Cable services security system

• US 6,067,440 A
• Filed: 06/12/1997
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gunther Diefes
• Original Assignee: Gunther Diefes
• Inventors: Diefes, Gunther
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/873,334
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1-3, 348/5.5, 348/6, 348/12, 348/13, 348/10, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 455/2
• US Class Current: 725/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• 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

Abstract

A cable television services security system includes a two-way communication system for transmitting a broadcast signal from a headend to subscribers and subscriber viewing information from a channel identifier located within a subscriber'"'"'s home back to the headend. An addressable switch located outside of the subscriber'"'"'s home compares the channel being viewed by the subscriber with a subscriber privilege code. If the subscriber is not authorized to view the channel, the broadcast signal being transmitted to the subscriber is interrupted.

Claims

1. In a television broadcast system having a headend for generating a broadcast signal, the broadcast signal including a plurality of channels, each channel including a channel identification code, and for transmitting the broadcast signal to a plurality of subscribers, an apparatus for monitoring the subscribers comprising:

an addressable switch for receiving the broadcast signal from the system headend; and

a channel identifier at a subscriber location, having an address code and being connected between a subscriber display device and the addressable switch for receiving the broadcast signal from the addressable switch and transmitting the broadcast signal to the display device and for combining the address code with the channel identification code of a channel selected for viewing and transmitting a combined code signal to the addressable switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the addressable switch comprises:

means for receiving the combined code signal and generating an authorization signal therefrom indicating whether the subscriber is authorized to view the selected channel; and

a switch controlled by the authorization signal for preventing the subscriber from viewing the selected channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the switch prevents transmission of the broadcast signal to the channel identifier.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the addressable switch is located outside of a subscriber'"'"'s premises.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the channel identifier is located within a subscriber'"'"'s premises.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast signal is transmitted at frequencies in the range of about 50 to 750 MHz.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combined code signal is transmitted at frequencies in thee range of about 0.1 MHz to about 40 MHz band.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the addressable switch is connected to the channel identifier with a coaxial cable and the display device is connected to the channel identifier with a coaxial cable.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the address code is unique for each channel identifier connected to the addressable switch.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the channel identifier further comprises:

a splitter-combiner for receiving the broadcast signal from the addressable switch and providing the broadcast signal to the display device, wherein a single channel is selected by the display device for viewing;

an RF receiver connected to the display device for detecting the channel identification code of the display device selected channel;

an address generator for generating and storing the channel identifier address code;

a data combiner connected to the RF receiver and the address generator for forming the combined code signal comprising the channel identification code of the display device selected channel and the channel identifier address code; and

a transmitter connected to the data combiner for transmitting the combined code signal to the addressable switch.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the channel identifier further comprises a power supply circuit connected to the splitter-combiner for providing a power supply signal thereto, the power supply signal indicating whether power is being supplied to the channel identifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein a converter box is connected between the display device and the splitter-combiner and is connected to the RF receiver, such that the RF receiver detects the channel identification code of the selected channel from an output of the converter box.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the addressable switch comprises:

a first diplex filter for receiving the broadcast signal from the headend at a first predetermined frequency;

a second diplex filter connected to the first diplex filter for transmitting the broadcast signal to the channel identifier; and

a switch connected between the first and second diplex filters for interrupting transmission of the broadcast signal from the first diplex filter to the second diplex filter.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the addressable switch further comprises:

a low frequency receiver connected to the second diplex filter, wherein the second diplex filter receives the combined code signal from the channel identifier at a second predetermined frequency; and

a return path data transmitter connected to the low frequency receiver for transmitting the combined code signal to the first diplex filter, wherein the first diplex filter transmits the combined code signal to the headend at the second predetermined frequency.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the addressable switch further comprises:

a storage device for storing subscriber information, including a subscriber address and a subscriber privilege code;

a data comparator connected to the storage device and the low frequency receiver for comparing the combined code signal to the respective subscriber'"'"'s information and generating a match signal indicating whether the subscriber is viewing a channel not authorized by said subscriber'"'"'s privilege code;

a logic circuit for receiving the match signal and generating an authorization signal therefrom for controlling the switch.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the channel identifier further comprises:

a power supply circuit for monitoring power being supplied to the channel identifier and generating a power supply signal therefrom, wherein the power supply signal is transmitted from the channel identifier to the addressable switch along with the combined code signal; and

the addressable switch further comprises;

a power detector connected between the second diplex filter and the logic circuit for detecting the power supply signal transmitted from the channel identifier, wherein the logic circuit generates the authorization signal using the match signal and the power supply signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the addressable switch further comprises:

an RF amplifier connected to the first diplex filter for receiving broadcast signal information from the headend; and

a broadcast signal level detector connected to the RF amplifier for detecting a signal level of the broadcast signal to determine if the transmission of the broadcast signal from the headend has failed.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the addressable switch further comprises:

a data receiver connected to the RF amplifier and the storage device for receiving subscriber information transmitted from the headend to the addressable switch and storing the subscriber information in the storage device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the storage device includes a look-up table for storing the subscriber information.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the subscriber information stored in the storage device is dynamically changeable.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a headend controller in communication with the addressable switch for storing subscriber information.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the subscriber information is derived from the combined code signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the subscriber information comprises subscriber privilege information.

