Direct broadcast satellite signal transmission system
First Claim
1. A method for transmitting data in a communications system of the type including broadcast signal originating means, a plurality of broadcast signal receiving means, each having an address, means for distributing the broadcast signal from the originating means to each of the receiving means, the method comprising the steps of generating a broadcast signal having active video signal portions, generating an audio signal portion, generating a data stream, inserting the audio signal portion and the data stream into the broadcast signal, between the active video portions thereof, the step of generating a data stream comprising the steps of generating a header portion comprising program related information applicable to all receiving means and address information common to each of a plurality of receiving means defining a group, generating separate control information portions individualized for each of the receiving means in the group, respectively, associating each of the individualized control information portions with address information specific to the receiving means in the group for which the control information portion is individualized, to form a plurality of addressable portions, one for each receiving means in the group, the header portion and the plurality of addressable portions in series as a unit comprising the data stream, the separate control information portions thus being transmitted to the respective receiving means in the group without repeatedly retransmitting the header portion with each addressable portion.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Audio and control signals are digitized and inserted in the horizontal blanking intervals of the distributed composite television signal. The control signals are in the form of a data stream which includes a header containing group address, sync, and program-related information applicable to all receiving units, and a plurality of portions which are addressable to and contain information applicable to the control of particular individual receiving units in the addressed group. The information in the addressable portions can be altered on a real time basis such that the system operator has direct control over certain functions of individual receiving units from the transmission end.
475 Citations
32 Claims
- 1. A method for transmitting data in a communications system of the type including broadcast signal originating means, a plurality of broadcast signal receiving means, each having an address, means for distributing the broadcast signal from the originating means to each of the receiving means, the method comprising the steps of generating a broadcast signal having active video signal portions, generating an audio signal portion, generating a data stream, inserting the audio signal portion and the data stream into the broadcast signal, between the active video portions thereof, the step of generating a data stream comprising the steps of generating a header portion comprising program related information applicable to all receiving means and address information common to each of a plurality of receiving means defining a group, generating separate control information portions individualized for each of the receiving means in the group, respectively, associating each of the individualized control information portions with address information specific to the receiving means in the group for which the control information portion is individualized, to form a plurality of addressable portions, one for each receiving means in the group, the header portion and the plurality of addressable portions in series as a unit comprising the data stream, the separate control information portions thus being transmitted to the respective receiving means in the group without repeatedly retransmitting the header portion with each addressable portion.
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24. A method of processing data received by an addressable receiving means in a broadcast signal of the type including active video portions, an encrypted signal and a data stream, the data stream comprising a header portion including group address information in the form of the most signficant bits of the address of a group of receiving means and a first type of decryption key data and a plurality of addressable portions, the addressable portions including information individualized for and applicable to the control of only a single receiving means in the addressed group, the individualized information including receiving means address information in the form of the least significant bits of the address of the receiving means, an encrypted message including a second type of decryption key data, and message decryption data, the header portion and a series of addressable portions being transmitted as a unit such that the header portion is not repeatedly retransmitted with each addressable portion, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining whether the group address information matches the most significant bits of the address of the receiving means; (b) processing the information in the header portion to obtain the decryption key data of the first type; (c) if the group address information matches the most signficant bits of the address of the receiving means, testing each addressable portion in the unit, in sequence, to determine whether the receiving means information therein matches the least significant bits of the address of the receiving means; and
, if a match is present,(d) processing the individualized information in the addressed portion to decrypt the encrypted data and therein the second type of decryption key data; and (e) using the first type of decryption key data and the second type of decryption key data to decrypt the encrypted signal.
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- 25. A direct broadcast satellite communications system comprising broadcast signal originating means and a plurality of broadcast signal receiving means, each receiving means having an address comprising a set of most signficant bits and a set of least significant bits, said originating means comprising program processing means generating video signals and audio signals and means for generating real time signal control means, means for generating program related signals for all receiving means in a group having an address with a particular set of most significant bits, means for generating separate control signals for individual receiving means in the group having an address including a particular set of most significant bits, means for scrambling the video signals to form a broadcast signal, the audio signals, program related signals, control signals and address information comprising a data stream including a header portion comprising the program related information and a set of most significant bits common to the receiving means in a group and a plurality of addressable portions comprising control information individualized for a particular receiving means in the group and a set of least significant bits associated with the particular receiving means, the header portion addressable portions in series being inserted into the broadcast signal as a unit, so that the header portion need not be repeatedly retransmitted with each addressable portion, means for transmitting the broadcast signal, and wherein each of the receiving means comprises means for tuning said broadcast signals, an addressable controller-decoder means, said decoder means including means, effective when a broadcast signal is received including the header portion and an addressable portion with the address of the addressable controller-decoder means, for descrambling and separating said video signals, audio signals, control signals and program related information associated with said receiving means and for controlling said addressed receiving means to process and display the video signals and audio signals in accordance with the control signals and program related information.
- 28. A receiving means having an address including a set of most significant bits and a set of least significant bits for use in a communications system of the type transmitting a signal comprising video and audio information for a program, a data stream comprising a header containing a most signficant bit portion designating a group of receiving units, sync information and program related information, and a plurality of addressable portions associated with the header, each containing a least significant bits portion, and information for the control of the particular addressed unit having the address matching the set of most significant bits in the header and the set of least significant bits in the addressed portion, the header and a series of addressable portions being inserted into the signal as a unit such that the header need not be repeatedly retransmitted with each addressable portion, the receiving unit comprising means for receiving the signal, means for selecting a program to be viewed, means for tuning the selected program, means for separating the data stream from the video and audio information, means for examining the header to determine if the receiving unit is within the group having an address including the set of most significant bits in the header, means for capturing and storing the information in the header, means actuated if the receiving unit is within the addressed group, for examining each addressed portion associated with the header to determine if the set of least significant bits of the address of the individual receiving unit match the set of least significant bits in the addressed portion, means for capturing and storing the control information in the addressed portion if the individual receiving unit address is present, and means for processing and displaying the video and audio information in accordance with the stored header and control information.
Specification