Data transmitter and receiver

• US 5,787,171 A
• Filed: 06/22/1995
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hirose, Masaki, Kubota, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US08/494,573
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/9, 380/10, 380/20, 380/21, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 380/49, 380/50
• US Class Current: 380/239
• 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 data transmitter capable of preventing illegal free reception of transmitted data by scrambling the same, and a data receiver adapted to descramble the received data properly despite any alteration of a scramble program. The data transmitter comprises a data source where predetermined data to be transmitted is stored; a circuit for generating a scramble program and control data; a circuit for scrambling the predetermined data in accordance with the scramble program; a circuit for generating a descramble program; and a circuit for transmitting the scrambled data, the descramble program and the control data to the data receiving terminal of each user or contractor. The control data includes a scramble key, and the scrambled data is transmitted via a satellite network or a CATV network, while the descramble program is transmitted via a telephone line. The data receiver is equipped with a circuit for descrambling the received data in accordance with the descramble program, and a circuit for compiling an intermediate code, which is included in the descramble program and is not dependent on any hardware, into a machine code.

Claims

1. A data transmitter for transmitting data to a data receiving terminal, comprising:

a data source for storing predetermined data to be transmitted;

first generating means for producing both a predetermined scrambling program for scrambling said predetermined data and control data to be used in the scrambling process;

scrambling means for scrambling the predetermined data in accordance with said scrambling program;

second generating means for producing a predetermined descrambling program for descrambling the scrambled data obtained from said scrambling means; and

transmitting means for transmitting the scrambled data, the descrambling program and the control data to said data receiving terminal.

2. The data transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said control data includes a scramble key.

3. The data transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means transmits the scrambled data via a first communication form to said data receiving terminal, and transmits the descrambling program via a second communication form to said data receiving terminal;

and the capacity of said first communication form is larger than the capacity of said second communication form.

4. The data transmitter according to claim 3, wherein said first communication form is a satellite network or a CATV network;

and said second communication form is a telephone line.

5. The data transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means multiplexes the scrambled data, the descrambling program and the control data, and transmits the multiplexed data to said data receiving terminal via a satellite network or a CATV network.

6. The data transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said first generating means alters the scrambling program periodically.

7. The data transmitter according to claim 6, further comprising means for enabling non-periodic alteration of the scrambling program.

8. The data transmitter according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying common data including data ID to identify the predetermined data to be transmitted, and individual data including terminal ID to identify said data receiving terminal;

wherein said transmitting means transmits both the common data and the individual data to said data receiving terminal.

9. The data transmitter according to claim 8, wherein said common data includes a cipher key for ciphering the common data and the individual data;

said data transmitter further comprising ciphering means for ciphering both the common data and the individual data by the use of said cipher key and outputting the ciphered data as related data;

wherein said transmitting means also transmits said related data to said data receiving terminal.

10. The data transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said descrambling program is composed of an intermediate code not depending on any hardware.

11. A data receiver for receiving the data transmitted from a data transmitter, comprising:

means for receiving the data scrambled in accordance with a predetermined scrambling program and transmitted from said data transmitter, said receiving means also receiving control data to be used in the scrambling process, and a predetermined descrambling program for descrambling the scrambled data;

descrambling means for descrambling the scrambled data by the use of said descrambling program and said control data; and

memory means for storing the data descrambled by said descrambling means.

12. The data receiver according to claim 11, wherein said control data includes a scramble key.

13. The data receiver according to claim 11, wherein the scrambled data is transmitted via a first communication form from said data transmitter, while the descrambling program is transmitted via a second communication form from said data transmitter;

and the capacity of said first communication form is larger than the capacity of said second communication form.

14. The data receiver according to claim 13, wherein said first communication form is a satellite network or a CATV network;

and said second communication form is a telephone line.

15. The data receiver according to claim 11, wherein the scrambled data, the descrambling program and the control data are multiplexed, and the multiplexed data are transmitted via a satellite network or a CATV network from said data transmitter.

