Method and apparatus for detecting protection of audio and video signals

• US 6,356,704 B1
• Filed: 06/16/1997
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Birmingham, Blair, Callway, Edward George, Karanovic, Marinko
• Primary Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US08/878,249
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.591, 386/94, 360/60, 380/3-5, 380/7, 380/10, 380/15, 380/22, 380/203, 380/201, 705/57
• US Class Current: 386/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91314 the copy protection signal being a pulse signal inserted in blanking intervals of the video signal, e.g. pseudo-AGC pulses, pseudo-sync pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91321 the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91371 the video color burst signal being modified
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and apparatus for protecting access to audio and/or video data is accomplished when data is received, where the data may be audio data and/or video data. Having received the data, it is interpreted to determine whether an embedded data access parameter is active. If so, an indication of the particular type of data access is generated. The data access parameter may control access to the data as at least one of: copy restrictions, viewing restrictions, and/or use restrictions. The indication is subsequently provided to a computer system such that unauthorized accessing, including unauthorized copying, of the video and/or audio data is prohibited.

Claims

1. A method for a computing system to provide protection of incoming data, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a video decoder of the computing system, data of at least one of analog audio data and analog video data, wherein a line of the data includes screen end information, a data access parameter, color burst information, and at least one of audio and video data and wherein the data access parameter is independent of a source of the data;

digitizing, by the video decoder independent of the data access parameter, the at least one of audio and video data to produce digital video, wherein, once the at least one of audio and video data is digitized, the data access parameter is lost;

prior to enabling a central processing unit to access the digital video, determining by a graphics controller whether the data access parameter restricts accessing of the digital video; and

when the data access parameter restricts accessing of the digital video, preventing the central processing unit from accessing the digital video without restriction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data access parameter comprises at least one of:

copy restrictions and parental control.

2. The method of 1 further comprises, within step (a), receiving the date from at least one of:

a digital video disc driver within the computing system, a video cassette recorder, and a video transmission source.

4. A video decoder system comprising:

a processing circuit; and

memory that stores programming instructions that, when read by the processing circuit, causes the processing circuit to;

cause a video decoder of a computing system to receive data of at least one of analog audio data and analog video data, wherein a line of the data includes screen end information, a data access parameter, color burst information, and at least one of audio and video data and wherein the data access parameter is independent of a source of the data;

digitizing, independent of the data access parameter, at least one of audio and video data to produce a digital signal, wherein once the at least one of audio and video data is digitized, the data access parameter is lost;

prior to enabling a central processing unit to access the digital signal, determine whether the data access parameter restricts accessing of the digital signal; and

when the data access parameter restricts accessing of the digital signal, prevent the central processing unit from accessing the digital signal without restriction.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the accessing performed by the central processing unit further comprises copying the digital signal.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the accessing performed by the central processing unit further comprises providing the digital signal to a display device.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the digital signal further comprises audio and/or video data.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the data access parameter includes copy restriction information.

5. The video decoder of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises programming instructions that, when read by the processing circuit, causes the processing circuit to receive the data from at least one of:

a digital video disc driver within the computing system, a video cassette recorder, and a video transmission source.

10. A digital storage medium that stores programming instructions that, when read by a processing device, causes the processing device to detect protection of at least one of audio and video, the digital storage medium comprises:

first storage means for storing programming instructions that, when read by the processing device, causes the processing device to cause a video decoder of a computing system to receive data of at least one of analog audio data and analog video data, wherein a line of the data includes screen end information, a data access parameter, color burst information, and at least one of audio and video data and wherein the data access parameter is independent of a source of the data;

second storage means for storing programming instructions that, when read by the processing device, causes the processing device to digitize, independent of the data access parameter, the at least one of audio and video data to produce digital video, wherein, once the at least one of audio and video data is digitized, the data access parameter is lost;

third storage means for storing programming instructions that, when read by the processing device, causes the processing device to contemporaneous with the digitizing and prior to enabling a central processing unit to access the digital video, determine whether the data access parameter restricts accessing of the digital video; and

fourth storage means for storing programming instructions that, when read by the processing device, causes the processing device to, when the data access parameter restricts accessing of the digital video, prevent the central processing unit from accessing the digital video without restriction.