High security videotext and videogame system

• US 4,905,280 A
• Filed: 09/22/1987
• Issued: 02/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John D. Wiedemer
• Original Assignee: John D. Wiedemer
• Inventors: Wiedemer, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallace, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US07/100,024
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 380/16, 380/20, 380/23, 380/25, 358/142, 358/84, 358/146, 358/147, 364/410, 273/85 G
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• 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 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/161 Constructional details of the subscriber equipment H04N7/164 takes precedence
• 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 pay per use system allows the broadcast of television, videotext, and videogame programming all in the same system. The programming is broadcast in scrambled form with a broadcast signal imbedded in the program broadcast. The receiving station decoder has an internal code assigned to it plus is provided with an external code contained in a removable memory module from which it can generate signals to descramble the input program content. Television programming is viewed directly on a television screen while videotext and videogame programming are loaded onto a remote memory unit specifically adapted to interfit and mate to economical home computers specifically intended for videogames. The routing of the program, either to the television or to the remote memory unit is controlled by information in the broadcast code imbedded in the broadcast itself.

Claims

1. A receiving station decoder for a system for the secure transmission and pay per view viewing of scrambled broadcast signals of television, videotext and videogame programming, the decoder adapted for use with a home game computer, the decoder comprising

an internal fixed memory containing a fixed station-unique internal code;

a removable electrically alterable memory module containing at least one station-unique external code and a portion onto which billing information may be entered;

means for generating a descrambling signal complementary to the scrambling signal upon the input of a proper numerical sequence;

a remote memory unit connected to the decoder and accessible therefrom and adapted for connection to and to be also accessed by the home game computer; and

a microprocessor programmed (1) to read the internal code from the internal memory, and the external code from the memory module, (2) to derive a broadcast code from the broadcast signal, (3) to combine the internal and external codes to generate a numerical code for descrambling the broadcast signal, (4) if the broadcast code indicates that the broadcast signal is videotext or videogame programming, to logically combine the numerical code to the videotext and videogame programming received and to load the result directly into the remote memory unit, (5) if the broadcast code indicates that the broadcast signal is television programming, to direct the numerical code to the means for generating the descrambling signal, and (6) to write information about television, videotext or videogame broadcast signals received, as derived from the broadcast code, into the memory module so that use of the decoder can be billed on a usage basis both for television programming and for videotext and videogame programming.

2. A receiving station decoder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the decoder is adapted for use with a home game computer itself adapted to receive and mate with cartridges carrying programs thereon and wherein the remote memory unit is carried in a cartridge sized and shaped so as to be able to physically and electrically interfit with the home game computer.

3. A receiving station decoder as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cartridge containing the memory unit also contains suitable interface circuitry so that both the microprocessor in the decoder and the home game computer can access the contents of the memory unit without interference with each other.

4. A receiving station decoder as claimed in claim 2 wherein a flexible cable connects the remote memory unit to the receiving station decoder so that the memory unit can be placed some distance from the decoder.

5. A receiving station decoder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the memory module contains more than one external code and the particular external code to be used for any particular type of program broadcast is determined by a portion of the broadcast code received by the decoder.

6. A receiving station decoder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the memory module is an electrically alterable read-only memory (EEPROM).

7. A receiving station decoder as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the broadcast code is also used by the microprocessor in conjunction with the internal and external codes to generate the numerical sequence used to descramble the broadcast signal.