IPPV programming distribution control system

• US 4,975,951 A
• Filed: 02/26/1990
• Issued: 12/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US07/488,472
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 364/238.1, 364/222.3, 380/10, 380/16, 380/20, 358/84, 455/2
• US Class Current: 380/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A distribution control system for controlling the distribution of scrambled impulse pay per view (IPPV) programming from a plurality of different IPPV programmers to a plurality of descramblers. The system includes a plurality of business data processing systems, a plurality of channel control systems respectively related to a plurality of the given IPPV programmers and an IPPV management system. The business data processing systems process view history data identifying descrambled IPPV programs and credit data for individual descramblers and cost data for IPPV programs provided by given IPPV programmers and provide credit data and IPPV authorization data pertaining to individual descramblers. Each of the channel control systems provides descrambler messages containing identification, cost and IPPV status data for individual IPPV programs. The IPPV data management system processes the credit data and IPPV authorization data provided by the business data processing systems to provide descrambler messages unique to each descrambler containing credit data and IPPV authorization data pertaining to the individual descrambler. The IPPV management system also sorts the IPPV program identification and cost data provided the channel control systems in accordance with which business data processing systems process data for those IPPV programs provided by the respective given IPPV programmers, and sorts view history data provided by the descramblers in accordance with which business data processing systems process data for the respective descramblers for the IPPV programmers that provide the IPPV programs identified in the view history data provided by the respective descramblers; and forwards the sorted IPPV program identification and cost data and the sorted view history data to the respective business data processing systems.

Claims

1. A distribution control system for controlling the distribution of scrambled impulse pay per view (IPPV) programming from a plurality of different IPPV programmers to a plurality of descramblers that individually may be authorized to descramble an individual IPPV program upon processing of a cost data signal for the program and a credit data signal for the descrambler and upon processing of an IPPV status data signal for the program and an authorization data signal for the descrambler, and that individually provide view history data signals identifying descrambled IPPV programs, the distribution control system comprising

a plurality of business data processing systems for processing view history data signals and credit data signals for individual descramblers and cost data signals for IPPV programs provided by given IPPV programmers and for providing credit data signals and IPPV authorization data signals pertaining to individual descramblers;

a plurality of channel control systems respectively related to a plurality of the given IPPV programmers for providing descrambler messages containing identification, cost and IPPV status data signals for individual IPPV programs; and

an IPPV data management system for processing the credit data signals and IPPV authorization data signals provided by the business data processing systems to provide descrambler messages unique to each descrambler containing credit data signals and IPPV authorization data signals pertaining to the individual descrambler, for sorting the IPPV program identification and cost data signals provided by the channel control systems in accordance with which business data processing systems process data signals for those IPPV programs provided by the respective given IPPV programmers, for sorting view history data signals provided by the descramblers in accordance with which business data processing systems process data signals for the respective descramblers for the IPPV programmers that provide the IPPV programs identified in the view history data signals provided by the respective descramblers, and for forwarding the sorted IPPV program identification and cost data signals and the sorted view history data signals to the respective business data processing systems.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the IPPV data management system sorts view history data signals in accordance with a scheme wherein the view history data signals from a given descrambler for a given IPPV programmer is forwarded to only one business data processing system.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said IPPV data management systems coupled to said plurality of business data processing systems and said plurality of channel control systems,

wherein all data signals pertaining to any given descrambler is processed by a single said IPPV data management system.

4. A system according to claim 1, for controlling the distribution of IPPV programming to descramblers that individually may be authorized to descramble a given IPPV program upon processing of a cost data signal for the program and a credit data signal for the descrambler only when said IPPV status data signal identifies the given IPPV program as being authorized for purchase and the authorization data signal for the descrambler indicates that purchase of IPPV programs provided by the programmer providing said given IPPV program is authorized,

wherein each of the individual descrambler messages provided by the IPPV data management system contain a plurality of tier authorization bits, with the position of each bit identifying a tier of IPPV programs and each bit indicating whether purchase by the individual descrambler is authorized for the tier of IPPV programs identified by such bit;

and

wherein the descrambler messages provided by a plurality of the channel control systems for a respective plurality of different IPPV programmers each contains an IPPV status bit in a respectively different position for processing with the tier authorization bits of the individual descrambler message, with each IPPV status bit indicating whether or not purchase of IPPV programming provided by the respective IPPV programmer is authorized.

5. A system according to claim 1, for controlling the distribution of IPPV programming to descramblers that individually may be authorized to descramble a given IPPV program upon processing of a cost data signal for the program and a credit data signal for the descrambler only when said IPPV status data signal identifies the given IPPV program as being authorized for purchase and the authorization data signal for the descrambler indicates that purchase of IPPV programs provided by the programmer providing said given IPPV program is authorized,

wherein each of the individual descrambler messages provided by the IPPV data management system contain a plurality of tier authorization bits, with the position of each bit identifying a tier of IPPV programs and each bit indicating whether purchase by the individual descrambler is authorized for the tier of IPPV programs identified by such bit;

and

wherein the descrambler messages provided by a group of the channel control systems contain an IPPV status bit in a position for processing with a common one of the tier authorization bits of the individual descrambler message, with the IPPV status bit indicating whether or not purchase of an IPPV program is authorized.

