Method and apparatus for providing copy protection using a transmittal mode command
First Claim
1. A method of providing programmable copy protection of a video signal demodulated from a transmitted signal via a digital delivery network, wherein one or more copy protection signal prevents copying and/or subsequent viewing of a recording of the video signal while allowing viewing of the video signal which includes the one or more copy protection signal, comprising:
- generating a copy protection command having a mode control command and programmable configuration bit patterns indicative of respective one or more copy protection signals;
receiving the transmitted signal and the mode control command in at least one device coupled to the network; and
providing the one or more copy protection signal to the video signal to produce a copy protected video signal in the at least one device in response to one or more programmable configuration bit pattern selected by the mode control command, to prevent said copying or subsequent viewing of the recording of the copy protected video signal, wherein the copy protected video signal is viewable.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted. A set-top box (10) is provided to each consumer and contains a copy protection circuit which is adapted to apply selected anticopy waveforms to the video signal corresponding to the program material in response to the commands from the service providers (3). Usage data pertinent to each consumer is returned by the set-top box (10) to the service providers (3), which then report the copy protection usage to the respective rights holders and process licensor.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method of providing programmable copy protection of a video signal demodulated from a transmitted signal via a digital delivery network, wherein one or more copy protection signal prevents copying and/or subsequent viewing of a recording of the video signal while allowing viewing of the video signal which includes the one or more copy protection signal, comprising:
-
generating a copy protection command having a mode control command and programmable configuration bit patterns indicative of respective one or more copy protection signals; receiving the transmitted signal and the mode control command in at least one device coupled to the network; and providing the one or more copy protection signal to the video signal to produce a copy protected video signal in the at least one device in response to one or more programmable configuration bit pattern selected by the mode control command, to prevent said copying or subsequent viewing of the recording of the copy protected video signal, wherein the copy protected video signal is viewable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for controlling programmable copy protection of a video signal demodulated or derived from a transmitted signal via a digital delivery network, wherein a service provider enables providing one or more copy protection signal to the video signal which prevents unauthorized copying or subsequent viewing of a recording of the video signal, the system comprising:
-
a copy protection command having a mode control command of one or more bit included with the transmitted signal, and a programmable configuration bit pattern indicative of the one or more copy protection signal; and a device for applying the one or more copy protection signal to the video signal to produce a copy protected video signal in response to a corresponding programmable configuration bit pattern selected by the transmitted mode control command, to prevent copying or subsequent viewing of the recording of the copy protected video signal, wherein the copy protected video signal is successfully watchable. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of providing programmable copy protection of a video signal derived from a transmitted signal to devices via a digital delivery network, wherein one or more programmable copy protection signal provided to the video signal produces a copy protected video signal which prevents copying or subsequent viewing of a recording of the copy protected video signal while allowing watching of the copy protected video signal, comprising:
-
receiving the transmitted signal and a copy protection command at one or more of the device, which copy protection command is indicative of the one or more programmable copy protection signal to be applied to the video signal; wherein the copy protection command includes a mode control command and one or more programmable configuration bit pattern indicative of the one or more copy protection signal; and applying the one or more copy protection signal to the video signal to produce the copy protected video signal in response to the programmable configuration bit pattern selected by the mode control command in the one or more device, to prevent unauthorized copying or subsequent viewing of the copy protected video signal, wherein the copy protected video signal is viewable. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
Specification