Encoder apparatus and decoder apparatus for a television signal having embedded viewer access control data

• US 5,710,815 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ming, Fong, Tsang, Ngai-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/477,659
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 380/23, 380/20, 455/2, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 348/1, 348/6, 348/10
• US Class Current: 380/241
• 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 21/4532 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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

An encoding apparatus and an associated decoding apparatus for a television signal having embedded viewer access control data. A program category code is inserted into a television signal by the encoding apparatus, identifying at least one attribute of program content of an associated television program. An individual viewer may preclude receipt of television programming identified by a corresponding program category code as containing a program content attribute for which the individual viewer has chosen to preclude viewing. The decoding apparatus compares the program category code embedded within a television program with a user category code indicating at least one of the attributes of programming content for which the individual user has elected to preclude receipt of television programming. Viewing of the television signal is precluded when the television signal includes a program category code corresponding to the user category code.

Claims

1. An apparatus for embedding viewer access control data within a television signal, said television signal including a sequence of television programs, said apparatus comprising:

means for generating a program category code identifying at least one attribute of program content of an associated television program;

means for changing said program category code during said associated television program; and

means coupled to said television signal and said program category code generating means for inserting said program category code into said television signal,

whereby an individual viewer may preclude receipt of portions of said television programming identified by a corresponding program category code as containing a program content attribute for which said individual viewer has chosen to preclude viewing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attribute comprises at least one attribute of a potentially offensive nature.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one attribute of a potentially offensive nature is selected from the group consisting of violence, nudity, and profanity.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attribute comprises a plurality of attributes, said program category code identifying a plurality of attributes of program content of an associated television program.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said program category code generating means further generates at least one extended program category code identifying a level of an attribute of program content within an associated television program, said level being variable over a predetermined range of potential values and said inserting means also inserts said at least one extended program category code into said television signal, whereby an individual viewer may further preclude receipt of television programming identified by a corresponding extended program category code as containing a level of said program content attribute which is greater in magnitude than a threshold level for said attribute previously established by said individual viewer.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising:

means for generating a user identification code identifying a corresponding, single viewer;

means for generating a user class code associating an individual viewer identified by said user identification code with at least one of a plurality of predetermined classes of viewers, each of said classes of viewers comprising a plurality of individual viewers; and

means for generating a program class code identifying particular classes of users authorized to view an associated television program;

said insertion means further inserting said user identification code, user class code, and program class code into said television signal, whereby a viewer identified by said user identification code is authorized to view a particular television program only when said particular television program contain a program class code which corresponds to said user class code as long as said corresponding program category code and extended program category code do not direct preclusion.

25. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

means for generating a user identification code identifying a corresponding, single viewer;

means for generating a user class code associating an individual viewer identified by said user identification code with at least one of a plurality of predetermined classes of viewers, each of said classes of viewers comprising a plurality of individual viewers; and

means for generating a program class code identifying particular classes of users authorized to view an associated television program;

said insertion means further inserting said user identification code, user class code, and program class code into said television signal, whereby a viewer identified by said user identification code is authorized to view a particular television program only when said particular television program contain a program class code which corresponds to said user class code as long as said corresponding program category code does not direct preclusion.

5. An apparatus for embedding viewer access control data within a television signal, said television signal including a sequence of television programs, said apparatus comprising:

means for generating at least one extended program category code identifying a level of an attribute of program content within an associated television program, said level being variable over a predetermined range of potential values; and

means coupled to said television signal and said extended program category code generating means for inserting said extended program category code into said television signal,

whereby an individual viewer may preclude receipt of television programming identified by a corresponding extended program category code as containing a level of a program content attribute which is greater in magnitude than a threshold level for said attribute previously established by said individual viewer.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said attribute comprises an attribute of a potentially offensive nature.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said attribute of a potentially offensive nature is selected from the group consisting of violence, nudity and profanity.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least one extended program category code comprises a plurality of extended program category codes, each of said extended program category codes identifying a level of a different attribute of program content contained within an associated television program.

26. The apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising:

means for generating a user identification code identifying a corresponding, single viewer;

means for generating a user class code associating an individual viewer identified by said user identification code with at least one of a plurality of predetermined classes of viewers, each of said classes of viewers comprising a plurality of individual viewers; and

means for generating a program class code identifying particular classes of users authorized to view an associated television program;

said insertion means further inserting said user identification code, user class code, and program class code into said television signal, whereby a viewer identified by said user identification code is authorized to view a particular television program only when said particular television program contain a program class code which corresponds to said user class code as long as said corresponding extended program category code does not direct preclusion.

