Time-dependent authorization

• US 7,149,309 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Silver, Yonatan
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/432,668
• Time in Patent Office: 2,597 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/52, 725/25, 725/28, 725/29, 345/700, 345/716, 345/741, 380/229
• US Class Current: 380/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An access control method for use with a broadcast communication network is described. The access control method includes the steps of receiving an encoded program at a subscriber unit via the broadcast communication network, and preventing decoding of the encoded program at the subscriber unit for at least one preselected time period, preselected in accordance with a preference of a user of the subscriber unit. Alternatively, the encoded program received at the subscriber unit may be decoded for at least one preselected time period, preselected in accordance with a preference of the user of the subscriber unit. Related methods and apparatus are also described.

Claims

1. An access control method for use with a broadcast communication network, the method comprising:

receiving an encoded program at a subscriber unit via the broadcast communication network;

preventing decoding of the encoded program at the subscriber unit for at least one preselected time period, preselected in accordance with a preference of a user of the subscriber unit,

wherein the step of preventing decoding comprises;

disabling display of the program in a clear form at the subscriber unit for said at least one preselected time period in response to a selection inputted by the user;

generating a disabling code in response to said selection inputted by the user; and

employing said disabling code to prevent decoding of said program for said at least one preselected time period, and

the disabling code is associated with a payment code determining a payment rate.

2. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said step of preventing decoding comprises the step of disabling display of the program in a clear form at the subscriber unit for said at least one preselected time period in response to disabling data inputted at a headend of the broadcast communication network.

3. A method according to claim 2 and wherein said disabling data comprises addressed restriction information which is individually addressed to the subscriber unit.

4. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said step of preventing decoding comprises the step of disabling display of the program in a clear form at the subscriber unit for said at least one preselected time period in response to disabling data resident in a removable security element which is operatively associated with said subscriber unit.

5. A method according to claim 4 and wherein said disabling data resident in the removable security element is stored in the removable security element before the removable security element is provided to the user for use thereby.

6. A method according to claim 2 and wherein said disabling data comprises at least a portion of characteristics of the at least one preselected time period.

7. A method according to claim 4 and wherein said disabling data comprises characteristics of the at least one preselected time period.

8. A method according to claim 6 and wherein said characteristics of the at least one preselected time period comprise at least one of the following:

a beginning time of the at least one preselected time period and an ending time of the at least one preselected time period; and

a beginning time of the at least one preselected time period and a length of the at least one preselected time period.

9. A method according to claim 7 and wherein said characteristics of the at least one preselected time period comprises at least one of the following:

a beginning time of the at least one preselected time period and an ending time of the at least one preselected time period;

a beginning time of the at least one preselected time period and a length of the at least one preselected time period; and

a beginning time of the at least one preselected time period, beginning after the removable security element is inserted in a removable security element receptacle in said subscriber unit for a specified time period, and a time remaining to an end of a current day.

10. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said step of preventing decoding comprises the step of disabling display of a program in a clear form at a channel to which the subscriber unit is tuned during said at least one preselected time period.

11. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said step of preventing decoding comprises the step of disabling display of a pay program in a clear form at a channel to which the subscriber unit is tuned during said at least one preselected time period.

12. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said program comprises at least one of the following:

a television program;

a pay television program;

a commercial;

a video clip;

a program guide;

an electronic program guide (EPG);

data;

multimedia information;

a hypermedia link;

a computer program;

computer data;

an application which may be downloaded;

a program applet;

teletext information;

an audio program;

a textual information program;

an image generating program;

electronic-mail; and

voice mail.

13. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one preselected time period comprises at least one of the following:

a periodic time period; and

a specific time period.

14. A method according to claim 2 and wherein said step of preventing decoding comprises the steps of:

transmitting the program associated with an individually addressed disabling code from the headend;

receiving the program with the associated individually addressed disabling code at the subscriber unit;

separating the individually addressed disabling code from the program to produce a separated individually addressed disabling code;

processing the separated individually addressed disabling code to determine whether the individually addressed disabling code is addressed to the subscriber unit; and

preventing decoding of said program for said at least one preselected time period if said individually addressed disabling code is addressed to the subscriber unit.

15. A method according to claim 14 and wherein said disabling code is associated with a payment code determining a payment rate.

16. A method according to claim 4 and wherein said step of preventing decoding comprises the steps of:

generating a disabling code in response to said disabling data resident in the removable security element; and

employing said disabling code to prevent decoding of said program for said at least one preselected time period.

17. A method according to claim 14 and wherein said disabling code is comprised in one of the following:

an Entitlement Control Message (ECM); and

an Entitlement Management Message (EMM).

18. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one preselected time period is selected to immediately follow an additional time period during which programs broadcast via the broadcast communication network are displayed in a clear form.

19. Access control apparatus for use with a broadcast communication network, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver receiving an encoded program at a subscriber unit via the broadcast communication network;

a processor operatively associated with the receiver and operative to prevent decoding of the encoded program at the subscriber unit for at least one preselected time period, preselected in accordance with a preference of a user of the subscriber unit, the processor being operative to prevent decoding by;

disabling display of the program in a clear form at the subscriber unit for said at least one preselected time period in response to a selection inputted by the user;

generating a disabling code in response to said selection inputted by the user; and

employing said disabling code to prevent decoding of said program for said at least one preselected time period,

wherein the disabling code is associated with a payment code determining a payment rate.