6. A distribution control system for controlling the distribution of scrambled impulse pay per view (IPPV) television programming from a plurality of different IPPV programmers to a plurality of descramblers that individually may be authorized to descramble a given IPPV program upon processing of an IPPV status data signal for the program and an authorization data signal for the descrambler only when said IPPV status data signal identifies the given IPPV program as being authorized for purchase and the authorization data signal for the descrambler indicates that purchase of IPPV programs provided by the programmer providing said given IPPV program is authorized, comprising

a plurality of business data processing systems for providing IPPV authorization data signals for a plurality of different IPPV programmers pertaining to individual descramblers;

a plurality of channel control systems respectively related to a plurality of the given IPPV programmers for providing descrambler messages containing IPPV status data signals for individual IPPV programs; and

an IPPV data management system for processing the IPPV authorization data signals provided by the business data processing systems to provide descrambler messages unique to each descrambler containing IPPV authorization data signals pertaining to the individual descrambler;

wherein each of the individual descrambler messages provided by the IPPV data management system contain a plurality of tier authorization bits, with the position of each bit identifying a tier of IPPV programs and each bit indicating whether purchase by the individual descrambler is authorized for the tier of IPPV programs identified by such bit; and

wherein the descrambler messages provided by a plurality of the channel control systems for a respective plurality of different IPPV programmers each contains an IPPV status bit in a respectively different position for processing with the tier authorization bits of the individual descrambler message, with each IPPV status bit indicating whether or not purchase of IPPV programming provided by the respective IPPV programmer is authorized.

7. A distribution control system for controlling the distribution of scrambled impulse pay per view (IPPV) television programming from a plurality of different IPPV programmers to a plurality of descramblers that individually may be authorized to descramble a given IPPV program upon processing of an IPPV status data signal for the program and an authorization data signal for the descrambler only when said IPPV status data signal identifies the given IPPV program as being authorized for purchase and the authorization data signal for the descrambler indicates that purchase of IPPV programs provided by the programmer providing said given IPPV program is authorized, comprising

a plurality of business data processing systems for providing IPPV authorization data signals for a plurality of different IPPV programmers pertaining to individual descramblers;

a plurality of channel control systems respectively related to a plurality of the given IPPV programmers for providing descrambler messages containing IPPV status data signals for individual IPPV programs; and

an IPPV data management system for processing the IPPV authorization data signals provided by the business data processing systems to provide descrambler messages unique to each descrambler containing IPPV authorization data signals pertaining to the individual descrambler;

wherein each of the individual descrambler messages provided by the IPPV data management system contain a plurality of tier authorization bits, with the position of each bit identifying a tier of IPPV programs and each bit indicating whether purchase by the individual descrambler is authorized for the tier of IPPV programs identified by such bit; and

wherein the descrambler messages provided by a group of the channel control systems contain an IPPV status bit in a position for processing with a common one of the tier authorization bits of the individual descrambler message, with the IPPV status bit indicating whether or not purchase of an IPPV program is authorized.

8. A distribution control system for controlling the distribution of scrambled impulse pay per view (IPPV) programming from a plurality of different IPPV programmers to a plurality of descramblers that individually may be authorized to descramble an individual IPPV program upon processing of a cost data signal for the program and a credit data signal for the descrambler, and that individually provide view history data signals identifying descrambled IPPV programs, the distribution control system comprising

a plurality of business data processing systems for processing view history data signals and credit data signals for individual descramblers and cost data signals for IPPV programs provided by given IPPV programmers and for providing credit data signals pertaining to individual descramblers;

a plurality of channel control systems respectively related to a plurality of the given IPPV programmers for providing descrambler messages containing identification and cost data signals for individual IPPV programs; and

an IPPV data management system for processing the credit data signals provided by the business data processing systems to provide descrambler messages unique to each descrambler containing credit data signals pertaining to the individual descramblers, for sorting the IPPV program identification and cost data signals provided by the channel control systems in accordance with which business data processing systems process data signals for those IPPV programs provided by the respective given IPPV programmers, for sorting view history data signals provided by the descramblers in accordance with which business data processing systems process data signals for the respective descramblers and which given IPPV programmers provide the IPPV programs identified in the view history data signals provided by the respective descramblers, and for forwarding the sorted IPPV program identification and cost data signals and the sorted view history data signals to the respective business data processing systems.

9. In combination,

a plurality of descramblers that individually may be authorized to descramble an individual scrambled impulse pay per view (IPPV) program from at least one of a plurality of different IPPV programmers upon processing of a cost data signal for the program and a credit data signal for the descrambler and upon processing of an IPPV status data signal for the program and an authorization data signal for the descrambler, and that individually provide view history data signals identifying descrambled IPPV programs,

a plurality of business data processing systems for processing view history data signals and credit data signals for individual descramblers and cost data signals for IPPV programs provided by given IPPV programmers and for providing credit data signals and IPPV authorization data signals pertaining to individual descramblers;

a plurality of channel control systems respectively related to a plurality of the given IPPV programmers for providing descrambler messages containing identification, cost and IPPV status data signals for individual IPPV programs; and

an IPPV data management system for processing the credit data signals and IPPV authorization data signals provided by the business data processing systems to provide descrambler messages unique to each descrambler containing credit data signals and IPPV authorization data signals pertaining to the individual descrambler, for sorting the IPPV program identification and cost data signals provided by the channel control systems in accordance with which business data processing systems process data signals for those IPPV programs provided by the respective given IPPV programmers, for sorting view history data signals provided by the descramblers in accordance with which business data processing systems process data signals for the respective descramblers for the IPPV programmers that provide the IPPV programs identified in the view history data signals provided by the respective descramblers, and for forwarding the sorted IPPV program identification and cost data signals and the sorted view history data signals to the respective business data processing systems.