Remote control system for audio and video content

• US 6,591,420 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Music Group Corporation (Access Industries, Inc. (New York))
• Original Assignee: Warner Music Group Corporation (Access Industries, Inc. (New York))
• Inventors: Lydecker, George, McPherson, Alan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US09/382,537
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 380/203, 380/242, 380/239, 380/277, 705/57, 705/50-51, 348/1, 348/3, 348/5.5, 348/7, 348/9, 348/474, 348/477-478, 455/3.1, 455/6.1, 455/4.2, 725/31, 725/71, 725/78, 725/29, 725/25, 725/97, 725/104, 709/204-207, 709/229, 709/248
• US Class Current: 725/29
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• 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 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• 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 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• 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 program distribution system is disclosed for the simultaneous release of a program at a plurality of locations. The locations may include local broadcasters, or even individual devices. A program is modified so that it cannot be played without a release control signal and is then copied and distributed .either fixed in a media or electronically, i.e. via private network, the Internet, etc.) At the receiver the receiver first detects the release control signal and then replays the program at will. The program may include a time stamp in which case the receiver cannot replay the program until a control indicative of a current time/date corresponding to the date stamp. Alternative the program can be encrypted in which case the release control signal includes the decryption key. The release control can be broadcast over a tv channel, a radio channel and so on and is preferably imbedded into the signals of the standard tv or radio signals.

Claims

1. A system for distributing a program and controlling its release or play, said system comprising:

a program distribution center adapted to distribute multiple copies of a program, said program including a blocking component that prevents said program from being played;

a release signal generator that selectively generates a release/control signal; and

a plurality of receivers, each receiver including a detector for detecting said release/control signal and a player for playing said program by using said release/control signal to disable said blocking component;

wherein all the receivers receive said release/control signal simultaneously.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said program is encrypted and wherein said release/control signal includes information for decrypting said program by each said receiver.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said release signal generator includes a tv transmitter generating tv signals with said release/control signal being imbedded in said tv signals and each said receiver includes a tv signal receiver for receiving said tv signals.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said release signal generator includes a radio transmitter generating radio signals with said release/control signal being imbedded in said radio signals, and each said receiver includes a radio receiver for receiving said radio signals.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said release signal generator generates said release/control signal in response to a command.

6. A plurality of receivers for playing a program, each of said receivers comprising:

a control signal detector for detecting a release/control signal from a remote location, said release/control signal being provided to all the receivers simultaneously; and

a player adapted to play said program any time after said release/control signal is detected, said player being blocked from playing said program before said release/control signal is detected.

7. The plurality of receivers of claim 6 wherein said program is recorded on a medium and wherein each said player is adapted to play said program from said medium.

8. The plurality of receivers of claim 6 wherein said program is transmitted electronically and wherein each said receiver includes a memory for storing said program with each said player retrieving said program from said memory in response to said release/control signal.

9. The plurality of receivers of claim 6 wherein said release/_control signal is transmitted from a remote location as part of standard tv signals, and wherein each said detector includes a tv signal receiver that receives said tv signals.

10. The plurality of receivers of claim 6 wherein said release/_control signal is transmitted from a remote location as part of radio waves and wherein each said detector includes a radio detector for detecting said radio waves.

11. The plurality of receivers of claim 6 wherein said release/control signal includes a decryption key, and wherein each said player includes a decryptor for decrypting said program using said decryption key.

12. The method of claim 6 further comprising generating said release/control signal by the producer of said program.

13. A method for distributing a program so that said program can be played by different receivers, comprising:

generating said program;

modifying said program to include a blocking component that prevents said program from being played;

distributing the modified program to several receivers;

distributing a common release/control signal simultaneously for all said receivers;

at each of said receivers, detecting said common release/control signal; and

using said release/control signal to disable said blocking component and to allow a plain program to be played from said modified program.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said program is modified by encryption and wherein said time release signal is used to decrypt said encrypted program.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said release/control signal is broadcast to said receivers.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said release/control signal is broadcast using a tv signal.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said release/control signal is broadcast using a radio signal.