24. A headend apparatus for a television broadcast system, the system transmitting a broadcast signal to a plurality of subscribers, the apparatus comprising:

a headend controller for storing subscriber information;

an addressable switch communications transmitter connected to the headend controller for modulating the subscriber information for transmission at a predetermined first frequency band;

a combiner connected to the addressable switch communications transmitter for generating the broadcast signal comprising a plurality of individual viewing channels, wherein each channel includes a channel identification code, and the modulated subscriber information;

a transport system connected to the combiner for transmitting the composite signal to the plurality of subscribers and for transmitting a subscriber viewing pattern information signal to the headend apparatus at a frequency within a predetermined second frequency band;

a diplex filter connected to the combiner for separating the broadcast signal transmitted to the plurality of subscribers and the subscriber viewing pattern information signal; and

an addressable switch communications receiver connected to the diplex filter for demodulating the subscriber viewing pattern information signal and providing said demodulated signal to the headend controller.

25. An addressable switch for a television broadcast system connected between a headend of the broadcast system and a channel identifier, the headend for generating and transmitting a broadcast signal to a plurality of subscribers, the broadcast signal including a plurality of channels, each channel including a channel identification code, and the channel identifier for detecting the channel identification code of a channel selected for viewing by a subscriber and combining the channel identification code with a subscriber address code, the addressable switch comprising:

a first diplex filter for receiving the broadcast signal from the headend at a first predetermined frequency;

a second diplex filter connected to the first diplex filter for transmitting the broadcast signal to a subscriber at the first predetermined frequency; and

a switch connected between the first and second diplex filters for interrupting transmission of the broadcast signal from the first diplex filter to the second diplex filter.

26. The addressable switch of claim 25 further comprising:

a low frequency receiver connected to the second diplex filter, wherein the second diplex filter receives the combined code signal from the channel identifier at a second predetermined frequency; and

a return path data transmitter connected to the low frequency receiver for transmitting the combined code signal to the first diplex filter, wherein the first diplex filter transmits the combined code signal to the headend at a second predetermined frequency.

27. The addressable switch of claim 26 further comprising:

a storage device for storing subscriber information, including the subscriber address code and a corresponding subscriber privilege code;

a data comparator connected to the storage device and the low frequency receiver for comparing the combined code signal to the respective subscriber information and generating a match signal indicating whether the subscriber is viewing a channel authorized by said subscriber'"'"'s privilege code; and

a logic circuit for receiving the match signal and generating an authorization signal therefrom for controlling the switch.

28. The addressable switch of claim 27 further comprising:

a power detector connected between the second diplex filter and the logic circuit for detecting a power supply signal transmitted from the channel identifier, wherein the logic circuit generates the authorization signal using the match signal and the power supply signal.

29. The addressable switch of claim 28 further comprising:

an RF amplifier connected to the first diplex filter for receiving broadcast signal information from the headend; and

a broadcast signal level detector connected to the RF amplifier for detecting a signal level of the broadcast signal to determine if the transmission of the broadcast signal from the headend has failed.

30. The addressable switch of claim 29 further comprising:

a data receiver connected to the RF amplifier and the storage device for receiving subscriber information transmitted from the headend to the addressable switch and storing the subscriber information in the storage device.

31. The addressable switch of claim 30 wherein the storage device includes a look-up table for storing the subscriber information.

32. A channel identifier for a television broadcast system connected between a headend of the broadcast system and a subscriber viewing device, the headend for generating and transmitting a broadcast signal to a plurality of subscriber viewing devices, the broadcast signal including a plurality of channels, each channel including a channel identification code, the channel identifier comprising:

a splitter-combiner-filter for receiving the broadcast signal and providing the broadcast signal to the viewing device, wherein a single channel is selected by the viewing device for viewing;

an RF receiver connected to the viewing device for determining the channel identification code of the viewing device selected channel;

an address generator for storing a predetermined subscriber address code;

a data combiner connected to the RF receiver and the address generator for forming a combined code signal comprising the channel identification code of the viewing device selected channel and the subscriber address code; and

a transmitter connected to the data combiner for transmitting the combined code signal to the headend.

33. The channel identifier of claim 32 further comprising:

a power supply circuit connected to the splitter-combiner-filter for providing a power supply signal thereto, the power supply signal indicating whether power is being supplied to the channel identifier.

34. In a television broadcasting system having a headend for delivering a broadcast signal to a plurality of subscribers, the broadcast signal comprising a plurality of channels, a method of monitoring subscriber viewing patterns comprising the steps of:

attaching a channel identifier to each channel of the plurality of channels at the headend;

forming a broadcast signal by combining the plurality of channels and their respective channel identifiers;

transmitting the broadcast signal to the plurality of subscribers by way of a transport system;

determining which channel a particular subscriber has selected for viewing by detecting the channel identifier of the selected channel with a channel identifier device connected to the subscriber'"'"'s viewing device;

combining within the channel identifier the selected channel identification code with a subscriber address code to form a combined code signal; and

transmitting the combined code signal over the transport system.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the broadcast signal has a frequency within the range of about 50 MHz to about 750 MHz.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the combined code signal is transmitted at a frequency within the range of about 0.1 MHz to about 40 MHz.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the transport system comprises a coaxial cable system.