Video control system for transmitted programs

• US 5,046,092 A
• Filed: 03/29/1990
• Issued: 09/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walker, Stephen S., Teare, Melvin J., Sidlo, Clarence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAIN, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US07/501,682
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 380/20, 380/7
• US Class Current: 380/239
• 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 21/4325 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• 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 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A video system includes a central facility and a terminal. Means are provided for transmitting to the terminal a video program including a series of television fields including a first field containing both a random digital code encrypted according to a code encryption key and program identification data, and a second field containing an unintelligible video signal previously transformed from an intelligible video signal according to the random digital code. The terminal includes means for sending the program identification data to the central facility. The central facility includes a data base for storing and retrieving at least one code encryption key corresponding to the program identification data and means for sending the code encryption key from the central facility to the terminal. The terminal further includes means for receiving the code encryption key from the central facility, decrypting means for decrypting the encrypted digital code of the first frame in accordance with the code encryption key and means for transforming the unintelligible video signal of the second frame to the intelligible video signal using the decrypted random digital code.

Claims

1. A video system comprising:

a central facility;

a terminal; and

means for transmitting to said terminal a video program including a series of television fields including a first field containing both a random digital code encrypted according to a code encryption key and program identification data, and a second field containing an unintelligible video signal previously transformed from an intelligible video signal according to said random digital code;

said terminal including means for sending said program identification data to said central facility;

said central facility including a data base for storing and retrieving at least one code encryption key corresponding to the program identification data and means for sending said code encryption key from said central facility to said terminal;

said terminal further including means for receiving the code encryption key from said central facility, decrypting means for decrypting the encrypted digital code of said first frame in accordance with said code encryption key and means for transforming said unintelligible video signal of said second frame to said intelligible video signal using the decrypted random digital code.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for transmitting is a CATV system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said unintelligible video signal is analog.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said unintelligible video signal is digital.