Security enhanced tiered subscription broadcast system

• US 20060190970A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin E. Hellman
• Original Assignee: Martin E. Hellman
• Inventors: Hellman, Martin E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/75
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• 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 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/4623 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A broadcast system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to provide multiple levels of subscription services. Subscribers have the option of listening to fewer (or no) commercials if they pay a higher fee, or listening to more commercials if they pay a lower (or no) fee. Commercials can be demographically targeted, cannot be skipped, and can be audited for billing purposes.

Claims

1. A method of providing a plurality of tiers of receiver privileges in a broadcast system which comprises:

transmitting a multiplexed signal containing at least program content, additional information and receiver commands;

receiving the transmitted multiplexed signal; and

demodulating at least portions of said program content, at least portions of said additional information, and at least portions of said receiver commands;

storing at least part of said portions of said additional information; and

substituting portions of the stored additional information for portions of said program information in response to at least some of said receiver commands to provide an output signal including program content and additional information content.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said additional information comprises advertising.

3. A receiver in a tiered subscription broadcast system comprising:

a digital demodulator which outputs a bitstream;

a cryptoprocessor; and

a receiver controller which divides said bitstream into at least two substreams such that a proper subset of said substreams is decrypted by said cryptoprocessor.

4. A receiver in a tiered subscription broadcast system comprising:

a digital demodulator which outputs a bitstream;

a receiver controller; and

a cryptoprocessor which includes at least one protected memory.

5. The receiver of claim 4 in which at least a portion of said protected memory is read-protected from parts of said receiver external to said cryptoprocessor.

6. The receiver of claim 4 in which at least a portion of said protected memory is write-protected from parts of said receiver external to said cryptoprocessor.

7. The receiver of claim 4 in which:

at least a portion of said protected memory is read-protected from parts of said receiver external to said cryptoprocessor; and

at least a portion of said protected memory is write-protected from parts of said receiver external to said cryptoprocessor.

8. A receiver in a tiered subscription broadcast system comprising:

a digital demodulator which outputs a bitstream;

a receiver controller;

a cryptoprocessor; and

a protected bus configured so that

said protected bus can carry data in only one direction; and

data is output on said protected bus by said cryptoprocessor.

9. The receiver of claim 8 in which the data output on said protected bus by said cryptoprocessor is inaccesible to said receiver controller.

10. A receiver in a broadcast system comprising:

a digital demodulator which outputs a bitstream;

a memory for storing at least a portion of said bitstream for delayed output such that;

said portion of said bitstream is divided into content segments; and

header information is appended to at least some of said content segments;

a user interface including control means for controlling the delayed output of at least a portion of said content segments; and

a receiver controller which inhibits one or more functions of said control means in response to said header information.

11. The receiver of claim 10 in which the inhibited function(s) include either a fast forward command, or a skip command, or both.

12. The receiver of claim 10 in which said receiver provides an indication that said control means is inhibited when said receiver controller inhibits one or more functions of said control means.

13. The receiver of claim 10 in which said broadcast system is a tiered subscription broadcast system.

14. The receiver of claim 12 in which said broadcast system is a tiered subscription broadcast system.

15. The receiver of claim 10 in which said receiver controller causes a content segment to be replayed from said content segment'"'"'s beginning in response to an attempt by a user to effect an inhibited function during play of said content segment.

16. A receiver in a broadcast system comprising:

an audio output signal;

audio input means which generates an audio input signal;

a stored reference signal;

a stored programmed action; and

a receiver controller;

in which said receiver controller

monitors said audio input signal;

compares a portion of said audio input signal with said stored reference signal; and

executes said stored programmed action when the comparison of said portions of said audio input signal with said stored reference signal meets a predetermined condition.

17. The receiver of claim 16 in which:

said broadcast system is a tiered subscription broadcast system; and

said stored reference signal is indicative of an advertisement.

18. The receiver of claim 16 in which the comparison includes a measure of the difference between the Fourier series amplitude spectra of said portion of said audio input signal and said stored reference signal.

19. The receiver of claim 16 in which said stored programmed action causes a portion of said audio output signal comprising an advertisement to be repeated.

20. The receiver of claim 16 in which:

said stored reference signal is indicative of an advertisement;

said stored programmed action causes said receiver to communicate advertising information to a broadcast controller over a reverse channel;

said broadcast controller creates a charge for an advertiser; and

said charge is at least partly dependent on said advertising information.

21. A tiered subscription broadcast system system comprising:

a broadcast controller;

a transmitter which transmits a signal with a plurality of divisions;

a plurality of receivers at least a portion of which comprise;

output means;

selection means;

a memory; and

reverse channel means;

and in which at least a portion of said plurality of receivers;

utilizes said selection means to select a division within said plurality of divisions;

causes the selected division to be conveyed to said output means;

stores one or more records in said memory indicative of the selected division; and

communicates record information related to said one or more records to said broadcast controller using said reverse channel means.

22. The tiered subscription broadcast system system of claim 21 in which said divisions include either program channels, or programs within program channels, or both.

23. The tiered subscription broadcast system system of claim 22 in which said broadcast controller assigns ratings to one or more of said plurality of divisions based at least in part on said record information.

24. A tiered subscription broadcast system system comprising:

an advertiser;

a broadcast controller;

a transmitter which transmits a signal;

a plurality of receivers at least a portion of which comprise;

a receiver controller;

a memory; and

reverse channel means;

in which at least a portion of said plurality of receivers;

derives a plurality of advertising content segments from said signal;

stores at least a portion of said plurality of advertising content segments in said memory;

utilizes said receiver controller to select an advertising content segment from the stored advertising content segments;

causes the selected advertising content segment to be conveyed to said output means;

stores one or more records in said memory indicative of said selected advertising content segment; and

communicates record information related to said one or more records to said broadcast controller using said reverse channel means; and

in which

said broadcast controller creates a charge for said advertiser; and

said charge is at least partly dependent on said record information.