Method and apparatus for background caching of encrypted programming data for later playback
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing background caching of encrypted programming for later playback, comprising:
- a memory operatively connected to a bus for storing received, encrypted digital data packets of at least one pay-per-view (PPV) event;
a processor for decrypting the data packets when they are transferred by the memory via the bus; and
a decoder for decoding the decrypted data packets for display on a display device,wherein the apparatus is adapted to search a program guide to find upcoming PPV events, and, to select at least one PPV event for recording without instruction from a user, and when the PPV event begins, the apparatus tunes to an appropriate transponder to begin receiving the encrypted digital data packets and caches the data packets of the selected at least one PPV event when in a power-down mode, and plays back a recorded PPV event in a power-up mode upon selection by the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enabling background caching of encrypted programming data on a storage medium for later playback in a digital video recorder (DVR) system. A set-top box (STB) equipped with a DVR searches a program guide for upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) events. When the PPV event begins, the STB tunes an appropriate transponder and begins receiving programming data packets containing audio, video, system time and conditional access data packets associated with the event, which are stored for playback on a storage medium. When the user turns the STB on and selects an option to playback a previously-recorded PPV event, the appropriate programming data is retrieved from the storage medium, and the STB recreates the original transmission timing of the data, to be displayed on a display device of the user.
117 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing background caching of encrypted programming for later playback, comprising:
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a memory operatively connected to a bus for storing received, encrypted digital data packets of at least one pay-per-view (PPV) event; a processor for decrypting the data packets when they are transferred by the memory via the bus; and a decoder for decoding the decrypted data packets for display on a display device, wherein the apparatus is adapted to search a program guide to find upcoming PPV events, and, to select at least one PPV event for recording without instruction from a user, and when the PPV event begins, the apparatus tunes to an appropriate transponder to begin receiving the encrypted digital data packets and caches the data packets of the selected at least one PPV event when in a power-down mode, and plays back a recorded PPV event in a power-up mode upon selection by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for background caching encrypted programming for later playback in a digital video recording (DVR) system, comprising:
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storing received, encrypted digital data packets of at least one pay-per-view (PPV) event in a memory; time-stamping the received data packets upon reception; decrypting the data packets when they are transferred by the memory via a bus; decoding the decrypted data packets for display on a display device; searching a program guide to find upcoming PPV events; selecting at least one PPV event for recording without user instruction; tuning the DVR system to an appropriate transponder when the selected PPV event begins, to begin receiving the encrypted digital data packets; and caching its corresponding data packets, when the DVR system is in a power-down mode; and wherein a selected PPV event is played back when the DVR system is in a power-up mode, upon selection by the user. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A set-top box (STB) for performing background caching of encrypted programming for later playback, comprising:
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searching means for searching a program guide to find upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) events received as encrypted data packets; storing means for caching the received encrypted data packets for later playback; and retrieval means for retrieving the data packets for display, wherein the searching means searches a program guide for the at least one PPV event without user instruction and the storing means caches the data packets of the at least one PPV event received from the appropriately tuned transponder when the STB is in a power-down mode, and plays back a recorded PPV event when the STB is in a power-up mode. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification