SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EMPLOYING A CONTROLLED MODIFICATION CURRENT TIME VALUE

• US 20090119534A1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Card, John A. II
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/501
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/04 Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/08 Clock generators with changeable or programmable clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/14 Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/725 operating on a secure reference time value

Abstract

A method for employing a controlled-modification current time value is presented. In the method, the current time value is maintained. Also, requests for modification of the current time value are received. The requests are processed so that the requested modification associated with one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the current time value, and so that the requested modification associated with another one of the requests is not immediately incorporated into the current time value.

Claims

1. A method for employing a controlled-modification current time value, the method comprising:

maintaining the current time value;

receiving requests for modification of the current time value; and

processing the requests, wherein the requested modification associated with one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the current time value, and wherein the requested modification associated with another one of the requests is not immediately incorporated into the current time value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests is ignored, or is at least one of reduced and delayed for a period of time after the other one of the requests is received.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests would result in a change in the current time value exceeding a modification threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests would result in a change in the current time value falling below the modification threshold, and a predetermined number of modifications of the current time value have been performed within a preceding time limit.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the period of time is a function of a magnitude of the requested modification.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests is implemented as a single modification of the current time value.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests is implemented as a plurality of modifications of the current time value.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a second current time value viewable by a user;

wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the second current time value.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a current time value offset; and

producing a second current time value viewable by a user, wherein the second current time value comprises the first current time value adjusted by the current time value offset; and

wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the current time value offset.

10. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable on a processor for implementing a method for employing a controlled-modification current time value, the method comprising:

maintaining the current time value;

receiving requests for modification of the current time value; and

processing the requests, wherein the requested modification associated with one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the current time value, and wherein the requested modification associated with another one of the requests is at least one of ignored, delayed, and reduced before being incorporated into the current time value.

11. A system for maintaining a controlled-modification current time value, the system comprising:

first logic configured to maintain the current time value;

second logic configured to receive requests for modification of the current value time; and

third logic configured to process the requests, wherein the requested modification associated with one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the current time value, and wherein the requested modification associated with another one of the requests is not immediately incorporated into the current time value.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the third logic is configured to ignore the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests, or at least one of reduce the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests, and delay the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests for a period of time after the other one of the requests is received.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests would result in a change in the current time value exceeding a modification threshold.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests would result in a change in the current time value falling below the modification threshold, and the third logic has performed a predetermined number of modifications of the current time value within a preceding time limit.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the period of time is a function of a magnitude of the requested modification.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the third logic is configured to implement the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests as a single modification of the current time value.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the third logic is configured to implement the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests as a plurality of modifications of the current time value.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

fourth logic configured to maintain a second current time value viewable by a user;

wherein the third logic is configured to immediately incorporate the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests into the second current time value.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

fourth logic configured to maintain a current time value offset and produce a second current time value viewable by a user, wherein the second current time value comprises the first current time value adjusted by the current time value offset;

wherein the third logic is configured to immediately incorporate the requested modification associated with the other one of the requests into the current time value offset.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the third logic is configured to verify a source of the one of the requests before immediately incorporating the one of the requests into the current time value.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises one of a satellite broadcast receiver, a cable broadcast receiver, a terrestrial broadcast receiver, a CD player, a DVD player, an MP3 player, and a computer.