Method and apparatus for routing program data in a program viewing unit

• US 20040205812A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant L.
• Application Number:
  US09/870,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205812A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• 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 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• 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 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• 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

A program viewing unit includes a demodulator unit that outputs program data with content in a scrambled format. The program viewing unit includes a conditional access unit that de-scrambles the content such that the content is in a clear format, a re-scrambler that re-scrambles the content for copy generation management purposes out to storage, and a de-scrambler that descrambles the re-scrambled content from storage. A switching unit is coupled to the demodulator unit, the conditional access unit, the re-scrambler, the descrambler, and a decoder. The switching unit simultaneously routes the program data with the content in the scrambled format and the program data with the content in the clear format in response to instructions from a central processing unit.

Claims

1. A program viewing unit, comprising:

a source of content in scrambled format;

a conditional access unit that de-scrambles the content such that the content is in a clear format; and

a switching unit, coupled to the demodulator unit and the conditional access unit, that routes the program data with the content in the scrambled format and the program data with the content in the clear format in response to instructions from a central processing unit.

2. The program viewing unit of claim 1, wherein the source is selected from the group consisting of demodulator, re-scrambler, conditional access unit, and package media-reader.

3. The program viewing unit of claim 1, wherein the switching unit comprises a multiplexer.

4. The program viewing unit of claim 1, wherein the switching unit routes the program data with the content in the scrambled format to the conditional access unit.

5. The program viewing unit of claim 1, further comprising an encoding unit, coupled to the switching unit, that encodes the program data with the content in the clear format before transmitting the program data with the content in the clear format to a display unit.

6. The program viewing unit of claim 1, further comprising an encoding unit, coupled to the switching unit, that transmits the program data with the content in the scrambled format to a recording device.

7. The program viewing unit of claim 1, further comprising a de-multiplexing unit, coupled to the switching unit, that transmits the program data with the content in the clear format to a viewing unit.

8. The program viewing unit of claim 7, wherein the program data in clear a format is first encoded prior to transmittal to the viewing unit.

9. The program viewing unit of claim 8, wherein the encoding is selected from the group consisting of Digital Transmission Copy Protection (DTCP), watermark, and High Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection (HDCP).

10. A program viewing unit, comprising:

a demodulator unit that outputs program data with content in a first scrambled format;

a de-scrambler that de-scrambles the program data with content in the first scrambled format into content in a first clear format; and

a re-scrambler that re-scrambles the content in the first clear format into content in a second scrambled format.

11. The program viewing unit of claim 10, wherein the re-scrambler uses a local key.

12. The program viewing unit of claim 11, wherein the local key is generated in part by using the copy protection status of the content.

13. The program viewing unit of claim 11, wherein the local key is generated in part by using keys that are downloaded from a service operator.

14. The program viewing unit of claim 13, wherein the service operator is selected from the group consisting of cable operator, telephone operator, Internet operator, broadcaster, and Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS).

15. The program viewing unit of claim 11, wherein the local key is generated in part by using embedded keys from the re-scrambler.

16. The program viewing unit of claim 10, wherein the de-scrambler is controlled by a conditional access mechanism coupled to receive information, wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of ordering information, billing information, payment information, credit information, sponsor information, preview information, viewer information, and parental control information.

17. The program viewing unit of claim 10, wherein the re-scrambler is coupled to receive information on copy generation management.

18. The program viewing unit of claim 10, further comprising a second descrambler coupled to receive content in the second scrambled format and output content in a second clear format.

19. The program viewing unit of claim 18, further comprising a switching unit coupled to receive an input and communicate the input to a display unit, wherein the input is the content in the first clear format or the content in the second clear format.

20. A program viewing unit, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a demodulator unit;

a conditional access unit;

a de-multiplexer unit;

an encoding unit; and

a switching unit, coupled to the CPU, the demodulator unit, the conditional access unit, the de-multiplexer unit, and the encoding unit that is programmable by the CPU to route program data between the demodulator unit, the conditional access unit, the de-multiplexer unit, and the encoding unit.

21. The program viewing unit of claim 20, wherein the program viewing unit further comprises a re-scrambler and a descrambler which is coupled to the switching unit.

22. The program viewing unit of claim 20, wherein the conditional access unit comprises:

a processor unit; and

a de-scrambler unit.

23. A method for managing program data, comprising:

transmitting the program data to a switch; and

selecting the switch to transmit the data to one of a de-multiplexing unit, a conditional access unit, and an encoding unit.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the switch can additionally transmit data to one of a re-scrambler and a descrambler.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the selecting is performed by a central processing unit.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the program data is transmitted from a demodulating unit.

27. An apparatus for managing program data, comprising:

means for transmitting the program data to a switch; and

means for selecting the switch to transmit the data to one of a de-multiplexing unit, a conditional access unit, and an encoding unit.

28. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a processor, causes said processor to perform the following:

transmit program data to a switch; and

select the switch to transmit the program data to one of a de-multiplexing unit, a conditional access unit, and an encoding unit.