System for displaying the subscription state of a pay broadcasting program

• US 4,736,421 A
• Filed: 10/31/1985
• Issued: 04/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Morita, Hiroyuki, Kunii, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallace, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US06/793,340
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 358/84, 358/115, 358/117, 358/122, 331/123, 331/55, 331/76, 455/2, 340/825.32, 340/825.33, 380/16, 380/20
• US Class Current: 380/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• 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 data (ATji) corresponding to a scrambled pay program signal, subscribed program data (BTji) representing a program signal subscribed by a subscriber and the scrambled program signal are demodulated by a demodulator. The subscribed program data (BTji) is detected by a data detector and the program data (ATji) is detected by a common data detector. A subscription state discriminating circuit compares the subscribed program data (BTji) with the program data (ATji) and discriminates the program subscription state of the subscriber. A random number generator generates a descrambling signal for descrambling the scrambled program signal when an output signal from said subscription state discriminating means represents that the subscriber has subscribed to the program. A display displays the nonsubscription state when the output signal from said subscription state discriminating means represents that the subscriber has not subscribed to the program.

Claims

1. A system for displaying the subscription state of a pay broadcasting program, comprising:

an encoder, comprising;

(a) program signal scrambling means for scrambling a pay program signal using a random number so as to produce a scrambled pay program signal,

(b) random number generating means for generating the random mumber,

(c) means for determining an initial value for said random number generating means,

(d) key data generating means for generating key data obtained by coding, using a subscriber'"'"'s first coding data, subscribed program data showing a kind of pay subscription program to be offered to the subscriber, and

(e) a transmitter for transmitting a broadcasting signal containing said key data as secret data, a subscriber'"'"'s second coding data identifying the subscriber, current program data representing the pay program currently being broadcast, and said scrambled pay program signal; and

a decoder for decoding said broadcasting signal for display, comprising;

(a) a common data detector for extracting said current program data,

(b) an individual data detector for extracting said key data as said secret data and for extracting said second coding data,

(c) a first comparator for detecting a coincidence between said second coding data extracted by said individual data detector and coding data which is used to identify said decoder,

(d) a first control circuit enabling said key data which has been extracted by said individual data detector to be stored in a memory in response to a coincidence output of said first comparator,

(e) signal generating means for generating a subscriber program request signal when the subscriber wishes to view a subscribed pay program,

(f) controlling means for detecting said subscribed program data from said key data and for writing said subscribed program data into said memory only when said key data has been enabled to be written into said memory,

(g) a second comparator for comparing said subscribed program data written by said controlling means into said memory with said current program data extracted by said common data detector,

(h) a subscribed program data decoder for decoding said subscribed program data from said key data stored in said memory using the subscriber'"'"'s first coding data,

(i) a second control circuit for controlling said subscribed program data decoder in response to a coincidence signal from said second comparator,

(j) random number generating means having an initial value set using said subscribed program data decoded from said key data by said subscribed program data decoder for generating a random number for descrambling said scrambled pay program signal,

(k) descrambling means for descrambling said scrambled pay program signal with the use of said random number from said random number generating means, and

(l) alarm means for producing an alarm when said second control circuit is not enabled in response to the comparison output of said second comparator.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said key data generating means comprises:

a first memory for storing said current program data;

a second memory for storing said subscriber'"'"'s first and second coding data and said subscribed program data;

a payment check memory for storing data showing whether or not a fee has been paid for said pay program when said subscriber program request signal is generated by said signal generating means; and

processing means responsive to said subscriber program request signal for checking said payment check memory to determine whether said fee has been paid for the pay program and, only when said fee has already been paid by the subscriber for said pay program, for reading said current program data corresponding to said pay program from said first memory, and for writing said program data corresponding to said pay program paid for into said second memory as said subscribed program data.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a muting circuit connected to said descrambling means for muting an output from said descrambling means when the subscribed program data differs from the current program data.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said muting circuit is turned on when said alarm means produces said alarm indicating that the received broadcasting signal contains a pay program that has not been reserved by the subscriber.