Method and apparatus for minimizing conditional access information overhead while ensuring conditional access information reception in multi-tuner receivers
First Claim
1. A method of processing conditional access information (CAI), receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, comprising the steps of:
- receiving the CAI from a first tuner of the plurality of tuners;
determining if the CAI is of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders;
passing, to a conditional access module, only CAI from the first tuner and rejecting CAI from any other tuner if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by all transponders; and
passing, to the conditional access module, all CAI from any of the plurality of tuners if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by fewer than all transponders.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for receiving conditional access information (CAI) on one or more of a plurality of tuners receiving the CAI from a first tuner of the plurality of tuners is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining if the CAI is of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders; passing, to a conditional access module, only CAI from the first tuner and rejecting CAI from any other tuner if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by all transponders; and passing, to the conditional access module, all CAI from any of the plurality of tuners if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by fewer than all transponders.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of processing conditional access information (CAI), receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, comprising the steps of:
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receiving the CAI from a first tuner of the plurality of tuners; determining if the CAI is of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders; passing, to a conditional access module, only CAI from the first tuner and rejecting CAI from any other tuner if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by all transponders; and passing, to the conditional access module, all CAI from any of the plurality of tuners if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by fewer than all transponders. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17)
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12. An apparatus for processing conditional access information (CAI), receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, comprising:
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means for receiving the CAI from a first tuner of the plurality of tuners; means for determining if the CAI is of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders; means for passing, to a conditional access module, only CAI from the first tuner and rejecting CAI from any other tuner if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by all transponders; and means for passing, to the conditional access module, all CAI from any of the plurality of tuners if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by fewer than all transponders. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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18. A receiver for processing conditional access information (CAI), receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, comprising:
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a plurality of tuners for receiving the CAI; and a verifier, communicatively coupled to the plurality of tuners, the verifier for receiving the CAI from a first tuner of the plurality of tuners and comprising a module for determining if the CAI is of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders;
for passing, to a conditional access module, only CAI from the first tuner and rejecting CAI from any other tuner if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by all transponders; and
for passing, to the conditional access module, all CAI from any of the plurality of tuners if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by fewer than all transponders.
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19. A method of transmitting conditional access information (CAI), the CAI usable to decrypt media programs and the CAI receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, comprising the steps of:
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augmenting the CAI with CAI type information describing whether the CAI is of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders; and transmitting the augmented CAI to the receiver via one of the plurality of transponders.
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20. An apparatus for transmitting conditional access information (CAI), the CAI usable to decrypt media programs and the CAI receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, comprising:
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a processor for augmenting the CAI with CAI type information describing whether the CAI is one of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders; and a transmitter for transmitting the augmented CAI to the receiver via one of the plurality of transponders.
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21. A system for transmitting conditional access information (CAI), the CAI usable to decrypt media programs and receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, comprising:
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a processor for augmenting the CAI with CAI type information describing whether the CAI is one of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders; a transmitter for transmitting the augmented CAI to the receiver via one of the plurality of transponders; a receiver, for receiving the augmented CAI on a first tuner; and a verifier, communicatively coupled to the plurality of tuners, the verifier for receiving the CAI from a first tuner of the plurality of tuners and comprising a module for evaluating the CAI type information to determine if the CAI is of a first type that is transmitted by all of a plurality of transponders or of a second type that is transmitted by fewer than all of the plurality of transponders;
for passing, to a conditional access module, only CAI from the first tuner and rejecting CAI from any other of the plurality of tuners if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by all transponders; and
for passing, to the conditional access module, all CAI from any of the plurality of tuners if the CAI is of a type that is transmitted by fewer than all transponders.
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22. A method of processing conditional access information (CAI) transmittable on one or more of a plurality of channels, receivable on a receiver having a plurality of tuners, the CAI having channel information identifying the channel on which the CAI is transmitted, the method comprising the steps of:
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identifying the channel transmitting the CAI from the channel information; determining if any of the plurality of tuners are tuned to the identified channel; and passing, the CAI to the conditional access module, only if at least one of the plurality of tuners are tuned to the identified channel. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification