Data multiplexing device, program distribution system, program transmission system, pay broadcast system, program transmission method, conditional access system, and data reception device

• US 7,113,523 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2000
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wakatsuki, Norio, Kubota, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US09/589,822
• Time in Patent Office: 2,302 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/63, 725/67, 725/68, 725/71, 725/87, 725/94, 725/97, 725/1, 370/487, 370/535, 370/486, 370/397, 370/536, 380/222, 380/45, 380/240, 380/210, 380/280, 380/200, 348/12
• US Class Current: 370/535
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23895 involving multiplex stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23897 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting only the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43853 involving multiplex stream decryption arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44055 by partially decrypting, e.g. decrypting a video stream that has been partially encrypted
• 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 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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

In a data multiplexing device which multiplexes and transmits the transport stream packets of program data consisting of a plurality of data elements constructed in the form of transport stream packets, a program distribution system, a program transmission system, a pay broadcast system, a program transmission method, a conditional access system, and a data reception device according to the present invention, by generating a scramble key Ks corresponding to one or more data elements among the plurality of data elements constituting a program and by scrambling each data element, an audience can subscribe for each data element.

Claims

1. A data multiplexing device comprising:

a plurality of buffer memories which store a plurality of packet data strings constituting a plurality of data elements constructed in the form of transport stream packets;

a multiplexing means which has a switch means for switching said buffer memories and which time-division multiplexes said plurality of packet data strings to provide an output by sequentially time-division switching said buffer memories with said switch means,

wherein said transport stream packets comprise a scramble key extract means for extracting from the multiplexed data a scramble key corresponding to each data element and a descramble means for descrambling the transport stream packet for each data element contained in the multiplexed data by using a scramble key extracted by the scramble key extract means, such that each data element can be descrambled separately by descrambling the transport stream packet for each data element corresponding to a scramble key by using the scramble key; and

a switch control means which selects, according to an input rate for said packet data strings, said plurality of buffer memories switchable by said switch means,

wherein the input rate is a bit rate used as an index in reference to an amount of encoded bits generated by an encoding controller.

2. A data multiplexing device according to claim 1, wherein said switch control means switchably controls said switch means to exclude a buffer memory for buffering lower priority information among said plurality of buffer memories, when said input rate is higher than a reference rate.

3. A data multiplexing device according to claim 2, wherein said switch control means determines packet data containing Entitlement Management Message data to be lower priority information and excludes a buffer memory for buffering said packet data containing said Entitlement Management Message data among said switchable buffer memories.

4. A data multiplexing device according to claim 3, wherein said switch control means excludes, in addition to said buffer memory for buffering said packet data containing said Entitlement Management Message data, a buffer memory for buffering packet data containing Program Guide data among said switchable buffer memories, when said input rate is still higher than said reference rate after said buffer memory for buffering said packet data containing said Entitlement Management Message data has been excluded.