9. An apparatus for embedding viewer access control data within a television signal, said television signal including a sequence of television programs, said apparatus comprising:

means for generating a user identification code identifying a corresponding, single viewer;

means for generating a user class code associating an individual viewer identified by said user identification code with at least one of a plurality of predetermined classes of viewers, each of said classes of viewers comprising a plurality of individual viewers;

means for generating a program class code identifying particular classes of users authorized to view an associated television program; and

means coupled to said television signal, user identification code generating means, user class code generating means, and program class code generating means for inserting each of said user identification code, user class code, and program class control code into said television signal,

whereby a viewer identified by said user identification code is authorized to view a particular television program only when said particular television program contains a program class code which corresponds to said user class code.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said at least one of said plurality of predetermined classes of viewers is selected from the group consisting of occupation, political party affiliation, and religion.

11. An apparatus for receiving a television signal containing embedded viewer access control data and for outputting said television signal to a video display, said embedded viewer access control data including a program category code identifying at least one attribute of program content of an associated television program, said apparatus comprising:

means coupled to said television signal for extracting said program category code from said television signal;

means for storing a user category code indicating at least one attribute of program content for which an individual user has elected to preclude receipt of television programming;

means coupled to said extracting means and said storing means for comparing said program category code and said user category code; and

means coupled to said comparing means for precluding output of a television signal to said video display when said television signal includes a program category code corresponding to said user category code.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said at least one attribute comprises at least one attribute of a potentially offensive nature.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said at least one attribute of a potentially offensive nature is selected from the group consisting of violence, nudity, and profanity.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said at least one attribute comprises a plurality of attributes, said program category code identifying a plurality of attributes of program content of an associated television program.

27. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said embedded viewer access control data further includes at least one extended program category code identifying a level of an attribute of program content within an associated television program, said level being variable over a predetermined range of potential values, said apparatus further comprising:

means for establishing an extended user category code indicative of a threshold level of an associated attribute of program content, wherein an individual viewer has elected to preclude viewing of television programming having a level of program content of said associated attribute greater in magnitude than said threshold level;

said extracting means further extracting said extended program category code from said television signal,

said comparing means further coupled to said establishing means and for additionally comparing said extended program category code and said extended user category code,

said output precluding means additionally precluding output of a television signal to said video display when said extended program category code corresponding to said associated television program is greater in magnitude than said extended user category code.

15. An apparatus for receiving a television signal containing embedded viewer access control data and for outputting said television signal to a video display, said embedded viewer access control data including at least one extended program category code identifying a level of an attribute of program content within an associated television program, said level being variable over a predetermined range of potential values, said apparatus comprising:

means coupled to said television signal for extracting said extended program category code from said television signal;

means for establishing an extended user category code indicative of a threshold level of an associated attribute of program content, wherein an individual viewer has elected to preclude viewing of television programming having a level of program content of said associated attribute greater in magnitude than said threshold level;

means coupled to said extracting means and said establishing means for comparing said extended program category code and said extended user category code; and

means coupled to said comparing means for precluding output of a television signal to said video display when said extended program category code corresponding to said associated television program is greater in magnitude than said extended user category code.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said attribute comprises an attribute of a potentially offensive nature.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said attribute of a potentially offensive nature is selected from the group consisting of violence, nudity, and profanity.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said at least one extended program category code comprises a plurality of extended program category codes, each of said extended program category codes identifying a level of a different attribute of program content within an associated television program.

19. An apparatus for receiving a television signal containing embedded viewer access control data and for outputting said television signal to a video display, said embedded viewer access control data including:

a user identification code identifying a corresponding, single viewer;

a user class code associating an individual viewer identified by said user identification code with at least one of a plurality of predetermined classes of viewers, each of said classes of viewers comprising a plurality of individual viewers; and

a program class code identifying particular predetermined classes of users authorized to view an associated television program, said apparatus comprising;

first storing means for storing a unique viewer address code uniquely identifying said apparatus;

means coupled to said television signal for extracting said user identification code, user class code, and program class code from said television signal;

first comparing means coupled to said first storing means and said extracting means for comparing said unique viewer address code and said user identification code;

second storing means coupled to said extracting means and said first comparing means for storing said user class code when said unique viewer address code is equal to said user identification code;

second comparing means coupled to said extracting means and said second storing means for comparing said program class code and said stored user class code; and

means coupled to said second comparing means for precluding output of said television signal to said video display when said television signal includes a television program containing a program class code which does not correspond to said stored user class code.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said at least one of said plurality of predetermined classes of viewers is selected from the group consisting of occupation, political party affiliation, and religion.

28. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said embedded viewer access control data further includes a program category code identifying at least one attribute of program content of said associated television program, wherein said extracting means further extracts said program category code from said television signal, said apparatus further comprising:

third storing means for storing a user category code indicating at least one attribute of program content for which an individual user has elected to preclude receipt of television programming;

third comparing means coupled to said extracting means for comparing said program category code and said user category code;

said output precluding means being further coupled to said third comparing means for additionally precluding output of said television signal to said video display when said television signal includes a program category code corresponding to said user category code.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said embedded viewer access control data further includes at least one extended program category code identifying a level of an attribute of program content within said associated television program, said level being variable over a predetermined range wherein said extracting means further extracts said program category code from said television signal, said apparatus further comprising:

means for establishing an extended user category code indicative of a threshold level of an associated attribute of program content, wherein an individual viewer has elected to preclude viewing of television programming having a level of program content of said associated attribute greater in magnitude than said threshold level;

said third comparing means further being coupled to said establishing means for further comparing said extended program category code and said extended user category code;

said output precluding means for additionally precluding output of said television signal to said video display when said extended program category code corresponding to said television signal includes a program category code is greater in magnitude than said extended user category code.

30. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said embedded viewer access control data further includes at least one extended program category code identifying a level of an attribute of program content within said associated television program, said level being variable over a predetermined range wherein said extracting means further extracts said program category code from said television signal, said apparatus further comprising:

means for establishing an extended user category code indicative of a threshold level of an associated attribute of program content, wherein an individual viewer has elected to preclude viewing of television programming having a level of program content of said associated attribute greater in magnitude than said threshold level;

third comparing means coupled to said establishing means for comparing said extended program category code and said extended user category code;

said output precluding means being further coupled to said third comparing means for additionally precluding output of said television signal to said video display when said extended program category code corresponding to said television signal includes a program category code is greater in magnitude than said extended user category code.

21. An apparatus for embedding viewer access control data within a television signal, said apparatus being capable of alternatively addressing a single receiving unit and a predetermined plurality of receiving units for receipt of said access control data, said apparatus comprising:

means for generating a user identification code uniquely identifying a single receiving unit;

means for generating a block address code identifying a predetermined subset of receiving units;

means for generating a block enable flag indicating whether said addressing is in one of a single user addressing mode and a block user addressing mode; and

means coupled to said user identification code generating means, block address code generating means and block enable flag generating means for inserting said user identification code, block address code, and block enable flag into said television signal,

whereby a single receiving unit is addressed when said block enable flag is indicative of said single user addressing mode and a predetermined plurality of receiving units are addressed when said block enable flag is indicative of said block user addressing mode.

22. A method for synchronizing a first pseudo-random number generator within a transmitting unit and a second pseudo-random number generator within a receiving unit, both of said first and second pseudo-random number generators being used in conjunction with a data set, said data set being logically divided into frames and frame sets of size N frames, said method comprising the steps of:

a) generating an initial seed value within said transmitting unit;

b) storing said initial seed value in a first current seed register within said transmitting unit, said first current seed register having a first current seed value;

c) generating a next seed value within said transmitting unit;

d) clearing a first frame counter within said transmitting unit, said first frame counter having a first frame count value;

e) loading said first current seed value and said first frame count value into said first pseudo-random number generator;

f) operating said pseudo-random number generator using said initial seed value and said first frame count value as a combined seed;

g) transmitting said next seed value and said first frame count value from said transmitting unit to said receiving unit;

h) incrementing said first frame counter;

i) repeating steps e through h when said first frame count value of said first frame counter is not equal to N;

j) storing said next seed value in said current seed register and repeating steps c through h when said first frame count value of said first frame counter is equal to N;

k) receiving said next seed value and said first frame count value within said receiving unit;

l) incrementing a second frame counter within said receiving unit at a beginning of a video frame;

m) testing whether said next seed value and said first frame count value received by said receiving unit are erroneous;

n) loading said next seed value into a next seed register within said receiving unit when said received next seed value is not erroneous;

o) loading said first frame count value into said second frame counter within said receiving unit when said received first frame count value is not erroneous, said second frame counter having a second frame count value;

p) loading a second current seed value from a second current seed register in said receiving unit and said second frame count value into said second pseudo-random number generator;

q) operating said second pseudo-random number generator using said second current seed value and said second frame count values as a combined seed;

r) clearing said frame counter and loading said second current seed register with a value output from said second next seed register when said second frame counter is equal to N; and

s) repeating steps k through r.