16. The data receiver according to claim 11, wherein said scrambling program is altered periodically on the side of said data transmitter, and said descrambling program is altered in accordance with the alteration of said scrambling program.

17. The data receiver according to claim 11, wherein said receiving means further receives common data including data ID to identify said predetermined data to be transmitted, and individual data including first terminal ID to identify said data receiver;

said data receiver further comprising;

a register for storing a second terminal ID unique to said data receiver; and

means for comparing said first terminal ID and said second terminal ID with each other and producing, only when a coincidence is attained therebetween, an instruction signal to instruct said descrambling means to descramble said scrambled data.

18. The data receiver according to claim 17, wherein said common data includes a cipher key for ciphering the common data and the individual data, and both said common data and individual data are ciphered by the use of said cipher key;

said data receiver further comprising means for deciphering both said ciphered common data and individual data by the use of said cipher key.

19. The data receiver according to claim 11, wherein said descrambling program is composed of an intermediate code not depending on any hardware;

said data receiver further comprising means for converting said descrambling program of the intermediate code into a machine code.

20. A data providing system comprising:

a center for providing data; and

a data receiving terminal to receive the data provided from said center;

wherein said center comprises;

a data source for storing predetermined data to be transmitted;

first generating means for producing both a predetermined scrambling program for scrambling said predetermined data and control data to be used in the scrambling process;

scrambling means for scrambling the predetermined data in accordance with said scrambling program;

second generating means for producing a predetermined descrambling program for descrambling the scrambled data obtained from said scrambling means; and

transmitting means for transmitting the scrambled data, the descrambling program and the control data to said data receiving terminal;

and said data receiving terminal comprises;

means for receiving the scrambled data, the control data to be used in the scrambling process, and a predetermined descrambling program for descrambling the scrambled data;

descrambling means for descrambling the scrambled data by the use of said descrambling program and said control data; and

memory means for storing the data descrambled by said descrambling means.

21. The data providing system according to claim 20, wherein said control data includes a scramble key.

22. The data providing system according to claim 20, wherein said transmitting means transmits the scrambled data via a first communication form to said data receiving terminal, and transmits the descrambling program via a second communication form to said data receiving terminal;

and the capacity of said first communication form is larger than the capacity of said second communication form.

23. The data providing system according to claim 22, wherein said first communication form is a satellite network or a CATV network;

and said second communication form is a telephone line.

24. The data providing system according to claim 20, wherein said transmitting means multiplexes the scrambled data, the descrambling program and the control data, and transmits the multiplexed data to said data receiving terminal via a satellite network or a CATV network.

25. The data providing system according to claim 20, wherein said first generating means alters the scrambling program periodically, and said second generating means alters the descrambling program in accordance with the alteration of the scrambling program.

26. The data providing system according to claim 25, further comprising means for enabling non-periodic alteration of the scrambling program.

27. The data providing system according to claim 20, further comprising means for supplying common data including data ID to identify the predetermined data to be transmitted, and individual data including terminal ID to identify said data receiving terminal;

wherein said transmitting means transmits both the common data and the individual data to said data receiving terminal;

said receiving means further receives the common data including data ID to identify the predetermined data to be transmitted, and the individual data including first terminal ID to identify said data receiving terminal; and

said data receiving terminal further comprises a register for storing a second terminal ID unique to said data receiver, and means for comparing said first terminal ID and said second terminal ID with each other and, only when a coincidence is attained therebetween, producing an instruction signal to instruct said descrambling means to descramble the scrambled data.

28. The data providing system according to claim 27, wherein said common data includes a cipher key for ciphering the common data and the individual data;

said center further comprises ciphering means for ciphering both the common data and the individual data by the use of said cipher key and outputting the ciphered data as related data; and

said transmitting means transmits said related data also to said data receiving terminal;

wherein said data receiving terminal further comprises means for deciphering the ciphered common data and individual data by the use of said cipher key.

29. The data providing system according to claim 20, wherein said descrambling program is composed of an intermediate code not depending on any hardware;

and said data receiving terminal further comprises means for converting said descrambling program of the intermediate code into a machine code.