wherein said Multi-media programs comprise one of Cable broadcasts, Satellite broadcasts and television programs broadcast in at least one of UHF, VHF and HDTV transmission formats.

15. The device according to claim 13 wherein said first user authorization instruction and second user authorization instruction are identical.

16. The device according to claim 13 wherein said recording authorization instruction comprises a first password.

17. The device according to claim 13 wherein said playback authorization instruction comprises a second password.

18. The device according to claim 13 further including an interface for receiving Multi-media programs selectively designated as restricted.

19. The device according to claim 18 wherein said device is arranged to playback said restricted Multi-media program upon receipt of said playback authorization instruction.

20. A method for the secure recording and playback of Multi-media programming by a recording and playback device comprising:

designating specific Multi-media programs as restricted;

inputting a playback authorization instruction into said recording device, said playback authorization instruction operative to authorize activation of a playback mechanism component of said recording device; and

playing back said restricted Multi-media programs.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein said first user authorization instruction and second user authorization instruction are identical.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein said recording authorization instruction comprises a first password.

23. The method according to claim 20 wherein said playback authorization instruction comprises a second password.

24. A programming control interface for use with a recording device having a recording mechanism and a playback mechanism, comprising:

1) a recording activator for activating said recording mechanism in response to a first user authorization instruction, and

2) a playback activator for selectively activating said playback mechanism in response to a second user authorization instruction,

wherein

     1) the programming control interface is adapted such that the recording of said Multi-media programs requires said first user authorization instruction to be entered into said programming control interface thereby activating said recording mechanism and permitting said Multi-media programs to be recorded, and

     2) playback of a recorded Multi-media program requires said second user authorization instruction to be entered into said programming control interface thereby activating said playback mechanism and permitting said recorded Multi-media programs to be played.